Recommend me a lawn mower

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:38 pm

I had an old Victa 2 stroke lawn mower that got drowned in the flood water.

Im torn between fixing it up, or buying a new one.

To fix it i need to rebuild the carby
New pull cord
New blades
New primer valve (thats a guess, its the UFO shaped thing on the top of the head)
Plus it sounds like it has rod knock.

So if i get a new one....
Just a push mower, my block isnt big enough to make a ride on worth while
2 stroke is preferable (my whipper snipper is 2 stroke)
Catcher would be nice
And i want it to last longer than a year

Please help cos i am currently mowing my entire lawn with the whipper snipper

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:45 pm

Have you thought about getting a mulcher only? (not with catcher type mowers that can be used as mulcher?)

Funny that, people have asked me "why are your lawns green?" whereabouts others are yellow and dead.. i said because I have Masport mulcher mower which chops the cuttings and place back in the lawns and i use washing machine water to water the lawns...

Cheers
AP

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:47 pm

Exactly the same as this one -
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Masport-Mulching ... 240%3A1318

Cheers
AP

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 5:14 pm

Thanks for the link, i really like the idea of mulching the clippings back into the lawn (and i have been doing it with the current mower) but at the moment, if i leave the mowing for more than a week, there is too much grass to mulch and i end up with big clumps of dead grass where it has been smothered by the clippings.

At least with a catcher mower, i can choose to most of the time, mow with the flap down and mulch the grass, but if there is too much, catch it and put it on the veggie garden

Also no a fan of briggs and stratton, had trouble with them (mainly with the pull cord squeeling)

Xtreme_RX · Post by **Xtreme_RX** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 5:56 pm

Honda.....

Or if you can find a dealer for Robin (Subaru) lawn equipment.....

Kappage · Post by **Kappage** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:00 pm

AlpineRaven wrote:Have you thought about getting a mulcher only? (not with catcher type mowers that can be used as mulcher?)

Funny that, people have asked me "why are your lawns green?" whereabouts others are yellow and dead.. i said because I have Masport mulcher mower which chops the cuttings and place back in the lawns and i use washing machine water to water the lawns...

Cheers
AP

ok we need a picture of your lawn now..

Wilbur · Post by **Wilbur** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:58 pm

Ask Subaman what he uses. It's his job

In my previous experiance working in an Ag dealership, anything that has a good dealer close to you is good. Avoid the things you buy from a hardware unless you want to through it in the tip when it breaks. Something with big wheels if your pushing it, swing back blades if you like mowing sticks and rocks or a bar blade if you have a proper lawn. Buy a 4 stroke too. You'll be hard pressed finding a new 2 stroke these days.

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:46 pm

What Wilbur said.....plus, buy a Honda.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:11 pm

Xtreme RX beat me to it on the Robin if possible - do they make lawn mowers

I say fix 'er up.

That UFO thing screwed into the head is a decompresion unit that usually carbons up to cause trouble. Luckily the thread is the same as the CJ8 spark plugs.

Some say the mulcher effect only makes need for more regular dethatching....

Ohh... rod knock ?? AUTOPSY !!

authored by the owner of a 1969 Victa Corvette 160cc with catcher, shaved head, and pull cord from 1977 Victa, and the said Victa, to go for space reasons and the plastic carby !!!

BrennyV · Post by **BrennyV** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:27 am

I have my trusty Rover 'Reel' Mower with a 3.5 Briggs and Stratton on her and she cuts so sweet

Busdriver · Post by **Busdriver** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 5:42 pm

Fix up the old Victa, it wont cost much, maybe just screw another engine on it, and blades are not dear either. I have patching up my old twin cyl two stroke victa for years (called a 500 but is 170 cc for some reason) and nothing sounds as good (or is that just me?)
Anyway, they all sound like a rod bearing is gone, dont worry about it until it breaks,drain the carby and flush it with clean fuel, replace the decompressor with an old spark plug like Steptoe said,and it might be easier to get someone to replace the rope as these require a bit of a knack.

Post by **yarney** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 5:57 pm

Honda

I have had mine for 19 years changed spark plug twice treated it pretty ordinary still starts first pull every time (touch wood)

Jan

Xtreme_RX · Post by **Xtreme_RX** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 6:39 pm

Yes Robin do make lawn equipment - well the motor anyway don't know who makes the deck for the push mower.

http://www.robinoutdoorpower.com/

ian059 · Post by **ian059** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 7:06 pm

Go the new Victa. I have had a Victa Mustang for the last 5 years, keep it outside in the rain and all. It has ball bearing wheels, wide cut with 4 blades, catcher, electronic start (starts first pull) and it's a two stroke the same as my whipper snipper.

Wilbur · Post by **Wilbur** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 7:09 pm

Crommelins are Aussie distributor for Robin if you care to look them up to see what, if anything they offer.

shuffbag · Post by **shuffbag** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 8:03 pm

i,ve tinkered with so much two stoke stuff to know its never broken really (well maybe the pull start rope or rings sometimes), pull it apart clean it with some petrol slap her back together and i bet it starts.

they (2stokes) are so easy to rip a part and put back together you would have it up and running in a couple minutes.

i've built so much using little 2 strokes, they are my choice for tinkering.
80km/h post hole digger powered, sure did give cars a fright. came off it on more than one occasion girlfriend made me get rid of it.

Subaman · Post by **Subaman** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 8:15 am

Nothing but a Honda, and if you dont like pushing it then buy the 21 inch self propelled (they have a bigger catcher too). Yes initially they are more expensive but it is money well spent, contractors use them and get many years of service from them, for example If the average person mowed their yard once a fortnight, that equates to 26 mows a year, I mow a minimum of 20 yards a week with my honda, that equates to 1040+ yards a year trouble free, devide that by 26 for the average person and in theory it gives you 40+ years of trouble free mowing. My father has had his Honda for 23 years now, never spent a cent on it apart from oil and filter changes and it still starts first time every time.

Cheers
Grant

Phizinza · Post by **Phizinza** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 8:29 am

This baby should just about do it

subasurf · Post by **subasurf** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:26 am

Get a Briggs and Stratton. They make the Hondas piss.

shuffbag · Post by **shuffbag** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:09 am

i think id be putting wheelie bars on that thing ^^