Hustler Raptor 52 in. Zero-Turn Mowers – Are They Really That Different?
Is this mower the best for you? In this review I will go over the features, strengths and weaknesses of this zero turn mower and compare it to the brands you are familiar with.
I never heard of Hustler Mowers!
There is a reason why Cub Cadet, Craftsman and Toro are all household names. You see their names every time you walk into a home improvement center, hardware store or your local Sears. You probably have never heard of the dozen or so other brands that make heavy duty commercial mowers. Well, one company is out to change that.
Introducing the Hustler Raptor and Raptor SD by Excel Industries. Three high quality mowers now at a homeowner price. You may have never heard of this brand but I’m here today to tell you that if you want a zero-turn mower this is one first brand you should consider.
The first zero-turn mower to be patented was by Excel Industries in the early 60’s and they have been making the Hustler line of zero turn mowers ever since. Over the years they have focused mainly on industrial and heavy duty commercial versions. You may not have noticed the brand but if you ever saw a yellow mower at an airport or other large industrial area it probably was a Hustler. Don’t worry about service and parts. The mowers will be serviced through their 1600 dealers.
They don’t make lawn tractors so they don’t put lightweight stamped lawn tractor decks on their Raptor zero-turns. All the decks are fabricated, welded decks. They make zero-turn mowers that are all but indestructible up to 100 inches wide and up to 12 mph mowing speed. They took what they know from years of industrial mowing and made very rugged, dependable zero-turns at a price homeowners can afford.
Raptor 52 in. Zero-Turn Mower Home Depot Model: 933077
Brand: Hustler
Manufactured By: Excel Industries
Model/Series: 933077/Raptor
Item Number: 204612929
See All Buying Options Here: Hustler Lawn Mower. Dealer Locator
Street Price: $2999.99
Hustler calls this a Residential Zero-Turn. It has more features than a yard tractor but less pulling power than the G5500 garden tractor.
Compare it to: 54 inch Craftsman Model 20414, or the John Deere Lawn Mowers Z425 54 in. 22 HP Hydrostatic Gas Zero-Turn Riding Mower BM24656
Quick Summary Review
Pros:
- Kawasaki Premium V-Twin engine
- Top Speed 6.5 mph!
- Heavy duty fabricated deck and frame. 4.5 inch cutting height!
- Low Seat Height.
- Patented Automatic Park Brake System.
- Heavy Duty Front Caster Forks
- Disperses clippings evenly in side-discharge mode.
- Mulches well, leaves fine clippings with little or no clumps.
- Optional engine guard .
- Maximum mowing area per hour (acres): 3.0 acres at 5 MPH
- Recommended for moderate slopes? Yes, Moderate slopes
- Excels in mowing around obstacles? Yes
- Will Mow In Reverse? Yes
Cons:
- This is a heavy duty residential zero-turn but it still has the EZT transmissions that all the residential’s have. You will not be able to pull heavy loads like a leaf vac.
My Full Review:
The Raptor is Hustler’s entry-level zero-turn mower and you can buy one for less than $3000. It features a fabricated deck that cuts just as well as the stamped decks on the other residential machines. Overall it is a well built mower for the price. The Hustler Raptor is designed and built by the manufacture with the most zero-turn experience, Excel Industries in Hesston, Kansas
Features:
HydroGear EZT Transmissions, Mowing Speed 6.5 mph, Patented automatic Parking Brake, 52″ Cutting Width, 1.5″-4.5″ Cutting Height
Kawasaki Engines
23HP- FR691V Kawasaki V-Twin. Kawasaki Premium V-Twin engines offer durability, dependability, and the power you need to get the job done. Many owners prefer the Kawasaki over the Briggs and Kohler engines. Because of the way Kaw rates their engine, 23 hp is plenty for this zero-turn.
Heavy Duty Welded Steel Deck
The heavy duty welded steel deck offers superior strength and durability. Owners like the cut and tell me it cuts as well as a fabricated deck. It has welded in wear strips that keep the sides of the deck from getting dented. It is the strongest deck you can buy in this price range. Even though this is a fabricated deck it side-discharges so well that you do not need and aux blower for a bagger.
Heavy Duty Fabricated Frame
8ga, 1/8 in, .120 welded steel tube frame.
