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On occasion I need to stop and take a break while mowing for a few seconds, perhaps to pick up a couple of items off the lawn. I keep the RSD running during this time. I've noticed a few burn spots around the yard where I've done this; they don't show up immediately, but always a couple of days later. Anyone else having this issue? Common with these types of mowers?

Thanks!

My 48" Raptor SD does this too. I contacted Hustler and they said to get in touch with my dealer to get a heat shield for it. My dealer did order the part (he called it an exhaust baffle I think) but he hasn't received it yet. I wasn't able to get a clear answer if there is an extra cost for this part of if it is covered by the warranty. I'll push back if they try to charge for it since it's pretty broken to be unable to park your mower for 30 seconds in one spot.

kielby said:

My 48" Raptor SD does this too. I contacted Hustler and they said to get in touch with my dealer to get a heat shield for it. My dealer did order the part (he called it an exhaust baffle I think) but he hasn't received it yet. I wasn't able to get a clear answer if there is an extra cost for this part of if it is covered by the warranty. I'll push back if they try to charge for it since it's pretty broken to be unable to park your mower for 30 seconds in one spot.

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I read some posts a while back where some Ariens & Gravely models had this problem(burning grass when sittin still for a period of time). As I recall, the dealers installed heat shields for the mufflers at no cost to the owners. It seems some ZTR models sit so close to the ground a heat shield in the engine compartment for the muffler is a "necessity". My Gravely came standard with one. I too would push back if the dealer/Hustler doesn't consider this a warranted problem.

kielby said:

My 48" Raptor SD does this too. I contacted Hustler and they said to get in touch with my dealer to get a heat shield for it. My dealer did order the part (he called it an exhaust baffle I think) but he hasn't received it yet. I wasn't able to get a clear answer if there is an extra cost for this part of if it is covered by the warranty. I'll push back if they try to charge for it since it's pretty broken to be unable to park your mower for 30 seconds in one spot.

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Please send a picture of this heat shield when you get it installed and get a chance...
Thanks!

mooch91 said:

Please send a picture of this heat shield when you get it installed and get a chance...
Thanks!

Click to expand...

Yes. In for pics. I've had a few spots get burned and would like to see the solution. I'll be emailing my dealer tomorrow.

My dealer is still waiting for the part. Not really sure what the delay is, but it's been over a month.

Per their facebook rep. My 54" RSD takes "120564 Muffler Shield Kit" I guess I'll contact my rep and see what the cost is.

Their technical support gave me 119616 as the part number for my 54" RSD when I called early last week...

Any pics of the shield? I'm having a problem with this as well.

OK dealer dropped by my house today and installed the shield. Here are some pics from various angles:











It's the black piece of metal mounted under the muffler to the frame with a couple of bolts.

kielby said:

OK dealer dropped by my house today and installed the shield. Here are some pics from various angles:

View attachment 21769

View attachment 21770

View attachment 21771

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View attachment 21773

It's the black piece of metal mounted under the muffler to the frame with a couple of bolts.

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Very cool. Any part number? I called my dealer and asked him to order it up today; he said he thought Hustler would supply it under warranty.

mooch91 said:

Very cool. Any part number? I called my dealer and asked him to order it up today; he said he thought Hustler would supply it under warranty.

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Sorry can't confirm the part number, though someone mentioned one earlier in the thread.

And yes, I didn't pay anything for mine, it was covered under warranty according to my dealer.

Considering it shields the clutch, hydros and grass from muffler heat it should be standard equipment. Thanks for posting

Thanks for the reminder. I need to call my dealer to find out where mine is at!

