The story of the Eterra Raptor is a testament to our relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation. From its inception, the Raptor has undergone significant changes, each version incorporating feedback from the field to better meet the demands of its users.
The Eterra Raptor was invented out of necessity to address the limitations and inefficiencies in existing skid steer mower attachments at the time. As contractors and landscapers faced increasingly diverse and demanding jobs, there was a growing need for a more versatile, powerful, and reliable attachment that could handle anything that professionals might face.
Let us take a journey through the evolution of the Eterra Raptor, exploring the changes, the reasons behind them, and how they have enhanced this powerful attachment's performance.
The Original – 2000-2008
The original Raptor was actually a Bomford boom arm for tractors mounted on an Eterra skid steer mounting plate, with some modifications. When Eterra’s founder Rob Leib found a surplus of these tractor boom arms locally, an idea was sparked that begun the evolution of this revolutionary skid steer attachment.
It utilized a handheld wired controller, and a Fasse valve control block with three sets of controls plus a mower on/off switch. Hoses connected directly to the mower head from the valve block minimizing hose connections and heat. We adapted the handheld control with a steel mounting plate to allow it to clamp onto the skid steer machine controls for more seamless operation. For breakaway of the mower head, a one-way cylinder with spring pressure port allowed the arm to swing back if it hit something too hard. Downfalls of this early design were the linkage, and pins were undersized for skid steer operation since it was originally designed for a tractor, and the Bomford mower head was not removable, with very little serviceable since these originated from the UK.
Version 2 – 2008-2014
The second version of the Raptor was developed to improve upon the idea of the first one, and to really establish a foothold on this unique product using more of what we had developed over the years. This new version was developed and constructed in house, and featured a compact folding design that you now see copied in cheap Chinese imitations. We developed this version to now use a 3” bar clamp system for the mower head that you still see to this day on the Raptors. This allowed us to have swappable mower heads and to give us options for the future. This version also featured a similar breakaway cylinder to the original.
Featuring an expanded version of the original Fasse hydraulic control valve to add on the necessary controls, it required a new controller as well. Originally it was controlled using a Cervis remote controller, however those went out of production, and we switched over to a wireless system made by Kar-tech.
The hosing featured a mix of soft and hard lines to keep them tidy. However, this ended up in multiple connection points that had issues with leaks and having this many connections also added heat into the system as well when running flow over this length of hosing.
Issues with this version were problems with leaks at the numerous connections, a rubber stopper on the folding mechanism that did not hold up well over time, and the fact that it was difficult to park without falling over on uneven terrain. All this experience, however, was gathered to form the next iteration of the Raptor.
Version 3 – 2014-2018
The third version of the Raptor was developed in response to specific feedback from operators who appreciated the power and durability of the second version but wanted a more adaptable and user-friendly mower. The need for an attachment that could seamlessly transition between different jobs without compromising performance was a driving force behind this upgrade.
This version introduced the first version of the “modern” Raptor Boom Arm system. This design began with version 3A featuring internal hose routing and connectors at those locations and a new head rotation linkage. This hosing configuration created a lot of heat for Bobcat owners though, and the head rotation linkage proved to be undersized. These were quickly remedied with a version 3B of the boom arm, which did away with the multitude of hose connections and fittings and moved to straight through hose routing and upped the size of the head rotation linkage.
The biggest change to this model is the introduction of the rotary actuator system, which is unique to only the Eterra Raptor to this day for skid steer boom arm mowers. This actuator allows the arm to pivot from out in front of the machine, to out to the side, now allowing operators to mow in front of the machine as well as off to the side. This improved the parking issue as well by creating a stable base out in front to park with. The actuator also replaced the breakaway cylinder by integrating it into the hydraulic circuit of the rotary actuator. This version also marked the start of the use of the Skid Steer Genius Super Controller system. The double joystick system that could be installed in the cab marked a revolution in control systems, allowing the operator to seamlessly drive their machine, and operate the boom arm simultaneously.
The biggest limitation of this version of the mower is that the valve block was still only capable of handling standard flow machines and attachments, maxing out at 24gpm. The increase in availability of high flow capable skid steer machines started to mean that we needed to keep up and develop an updated version capable of handling 40+GPM.
Version 4 – 2018-2024
By 2018 the proliferation of high flow (40+GPM) machines in the market pushed us to innovate again and step up to the plate. Customers want to use the full power of their machines, and we wanted them to as well. Unfortunately, due to the limitations of our valve block on version 3, modifications could not be made to it to make it high flow capable, it just simply generated too much heat. Version 4 of the Raptor introduced a new Hawe valve block. We sought high and low for a company we could work with to meet our needs, and Hawe answered our call. While the same principles of operation are employed, the quality and functionality of their valve systems meant we could now push more flow through the Raptor than ever, without building up excessive heat.
Utilizing this new valve block, and a new brand of rotary actuator, we upsized everything. Hoses got bigger, connections got bigger, and we even did away with the pioneer couplers at the mower connections, opting for a straight through connector instead. While this does make changing mower heads slightly more difficult, it was another place where we were able to drastically reduce heat buildup by eliminating those fittings.
These changes allowed us to start using high flow versions of our Sidewinder and Cyclone mowers on the Raptor as well, letting us utilize larger displacement motors on them, which vastly improved their torque output, and by extension, performance.
Version 5 – 2024-Present
As time went on, manufacturing costs increased, and so did the price of the Raptor Boom Arm. We did not want that for our customers though, so we decided some changes were needed. This prompted us to look at the Raptor again from the ground up and put our heads together to keep innovating. We are proud to say that this newest version of the Raptor is by far our best yet. We took the construction of the boom arm back down to the ground and started looking at it in a new way. By taking cues from the excavator manufacturers, we were able to do two important things with this updated version, increase the strength of all the boom arm components, and make the arm itself lighter. This allows for much more seamless operation on smaller machines, and simultaneously allows for heavier mowers to be used as well, giving us even more room to innovate on new mower heads in the future.
We also looked at parts that had been failing in the past as well, and made those bigger and stronger as well, meaning more up-time for the operators, and more productivity for our customers.
The last change we made was to the hosing, moving back to an external hose routing system to help address the last few complaints of overheating in hot Texas summers, and to simplify maintenance work on the Raptor as well. With everything now easily accessible, and able to vent off heat into the air, we believe that even at the 45 GPM some machines can put out these days, our customers should have no problem mowing no matter what the conditions are outside. We’re very proud of this latest version of the Raptor Boom Arm system and look forward to innovating it even further in the future with new attachments to add to it, and to continue taking any customer feedback to further improve it.
The Legacy of Innovation
The Raptor's story is not just about a product though; it is about a philosophy of continuous improvement and a dedication to meeting the needs of the people who rely on it. As we look to the future, the Raptor will undoubtedly continue to evolve, driven by the same principles that have guided its development from the beginning. It stands as a symbol of what can be achieved when a company listens to its customers, embraces innovation, and strives for excellence.
The legacy of the Raptor is one of trust, reliability, and relentless pursuit of perfection, ensuring that it will remain a cornerstone in the world of skid steer attachments for years to come.