Hustler’s heavy duty fabricated frames are the best in the category. Hustler took everything they know about building heavy duty commercial machines and used that knowledge to make a tough chassis. I see no problems with cracking of flexing over time. The front caster forks
are built-up 1/4 in steel with a tall 11in x 4in front caster tire.
2014 0003 low-center-gravity
Low Seat Height
The low center of gravity makes this zero-turn more comfortable to use on hills and slopes. It is one of the few zero-turns in this price range that will handles 15 degree slopes well. Watch the video below:
Patented Automatic Park Brake System
A simple, convenient and patented system that automatically engages the parking brake when you open the steering levers. It just works and keeps the mower from wandering around when parked on a slope.
Hustler Mowers are available through the 1600 local dealers. If you need financing Sheffield Financial is the only lender Hustler uses and they have 0% financing programs with zero down for qualified buyers. They also have rates that start at 3.99% and go up from there depending on credit score. Sheffield Financial has been great to work with. You can apply online as well as in the dealer’s store. Many new owners come in and walk out in less than 30 minutes with a new mower and nothing out of their pocket. You can find you nearest dealer here: HustlerTurf Find A Dealer
If you live near Grand Junction, CO check out Duffys Outdoor Power Equipment
Phillip
Bought my Raptor in May of 2015. The only problem so far has been a bolt working itself of off deck but loc-tite fixed that.
In short, I’m shocked to read so many negative reviews and sorry to know so many people are having trouble with this mower.
This is the first ZTR I’ve owned and I don’t plan to ever go back to a standard tractor. No comparison in my opinion. The Raptor I’ve owned has served me well.
Take care everyone
Doug Hampton
I have a 52 in hustler raptor I’ve had nothing but problems with the deck where the idler pulley is connected to the deck.The deck actually bends which throws the allighment off and it eats belts I’ve had it in the shop a few times and all that accomplished was them beating it straight and costing me money. Is there a recall or something like that on these decks if not there sure should be from what I’ve read in the reviews.
Paul
Hi Doug, The industry only does safety “recalls” but they do have dealer service bulletins that are sent out if there is a recognized problem with a mower component. I don’t have access to dealer bulletins. There may be a reinforcement plate that they can bolt onto the deck to strengthen it in that area. If your mower is out of warranty you can always make your own plate to bolt into that area. (A 6″X6″ 1/4 inch plate should do the trick)
Joe Williamson
I have a Hustler raptor 52 in zero turn it was leaving the grass height on the middle blade, took it to our hustler dealer he welded something that was weak back and put new blades on it came home still leaves high grass with the middle blade took back they put a new belt ion it, worked fine but still leaves a higher grass in the middle make the yard not looking very neat. I paid both times, Now I was mowing and it stopped I could start it and the blades would engage but it won’t go forward or reverse what has happen now. I really liked the zero turn tho. .
Carl Jensen
Paul,
I have a raptor 52, after watching one of the videos I saw on this site I replaced the drive belt on my mower, watched the video again after completing procedure.
started fine engaged blade fine mower does move side to side but using the right hand lever, it will not engage for forward or reverse, any advise
Thank You,
Paul
Hi Carl, Was it working before you changed the belt? If it was then you do not have the belt routed correctly. I suggest talking to your Hustler dealer and get the belt routing diagram from them.
Paul
Hi Fred, I suggest going to your dealer and asking them to print out the parts diagram. There is nothing online that I am aware of.
Paul
Hi Fred, Blue Loctite is my friend.
larry
I bought a Hustler Raptor 5/17/2017. I cut my grass 3 times, then the drive belt came off. I replaced it 3 times and each time it came off.