RaptorSD said:

Considering it shields the clutch, hydros and grass from muffler heat it should be standard equipment. Thanks for posting

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Everyone seems to keep forgetting the price point objective of Hustler introducing the Raptor line. The heat shield probably is standard equipment on the FasTrak models and up. If you add up the price for all the things Raptor owners would like as standard equipment like engine guards and muffler heat shields, that doesn't come on them.....you are buying a FasTrak.

kielby said:

OK dealer dropped by my house today and installed the shield. Here are some pics from various angles: <img src="http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/attachments/hustler-forum/21769-rsd-exhaust-burning-lawn-imag0363-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/attachments/hustler-forum/21770-rsd-exhaust-burning-lawn-imag0364-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/attachments/hustler-forum/21771-rsd-exhaust-burning-lawn-imag0365-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/attachments/hustler-forum/21772-rsd-exhaust-burning-lawn-imag0368-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/attachments/hustler-forum/21773-rsd-exhaust-burning-lawn-imag0369-jpg"/> It's the black piece of metal mounted under the muffler to the frame with a couple of bolts.

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From looking at the pics... It appears that with the shield installed you no longer have use of the "hitch". Is this true or am I looking at it wrong? I guess you could just remove the bolt and use the ball or cotter shaft to hold the shield on?

t9sti said:

From looking at the pics... It appears that with the shield installed you no longer have use of the "hitch". Is this true or am I looking at it wrong? I guess you could just remove the bolt and use the ball or cotter shaft to hold the shield on?

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You're right, it uses the "hitch".

Update... After having had issues with burning my lawn, I have since recieved and installed the heat shield on my RSD 54. I have cut my property twice and have purposely tested leaving the mower running over grass. No browning to report! Burning problem has been alleviated! :smile: Also, got the part through my dealer under warranty. He originally wanted to charge me $40 but thanks to you all I told him that there were other people on this forum that had it covered under warranty. He then said that he would check with his distributor regarding this and they OK'ed the claim.

MPW

Wow, that's hot to do that with radiated heat off the muffler. Must not be burning it but dehydrating it and it shows later?

--3D

That is correct. Not actual burning, but brown spots a day or two later.

That answers that question. I've been wondering why all of a sudden (since I got my new mower) I have what seemed like random brown spots. Thought it might be a fuel leak. It all makes sense now. They're in places where I've had to stop and open a gate or whatever. Thanks for the info! I would have never thought of heat from the muffler. I will be calling my dealer on Monday.

Well I found out another handy feature of the heat shield. I drove my mower next door to talk to the neighbor. He has a slightly inclined driveway and I for some dumb reason slammed the levers forward real fast and stood the Raptor up about 3 feet until the heat shield acted as a wheelie bar. No damage beyond some scratches on the shield, but I am glad it was there or it may have damaged my muffler. Yes, these will do wheelies!

I have the same problem,
I stopped for a minute or two and now there are brown spots,I called the dealer today and am waiting for service ad to get back to me.
I knew it was the heat cause it gets so hot down there and the flywheel just blows the heat right off the muffler to the ground...the hydros,belts,and PTO are going to last longer now also!!
I was just going to make a shield myself but if they supply it free thats even better!!
Thanks for the info guys!!!

Tom

I just got off the phone with my dealer he said he called the factory and the shield is an option so I have to pay $40 plus shipping for it..thats bull$hit if you ask me!!
When I bought this mower they never said anything about it burning up grass if I let it sit for 30 seconds wide open on the grass.Hustler needs to step up their game or its game over soon..the first mistake was going to BB stores,,then changing too Kohler.
Oh well.

577jersey said:

I just got off the phone with my dealer he said he called the factory and the shield is an option so I have to pay $40 plus shipping for it..thats bull$hit if you ask me!!
When I bought this mower they never said anything about it burning up grass if I let it sit for 30 seconds wide open on the grass.Hustler needs to step up their game or its game over soon..the first mistake was going to BB stores,,then changing too Kohler.
Oh well.

Click to expand...

Push harder, mine was covered under warranty.

mooch91 said:

Push harder, mine was covered under warranty.

Click to expand...

Well I tried again,I told him about you guys too,he said he has to go by what the factory says,,so by the time I put all the aggravation into getting it for free it may as well be worth $40 just so my hair doesn’t fall out more..lol

Ha! Hustler customer service is also very good if you want to give them a shot. Easy to get them on Facebook, their # is harder to find.

