Raptor SD cut quality - any recommendations?

[Ric]

OP back.
Embarrassing cut tonight with my SD 54.
I was on vacation this week, so my lawn went 8 days since the last cut. We had two significant thunderstorms this past week which brought some torrential rains too, so there was some growth.

I'd say I was between 5 and 6", cutting at 3". So in some cases I was taking 50%+ off the lawn. Not ideal, but I would have hoped not overwhelming for the mower either.
Attached is what I got. This is still with the super high lifts and a squared-off discharge chute.

I'm back to running the Gator blades and I made an arbitrary increase in engine speed tonight. Not sure if it's 3600 rpm or above (lever is about 1/8" from the end of its travel in the cam), but there's not much more room to increase speed beyond where I have it.

Same result. TWO days worth of growth (two big downpours over the last two days) and I still have rows of visible clippings and some smaller clumps. I was trying to determine if it was throwing the clippings further (before, most clippings were landing between 3 and 5 feet). It might be a hair better in terms of distance thrown, but hard to tell.

Your trying to fix a problem with a mower when the mower isn't the issue. The mower is doing all it can do. You can't cut grass that's 5 and 6" high taking 50%+ off the lawn and not expect the outcome that your getting. Your deck wont handle it. You need to increase the frequency of cutting to no more than every three days until you get the lawn under control. I'd start at the top of my height settings and cut at a 3 day interval bringing it down a 1/4" at a time until you get the lawn cutting to a 3 1/4" height and at that point re-cut the lawn when it gets to a 4" height at your 3 1/4 setting and you''ll solve your clumping issue and have a better looking lawn.

 

[mooch91]

Your trying to fix a problem with a mower when the mower isn't the issue. The mower is doing all it can do. You can't cut grass that's 5 and 6" high taking 50%+ off the lawn and not expect the outcome that your getting. Your deck wont handle it. You need to increase the frequency of cutting to no more than every three days until you get the lawn under control. I'd start at the top of my height settings and cut at a 3 day interval bringing it down a 1/4" at a time until you get the lawn cutting to a 3 1/4" height and at that point re-cut the lawn when it gets to a 4" height at your 3 1/4 setting and you''ll solve your clumping issue and have a better looking lawn.

I've only done that once this season, when I was on vacation last week, and I posted the pics. That was an extreme example.

I can get it looking good, but it means I need to cut it every 2-3 days to keep up with it. I've posted pics in this thread of what it looks like being cut at that rate. Even then, though, I get many visible clippings and some clumping. I wanted to test the Gator blades with higher engine speed last night so I worked a 20x20 area that was cut only 2 days before. I left a heavy layer of clippings that I could not make disappear, even after triple cutting.

What you're implying is that all of the good looking lawns around me are being cut every two days which is not the case. Most folks have pro services come in once per week and when I observe and see how their lawns ultimately look, most of them have no visible clippings. They're not being bagged, just side discharged, and they are being cut very quickly.

There's something different. Either I have a mutant lawn that grows so fast no mower will ever keep up, or my equipment is not up to keeping this type of lawn manicured in the way I want it.

I think the ultimate test is to borrow a commercial unit, wait 5-7 days, and see how it cuts the lawn.

 

[mooch91]

Just stopped in to see my dealer...

He has a 54" Fastrak that I can reserve for demo, I think I'm going to do that next week.

Then I can see if mower or lawn are making the bigger difference. I know it's not top-of-the-line, but it's a step up from the Raptor SD and will be interesting to see how it performs.