Paul
Hi Larry, There is something – a tension spring disconnected, loose bolt in an idler arm, or you got some debris like a stick stuck in the belt drive path. Ask your dealer to take a look at it. Once you find the problem you won’t have any more issues.
fran koebert
we just bought two raptor 52 zero turns this past may- we live in florida and have 10 acres – we had a cub cadet and a toro both from 2003 – same machine just different colors – after 3 mower decks and many blades and belts over the past 14 years they finally have given up the ghost – they served us well – we went to the store and were sold on the raptor 52 because the deck was going to far outlast the deck on the cub and toro because it is fabricated and heavier duty – we had the raptors for two weeks and the rain started here in florida – when it rains you must mow the grass twice a week – the first time out my wife said her mower was making a strange noise – i listened to it and sure enough it was – i took the cover off and saw that the pulley on the spindle was worried out to about a two inch hole and that is what made the racket – told the dealer and they came and picked it up and said they had to replace the pulley, spacer and spindle and returned it in just one week – said it was a factory defect and everything was now in good shape – tried it out and it is just about as good as it can possibly be – now just two weeks later my mower has exactly the same problem – just called the dealer and they are picking it up on this monday 3 july – they can not understand how two mowers have the exact same problem within such a short period of time especially since they have never had this kind of a problem in the past – for some reason the pulleys are breaking in the center and after they break the mower stats making a racket and stops cutting the grass – in 14 years i have never had this king of a problem on the cub and the toro and they were used almost weekly for at least 9 to 10 months out of the year on our ten acres – i am 76 and my wife is 73 and we have mowed our property by ourselves – we figured we would get a couple of new mowers and we would have no problems for the rest of our lives and all of a sudden two identical breakdowns in less than a month at the wrong time of the year since now we have to cut the grass twice a week just to keep up with it – when the mowers are running they are fantastic but why are the pulleys failing – when they fail it also ruins the spindle and the spacer – we have not even used 10 gallons of gas total in both mowers combined yet
Paul
Hi Fran, Actually, I am not surprised when two identical mowers have the same identical problem. They could easily been made on the same day with the same batch of parts. I have a feeling that either Excel (the company that makes the Hustler) got a bad batch of drive pulleys from the sub-contractor, the pulleys were installed wrong, the nut was not torqued properly that holds the pulley on or the assembler was given the wrong pulley to install.
Stuff like this happens with all the manufactures. Remember how bad cars were put together back in the 70’s and 80’s? But please realize that Hustler is one of the better companies, They have one of the best reputations in the industry for their quality control. I confident that this is a once-in-a-great while problem. I would be very surprised if anything else happens with your mowers – ever.
tim c. esq
Fran, same mower purchased, same defect in 30 days. I am looking for a new mower. This mower part failed because of its design and manufacture. An idiot could have told them this would fail and will continue doing so until they redesign the part with a brass insert. It is a pulley with a soft aluminum center. Selling this unit with this defect, now known to the manufacturer, is fraud. No insert. No Mower after 20 hrs of use. Class action time. Want to sue with me?
Shawn
I was wondering if it is possible to mow off a curb with one of the front wheels and the other 3 wheels grounded? Like on a median.
Paul
Hi Shawn. That front corner will dip but if you are mowing high enough (over 3.5 inches) and the frame of the ZTR is stiff enough you may be able to swing around with one wheel off the curb. Other wise mow up to the end, turn your deck off, make your turn and the then restart the deck
dave
My lawn has mower tracks in he lawn from a previous owner an I would like to use a lawn roller to flatten it out to make it smooth. I have a Hustler Raptor with a 52 inch deck . Should I use that mower to pull a 36 inch lawn roller . Any suggestion on using my mower would help. Thank Dave.
Paul
Hi Dave, A 36 inch roller filled with water is OK to use. If it’s filled with sand or cement I suggest pulling it with something else (an ATV, etc)
If you need help using your new mower YouTube is a great resource. Search “How to use a zero-turn mower” for example.
Here is a good safety video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaooqW0GJkc and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Car5vamdGzE
dave
Hey thanks Paul, I was worried that in may not do that job because me friend who has a cub cadet said his mower would not pull that much weight. Thanks Again .Dave.
charles nicholas nasello
Dear Sir I bought a raptor in May of 2016 I have had problems with my mower after Les than 18hrs. After that was fixed my mower started scalping sections of my yard while mowing the rest of my yard perfectly. my question is why is this happening from a new mower.
Paul
@charles, get it back to the dealer and have them fix it.
Dan Duncan
Dan Duncan Sept. 22, 2016
I have a Hustler Raptor model 934794 purchased in August. There is excessive vibration and noise from the PTO clutch while it is engaged. can you suggest a solution?
Paul