Thanks Mooch but I deleted my FB account years ago when my wife was asking too many questions

Decided to give Hustler a shot at providing a heat shield for the RSD60 after burning about 50 spots on the lawn if not more on the last mow.

Contacted on Facebook. Placed a post on their wall. They removed it. Placed another post on their wall, they removed it. I sent them a message, this is their reply:

"Thank you for writing. Yes we do have a muffler shield for your mower that would help but honestly we suggest that anytime you are going to leave your mower that you idle it down and turn it off. The muffler shield will help but if you install it you have to be very diligent on keeping it clean as it is a shelf under the muffler and grass/debris will collect on it and needs to be cleaned off regularly. It is however not an item that is covered under warranty. It is an accessory that we made available for those that feel it is necessary. The part number for the shield is a 120562 and is available through any of our dealers. I am unsure how other owners received it for free. Potentially it was done through the dealer and wasn’t paid by us. Jeff"

My shield was not covered either,,not sure how these other guys got it...the shield stays clean for the most part..i blow it off every time Im done blowing off walk ways and such.
Works good and does not cause any over heating or air restriction issues.

I think the shield is a must as it keeps the hydros,PTO,and belts all isolated from the big hot can back there,,Im sure everything runs alot cooler with it on

I ordered the shield when I bought my mower. $45. The dealer tried to charge me shop fees and labor for installing it, along with the engine guard and flex forks. I talked to my salesman and he removed all of the shop fees and labor. I was told to make sure I keep it free of grass, but so far no grass has made it into the heat shield.

I'm considering putting engine oil and hydro coolers on the RSD60.

Did the flex forks make enough difference to pay the price?

The flex forks are pricey, but they do make a noticeable difference. If you had to slow way down due to bumps, you will still have to slow way down. But it smooths out the minor bumps so you don't feel them. It also stopped blade swirl marks in the grass due to ruts. You can save a little money buying them on EBay, they are about $50 cheaper than at the dealer. I financed mine with the mower at 0%, so it only added $7 per payment.

I'm fairly sure I'm gonna have to either pick up a Simplicity, a Ferris or flex forks, one of the three.

Toro makes the "My Ride" system that looks like the best suspension I have ever seen. Also you can buy an air ride aftermarket setup for $429. https://ztrpuffer.com/

Best riding mower is the Ferris with the full suspension,,air ride seats are good but cant compare.

I see no need to spend money on any of this suspension stuff.
I am in the money making business. I can't see spending money on novelties.

If I can't go to work I can't make money. I am going to try my brothers airride when it get installed. If it helps me a lot then I will get one for next season.

mhavanti said:

I'm fairly sure I'm gonna have to either pick up a Simplicity, a Ferris or flex forks, one of the three.

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I looked closely at the Simplicity Courier. Nice features. But I could not find any reviews or feedback from owners, so I decided to go with a different mower. I liked the looks of the suspension, but they would not allow for a trial use on my lawn so I passed.

I bought on online to be installed next week $38 + shipping, dealer stated roughly what you got from their facebook account regarding the dangers of grass build-up.

Some people need the extra comfort due to back and neck issues,,I have a bad neck,back,and hip but Im gettin around on my RSD..too many rough dirt bike crashes when I was younger..also climbing trees as an Arborist for 20 years didnt help either...now I sit my butt down on my mower and get through the day..might stick a cheap air bag under the seat and take those springs out on the RSD...cant hurt any.

mhavanti said:

I'm considering putting engine oil and hydro coolers on the RSD60.

Did the flex forks make enough difference to pay the price?

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Good idea,,I know both run really hot,,cant touch either of them with my hand...the shield has too make a difference in pump temp,,the hot air blows out both sides and away from the machine now,,sad thing is the shield should be OEM for this machine,,hey what do you want for 4 grand...