 

[Ric]

I've only done that once this season, when I was on vacation last week, and I posted the pics. That was an extreme example.
I can get it looking good, but it means I need to cut it every 2-3 days to keep up with it. I've posted pics in this thread of what it looks like being cut at that rate. Even then, though, I get many visible clippings and some clumping. I wanted to test the Gator blades with higher engine speed last night so I worked a 20x20 area that was cut only 2 days before. I left a heavy layer of clippings that I could not make disappear, even after triple cutting.
What you're implying is that all of the good looking lawns around me are being cut every two days which is not the case. Most folks have pro services come in once per week and when I observe and see how their lawns ultimately look, most of them have no visible clippings. They're not being bagged, just side discharged, and they are being cut very quickly.
There's something different. Either I have a mutant lawn that grows so fast no mower will ever keep up, or my equipment is not up to keeping this type of lawn manicured in the way I want it.
I think the ultimate test is to borrow a commercial unit, wait 5-7 days, and see how it cuts the lawn.

Just stopped in to see my dealer...
He has a 54" Fastrak that I can reserve for demo, I think I'm going to do that next week.
Then I can see if mower or lawn are making the bigger difference. I know it's not top-of-the-line, but it's a step up from the Raptor SD and will be interesting to see how it performs.

I seriously doubt you will see a lot of difference between the two mowers. About the only difference is the fastrak has a 5" deck vs the raptors 4.5'. Engine wise there both the Kawasaki 691, ones an FR and the other an FS which will Probably outlast the FR but seeing that there both running the 18.900 BTS / FPM the cutting and discharge shouldn't be that great of a difference.
When you talk about Lawn company's and seeing what they do, have you ever talked to one of the guys to get there opinion on what to do or maybe what there running and why? If the deck you are using with a G5 or 6 Gator blade is leaving clumps, you have more grass under the deck than that particular make of deck can handle, you may want to consider another brand of mower. What other type of mowers does your dealer handle?

 

[flightco]

I find your issue with the Raptor SD interesting; what does your dealer have to say. I don't know if it is your grass, something wrong with your mower or what but I almost didn't buy the SD because of your experience. I did and I am glad I did. Today was my second mowing; 5 days between mows and lots of rain. The top of my grass (the part being cut) was dry but my shoes were wet from walking on the grass (the ground was saturated). Mowed the lawn and had no clumps whatsoever, took about an inch and a half off and the yard looks great which is why your situation is so puzzling. Your grass looks great, maybe your lawn is twice as thick as mine; I think we are both cutting KBG but something is different.

 

[flightco]

Just stopped in to see my dealer...

He has a 54" Fastrak that I can reserve for demo, I think I'm going to do that next week.

Then I can see if mower or lawn are making the bigger difference. I know it's not top-of-the-line, but it's a step up from the Raptor SD and will be interesting to see how it performs.

mooch,

Wondering if you had a chance to try the Fastrack yet and if it made a difference; looking forward to hearing your results. I am interested to learn how high you have to climb the ladder to get a unit that can cut your grass without leaving clumps.

 

[mooch91]

mooch,

Wondering if you had a chance to try the Fastrack yet and if it made a difference; looking forward to hearing your results. I am interested to learn how high you have to climb the ladder to get a unit that can cut your grass without leaving clumps.

Not yet, probably won't get to it for a week or two due to some personal items. Will keep you all posted.

 

[PVHIII]

Not yet, probably won't get to it for a week or two due to some personal items. Will keep you all posted.

Your not gonna want to return that Fast Trak... It may be just one step up from that RSD but it's be 3 times the mower of that RSD...I can promise you that.....REALLY lookin forward to your review on the Fast Trak...Enjoy!

 

[mooch91]

Your not gonna want to return that Fast Trak... It may be just one step up from that RSD but it's be 3 times the mower of that RSD...I can promise you that.....REALLY lookin forward to your review on the Fast Trak...Enjoy!

I need to read up on the Fastrak models - I believe there used to be a base model and an SD, not sure of the differences between them, and I know there have been changes for 2015. I'm also not sure which of them he was planning to let me demo. I do know that the one he pointed to when he and I were speaking had the FR691V on it, which is the same as my Raptor SD.

 

[akcooper9]

Why arent you mowing at full throttle?