OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Two Stroke Lawn Mower Frames Victa "Gold Edition"

G'day

This is my first post, so please let me know if I'm in the wrong space.

After my grandfather's axe Victa mustang broke down last weekend I did an inventory:

Body - cracked in several places, golf ball sized hole in one side, flap mounting warn elliptical
Carb - leaking, electrical cut-out disabled/split, not much discrimination on throttle before it gave up,
Snorkel - taped up/ held in place by cable ties
Plastics - all broken in some way
Fuel tank - flopping about
Height adjuster - useless as has to be used on one of 3 highest settings
Motor -power torque retrofit missing top seal
Handle - bolted together with nylock nuts, bit wobbly
Wheels - bit wobbly
Starter - spring broken
Catcher - repaired with riveted steel plates

I decided, after having the body last 35+ years and this motor at least 15 that I needed a new basis for my workhorse mower. I have a couple of old "decorative" machines but this old thing didn't have a single good component.

Now, I don't like pressed steel bodies. They seem too impermanent, alloy bases for me and I like 2-strokes. The sound and smell are just "right" in my view I also appreciate their lightness and relative simplicity.

So, a bit of hunting on online sales and I found a "Celebrating Six Million Mowers" Gold Edition. My very brief research puts this machine at around 1999. The base looked good and the catcher seemed newish. It was all there with no obvious missing or broken parts. A few scuffs on the body and some torn stickers but overall it looked good. So I made contact and did the deal.

It starts first pull and runs well, but I think it needs a little tlc to give it some longevity. I have a few issues that I need to sort out.

Starting with the wheels - what a disgrace. These things are 15 years old and the mower seems to have had a relatively easy life, but they have plastic bearing cages, and one has collapsed and scored the axel where the balls have run directly on it. Both back bearing seats are out of round and loose due to the poor engineering. My old machine had bearings replaced a couple of times but it still sported original wheels.

So my first question: can someone please point me toward a good source of quality replacement wheels preferably with proper bearings? The fronts are 7" and the rears 8" and the axels are 9/16" (14mm). I'd like them to visually match the originals if possible. I'm hoping that the new bearings have broad seats to sit over the axel scoring.

Thanks for any help.

Ironbark

Hi Ironbark, and a warm welcome to the forum. It's nice to have you aboard, as we all like to learn new things and tinker here.

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Once again, to OutdoorKing.

Righto, so let's see how this goes.

This is the beast in question just after I've mown with it.

As I said above the plastic caged bearings are shot and I'm looking for replacement wheels that will take proper bearings and appropriate bearings.




The mower is Model number MCA202A with serial number 3539-437

Many thanks

Ironbark

The wheels would be fine, the replacement steel bearings are available and slot right in. I cannot remember the part no. off the top of my head...

there a shocker for rust under base allways good to hose removing moist grass after cuting drys and last longer just a tip Gaz

G'day

Well, I bought new bearings and put them in with the spacers.

Unfortunately, there is still quite a wobble on the rears.

The wheels are designed with an inner plain bush and an outer bearing. The inner bush has worn.

Can these be replaced?

On another note I picked up genuine victa muffler, but it has no stuffing. Is this normal?

It seems to me this would be very loud. Do I just stuff it with stainless steel wool or should I return it?

Cheers

Ironbark

Hi Ironbark, yes, you can replace the inner bush, just push it from the inside out with a screwdriver.
As for the muffler, my opinion would be to try it, if its still too loud then stuff it with the stainless wool, but if its still too loud after that then you're stuck with it.
Cheers, Ted

Thanks for the tip Gman, I try to give my mowers a good brush down before going back in the shed, saves stomping crud into work areas. The base on mine is alloy so I'm hoping it's as good as my old Mustang at repelling rust. Time will tell.

Cheers

Ironbark

The inner wheel bush part number is ch85136a. If it is the later type silver victa muffler they have no stuffing