I got 105 hours on mine and the pump bolts needed to be snugged up,,I noticed only the 5/16" ones come a bit loose,,after putting double lock nuts on the back ones they stayed tight for 50 hours...a couple of the PTO bolts and two of the engine mount bolts where a little loose too..I snug all my hardware up every time I change oil..even on the commercial Bobcat machine things come loose after 100 hours...I dont like thread locker cause some of those nuts are hard enough to get to let alone having to have to monkey them out...I put lock washers on the back pump bolts,,will see how that works

Over all the RSD is a great machine for the mechanically inclined who likes to tinker and play around once in a while,especially if your using it hard like me.

If you want a little time consuming fun buy yourself a $10 laser thermometer. You can find out how hot things are really running. I have a liquid-cooled Yamaha V Twin motorcycle.... it actually runs hotter than my air cooled Kawasaki engine in my Hustler. You'll find all kinds of ways to entertain yourself with that silly little thermometer..... like holy crap I live in Wisconsin yet my light colored siding hits 120 degrees in the Summer sun.... why the hell did I pick a darker stain color for my deck...160 degrees! But by far most importantly..... where is the coldest spot in my refrigerator to put the beer!

You know what,,I got one of those Kraky I used it to check the temp on my waste oil furnace here.
Figured it wouldn’t be too far off topic since its a burner..lol

Will get to work with it damn it....lol.... especial checking out the fridge you want that beer under 40 degrees!

Thats right brother!!! lol..

Decided to send the factory a message on Facebook. Guess what, they don't allow youtube links. lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDIfmYV4nvc

Great video,i liked and subbed.
Hustler needs to get there game on this or its not going to be good for them in the future.

Thanks Tom.

Did the video shake? It didn't shake at all when I uploaded it, watched it twice. However, after YouTube "removed" the shake from it, it shakes in several places. Won't fall for that again. lol

Thanks again.

We should all share that video around to other sites and see if we'll get a visit from Excel Industries / Hustler Mowers. Who knows, they might want to take care of the ole mower.

P.S. I washed the mower at the rear of the Garage Mahal and then it began to rain and I had to drive it around to the front to put it inside. Thus, water spots. Oh to the well, they'll wash off.

Max

"Run'em like you stole'em. Fix'em if you break'em!"

I would hope Hustler sees it and does something,,I would like my $50 back for being made to purchase the shield..Im noticing the shield is pretty thin and getting a powdery look to it so Im gonna take it off and hit it with some VHT high temp paint this winter.

The RSD has such a low center of gravity compared to other mowers,,I kinda like it that way being low to the ground and compact but that makes the exhaust closer to the ground.

Your mower is super clean,I wash and spray wax mine once a week and blow it off after every cut,,shes pretty clean too,,Ill have to do a end of season review on it.It will be a good one thats for sure,,great machine!!

I keep some Armor All or protectant on the plastics,,it will keep them from dulling over the years in the sun.

I didnt see any water spots..

Tom

That is the dirtiest that rascal has been after a mowing. It is always cleaned with water, blown off and then garaged and kept out of the sun. I haven't added the lights, the fans, oil coolers and the flex oil drain hose yet.

577jersey said:

I wash and spray wax mine once a week and blow it off after every cut...

Tom

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You sir have way too much time on your hands. :laughing:

gasjr4wd said:

You sir have way too much time on your hands. :laughing:

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hahaha,i actually haven’t washed it in a few weeks cause its going into the shop soon and Hustler needs to take a pic of the leaky pump so i can get a new one..lol..usually just swing through the car wash and hit it with the wand,spray wax,and rinse..comes out nice..i also put protectant on my plastics in the Summer,seat,hoses,engine shroud ect...cant hurt.Remember,Im going to try and get 1000 hours out of this mower lol

Trying to order a heat shield, and I'm getting part no 120562 and 120564. Are they the same, and do all Raptor heat shields fit all sizes of Raptor? (I have the SD 60)


Thanks!!!


PS: I have mostly centipede grass, and there are no scorching problems unless I stop. I have an area of bermuda grass that the mower is causing brown streaks, even though I never stop. Just going fairly slow and making normal turns is enough to overheat the grass!

Have_Blue said:

Trying to order a heat shield, and I'm getting part no 120562 and 120564. Are they the same, and do all Raptor heat shields fit all sizes of Raptor? (I have the SD 60)

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Never mind. I had a rainy day, so I made my own heat shield out of a sturdy 16"x16" aluminum plate. We will see if my patch of bermuda recovers and if the grass clippings collected by the shield catch fire. :laughing:

Have_Blue said:

Never mind. I had a rainy day, so I made my own heat shield out of a sturdy 16"x16" aluminum plate. We will see if my patch of bermuda recovers and if the grass clippings collected by the shield catch fire. :laughing:

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picts?!

I'm interested to see the DIY shield. Any rattle? I am new to ztr with my first being the raptor. Def burned grass while picking up twigs and kids toys.

superformance said:

I'm interested to see the DIY shield. Any rattle? I am new to ztr with my first being the raptor. Def burned grass while picking up twigs and kids toys.

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No rattle, it's pretty solid. Doubt it works, however.


I have found a problem I haven't come across on the forum, so I'm re-thinking the entire issue:


Radiant heat from the hot muffler does not appear to be the cause of the scorching. It appears to be the flywheel fan causing most of the damage, not the muffler. The air blowing downward from the engine is very hot. Pictures of muffler shield I have seen do not appear they would solve the problem.


This would not be a concern to me if it scorched grass only when the mower lingered too long in 1 place. However, it scorches when the mower is on the move. Sometimes you have to make slow, gentle turns in tight quarters to prevent skid marks on soft ground. It should not scorch the grass simply going slowly, but it does on my bermuda.

Unless someone tells me their muffler shield truly helps, I'll just have to mow at top speed to prevent scorching.

Note: Due to more investigation, I have edited out some of my false assumptions.

I remember reading about over filling the gas tank and fuel leaks. I found this after a quick search. See post #5 < clickable link

I bought the muffler shield after mowing with the RSD for the first time. I had some burnt spots in the grass from stopping. After the shield no issues. It should be standard on the RSD, not an extra option.

Have_Blue said:

No rattle, it's pretty solid. Doubt it works, however.
Radiant heat from the hot muffler does not appear to be the cause of the scorching. It appears to be the flywheel fan causing most of the damage, not the muffler. The air blowing downward from the engine is very hot. Pictures of muffler shield I have seen do not appear they would solve the problem.

Click to expand...

I believe the radiant heat is exactly the problem. yes the engine puts out hot air, but that would slowly cook the grass, not kill it immediately from being stopped for 10 seconds.

I installed the heat shield last night, I use my hitch a lot so I reversed the bend on the tab that secures on the hitch plate and ran it vertically behind the bumper and secured with a nut and bolt on each side on the vertical surface so as to leave the hitch free.

Krem,

The grass doesn't catch on fire, it dehydrates it to the point of causing light (bleached looking) spots in the grass where you may have to go around something fairly small diameter and the amount of time it requires to cut closely to the object.

I've been having this problem since I purchased the RSD60 in '14. It hasn't improved because it is real and it isn't going away on it's own.

I included the video of the grass burning problem.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDIfmYV4nvc

I didn't think this was really a 'thing' here until I finally cut mine without it raining the day after cutting. I normally plan my cuts the day before it rains... now I'm seeing little white/dead spots all over the place as it hasn't rained in a while. This is my first summer with the mower.
I may rethink things and add a fan or two when I do my shield or something.

Theres gotta be a way, not to turn off the mower and stop go real slow without burning the lawn. So someone still has a problem w the heat shield installed? I hear gravely and other model ZTs have this issue as well.

Its funny, my old '96 MTD muffler is about 5 inches from the bare dirt. Add 4 inches to the bare dirt and that only leaves an inch above the cut grass. It has never scorched the grass in all these 21 years. My little ole RSD did it the very first time I ran it around the yard. But then, the old MTD Yardman has a cover that surrounds the top, front and bottom of the muffler with about a half an inch clearance and that is all that's required to divert the heat back and upward away from the grass.

I mowed last night after installing the shield one day before.

After stopping at the gate I go through from front to back yard I left it parked on the grass, running for three minutes. Normally I'm though there in about 10 seconds and that is enough to scorch most times. I'll find out in another day or two if the shield works.

I did put my hand underneath with the engine fully hot but freshly idled down, just nice warm air, previously the heat off the muffler would curl my arm hair.

After mowing there were no clippings accumulated on the shield. Happy so far.

Krem,

That's great to hear. I've got to get a heat shield made and on the ole RSD60.

Thanks for the update,

Max

gasjr4wd said:

I didn't think this was really a 'thing' here until I finally cut mine without it raining the day after cutting. I normally plan my cuts the day before it rains... now I'm seeing little white/dead spots all over the place as it hasn't rained in a while. This is my first summer with the mower.
I may rethink things and add a fan or two when I do my shield or something.

Click to expand...

Same here. I had remembered reading about this, and not thinking much of it.....but now that have brown spots dotting my lawn I will be contacting Hustler this coming week to see if I can perhaps get this covered under warranty.

Mike,

If you call or contact them in any way, make sure you document and share with the forum.

Your dealer plays a large roll in whether you are covered from all my research. If your dealer is service oriented, the factory seems to help. If not, forget any help in my experience.

mhavanti said:

Mike,

If you call or contact them in any way, make sure you document and share with the forum.

Your dealer plays a large roll in whether you are covered from all my research. If your dealer is service oriented, the factory seems to help. If not, forget any help in my experience.

Click to expand...

Absolutely.... Planning on contacting them tomorrow. The dealer I bought it from is about 10 minutes away but I believe I'll try to contact Hustler directly. I will let you guys know either way.

If they do not cover it, I'm not sure if I will purchase one from them or not. It's going to have to have a shield, both for the grass underneath and for the hydraulics too. I am parting out a few mowers right now and I have one from JD 180 series that will work, with some slight modification. Just something about having to go that route on a new mower doesn't set well with me though...a shield should be standard, IMO.

Concur. Especially since the "other box store" units have shielded exhausts. Since Excel / Hustler chose to sell their units at box stores, theirs are now box store mowers. They should compete and retro those that are needing them.

Here is my heat shield with the tow hitch part folded back 90 degrees and secured in the back of the rail with two nuts and bolts I punched through. I also reinforced the hitch area previously by sistering up a sheet of 1/8" steel.








update for better lighting:

Called Hustler direct today and no luck getting one covered under warranty. They acknowledged the problem but said it was sold as an accessory and not a warranty item. I passed on purchasing one, citing that I believe it should be standard equipment. The tech I spoke with agreed but said his hands were tied.

So for kicks I called my dealer. Spoke to the tech there who said he never heard of one burning grass before. I had to give him the part number to get him to realize there was even one available. He looked it up, and saw the kit but said there was no record of one being sold at that store or the two nearby dealers in neighboring cities. The parts guy is out for the week and he said to call back and talk to him before I paid for one.

It's a minor issue sure, but Hustler should step up here and make it right. One of my burn spots is where I paused to wipe off my sunglasses, maybe 5-10 seconds tops.

I suspect most if not every Raptor owner is experiencing this, but not realizing the true cause of the spotting.

Kreme,

The shield's break upward and then bolted to the rear of the guard is much cleaner looking and much more practical in my opinion.

Mike,

I suspect your dealer may supply you with a shield if you tell them the importance of him doing so in order to get word of mouth sales from you. My dealer didn't care about service, just sales. He would put me off time and again and each time assure me he'd get to it immediately. Then he would stop answering my calls. If I stopped by the store, his 84 year old mother would say he was out. Of course, his pickup would be sitting right there and she always rode to the store with him. They forgot they told me that part. lol

mhavanti said:

Kreme,
The shield's break upward and then bolted to the rear of the guard is much cleaner looking and much more practical in my opinion.

Click to expand...

I agree
Kremeneon's mod looks much better, and it leaves your hitch available for use.
It seems like the Hustler engineers designed that in a hurry

When I told Shannon, at Ace Equipment , Tyler, Texas of burning mower exhaust spots she then called Hustler about the problem . They shipped an exhaust baffle to her and I installed it. No problem.

The dealer makes all the difference in customer service and whether your mower is supported. The factory doesn't support us directly and that is because we are only one unit. However, the factory assumes a larger quantity purchaser can't be allowed not to have their support.

I'm telling you all, keep going to the youtube I made on burning grass and linking it to your page in facebook, here, and making comments on the Hustler Review in Facebook, you'll begin seeing much more support as this one today from their dealer.

There have been two mowers replaced thru the Facebook Review page. Several exhaust shields from the youtube video connection. Keep on posting and reviewing.

Links below:

https://www.facebook.com/HustlerZeroTurn/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDIfmYV4nvc

anyone know were can i find one for my raptor sd 36". I seem to have the same problem when the ztr is sitting idle.

Bigmks said:

anyone know were can i find one for my raptor sd 36". I seem to have the same problem when the ztr is sitting idle.

Click to expand...

Check with your dealer, that's where I got mine.

BigMks,

Snag you a scrap piece of aluminum from some soffit - facia - guttering company and ask them to bend it for you. You can then drill the holes and cut the tabs to fit your unit and probably won't have more than five bucks in it bolts and all.

Max

mhavanti said:

BigMks,

Snag you a scrap piece of aluminum from some soffit - facia - guttering company and ask them to bend it for you. You can then drill the holes and cut the tabs to fit your unit and probably won't have more than five bucks in it bolts and all.

Max

Click to expand...

Yeah thats a good idea,it doesnt even have to look pretty..if mine ever rusts out im doing that for sure,i have a small brake here

Takes a long time for the aluminum to go away. If you bend it, doesn't do much damage to the mower like steel.

I contacted Hustler direct via e-mail and just asked for the part number and the rep responded with the number and warning about the grass build up. With in a day or two my dealer called me about the shield and ordered one at no charge.

Nice - no charge! My dealer would not spring for that, even when I brought in photos of the burn spots in the lawn. So I paid for the heat shield and solved my problem.

Grass build up in the shield has never been an issue. I use the blower on my RSD after every mowing, and I have never had any grass in the shield area.

I know this is an older thread, but I thought I might update you guys on this issue. After mowing a full year with my SD last year, I decided I needed the shield before mowing season starts this year. Called Hustler direct again, and pretty much got the same response. Called dealer again, and apparently there have been a few more reports of this and even though he wasn't able to cover it under warranty, I was able to get it at dealer cost, about 33 bucks out the door.

I will be equally relieved to shield the hydros from the radiant heat and it will be nice not to have to park my mower in the driveway when taking a break. On a side note, there is a guy on ebay selling engine guards for 50 bucks or best offer, I picked mine up for 40 plus shipping. Plan on installing both when the muffler shield comes in.

Mike,

Glad to hear you got a great deal on your heat shield and engine guard. You'll be well served by them.

Send us all some photos when they're in place.

Also, come on over to Facebook and join the Hustler Mower Owners Group. We're planning for the GIE-EXPO in October 2019 trip.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HustlerMowerOwners/

Max

Has anyone tried using an automotive type heat shield on the muffler itself ? The type that can wrap around the muffler. It might be just as good as the factory heat shield and cheaper.

Dino62 said:

Has anyone tried using an automotive type heat shield on the muffler itself ? The type that can wrap around the muffler. It might be just as good as the factory heat shield and cheaper.

Click to expand...

I'd be concerned that the heat wrap type fabric stuff would catch debris, then become an actual fire risk. I have had ZERO issues since installing my factory heat shield. It doesn't catch or hold a speck of grass or debris, and I have not left a burn spot anywhere on the lawn.

I have also installed the exhaust heat shield on my RSD54 after noticing brown spots in the yard. If I had not read about that on this forum I would never have tied the two together!

No grass build up and this plus the engine guard should really be on all Raptors.
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Dino62 said:

Has anyone tried using an automotive type heat shield on the muffler itself ? The type that can wrap around the muffler. It might be just as good as the factory heat shield and cheaper.

Click to expand...

I already had a partial roll of the exhaust header wrap so this spring I wrapped the muffler. I had high hopes but it still left burn spots.

It would appear Hustler/Excel is easing up on giving out the heat shields. I emailed service@excelii.com with a picture of 1 burned spot on the lawn, my serial #, model # and asked for them to send me a heat shield. 7 days from my 1st email a heat shield was on my doorstep.


Good luck

Top98Percent said:

It would appear Hustler/Excel is easing up on giving out the heat shields. I emailed service@excelii.com with a picture of 1 burned spot on the lawn, my serial #, model # and asked for them to send me a heat shield. 7 days from my 1st email a heat shield was on my doorstep.


Good luck

Click to expand...

I guess I'm not worthy.

"Dear Vincent,

Good afternoon and thanks for contacting us. The grass browning was reported to us from certain regions. So the heat shield is our solution for those regions. We offer it as an accessory because not everyone has a need for it. Similar to mulch kits, baggers and other accessories offered. The part number you need is 120564. You can order that part from your nearest dealer. Follow the link at the bottom of the email to locate one.

Thank you,
Tyler Brown
Excel Industries

If you need to locate a dealer - please use our locator at WWW.Hustlerturf.com"

I wonder how lean you're running? Lean=hot.

Don't feel alone. I had to buy mine too.
I am grateful I found out about it on this forum.
I just thought it was a yard problem or dogs peeing!

No brown spots now!
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The burned grass spots problem has only been around for a few decades so it makes one wonder why so many bull headed manufacturers.

If one of those mowers caused a wild fire in CA I'm betting they would change their tune.

Where is the cheapest place to buy one?

I just took the part number and did some searches on that. Did not seem to be much variation in price.
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Did the same and also didn't find much variation. May fabricate something unless Hustler sends me one gratis.

Hostil1 said:

I guess I'm not worthy.

Click to expand...

I'm even less worthy. I sent them an email and photo didn't even get a reply.

I wrote and sent pictures also. Below is the response from Excel. I bought the muffler shield from my dealer.

"Thank you for contacting us. I am sorry about the problem you are experiencing. Brown spots are normally a issue when the mower sits too long and the heat from the exhaust causes a temporary browning of the grass. To prevent this from happening, be sure to clear your yard of any obstacles prior to mowing. If you must stop for any length of time, stop on your drive - or other places than your grass.

If you continue to experience this problem, please visit one of our Hustler dealers and they can place an order for our muffler shield. It is an optional accessory for customers who need to stop frequently and would not be covered under warranty.

If you decide to purchase this optional accessory, remember to clean it often to prevent a build up of grass.


Thank you,
Tyler Brown
Excel Industries

If you need to locate a dealer - please use our locator at WWW.Hustlerturf.com"
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2 Phreakin Phunni! i don't have that issue and I stop for long periods, but I do idle it down.

I've found the problem with mine isn't the muffler at all, but the hot air blast from the engine cooling fan. Slowing it down to idle helps a lot, but you can't get off the mower without disengaging the blade. Then, you pick up a small plastic toy and you have to re-engage the blade. Some of those toys come 12 to a set, so do a walk-around, I tell myself.

Have_Blue said:

I've found the problem with mine isn't the muffler at all, but the hot air blast from the engine cooling fan. Slowing it down to idle helps a lot, but you can't get off the mower without disengaging the blade. Then, you pick up a small plastic toy and you have to re-engage the blade. Some of those toys come 12 to a set, so do a walk-around, I tell myself.

Click to expand...

Best accessory I've ever purchased for the ZTR:
32" EZ-Reacher grabber
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016P1VT2

Hi...I own a 2016 Raptor SD 60" (#933127) that is also burning my grass in spots from the muffler heat. I want to fix that issue.
I have tried to determine the correct Hustler Part Number for the Muffler Shield Kit from Hustler, my local dealer and other sources - but have been unsuccessful. Everyone says the part number is not listed on the official model diagram so they can't help.

Has anyone put a Muffler Shield on their Raptor SD 60" that can help me...?