OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Victa Lawn Mower Frames Rebuilding Victa axles

Just after some input as to how you guys go about fixing up your worn axles, as most of you know I am mainly interested in the Model 4/5 and just touching on the romoto, what I planned to do was get some lenghts of 1/2" bar machined up with the Circlip grooves machined into them and just cut off and weld into place, is there a choice of grade of steel to use, or would just mild steel do the job? please let me know what you do, so I can establish my best options.

I use 1/2 inch mild steel as per original Jonesy. Lathe the 3 grooves for the rear and face of the ends.( plain for model 1 and single groove for model 2 with tin wheels. Same for the fronts. Grind the old welds and snap em out, redress the axle mounts, flush the new ones and set up with a 45 magnet and weld em in. Simples.

I previously bought a Victa 19"" rear axle (Non Segmented).
There are a few good sites around too so make sure you have a look around.

I encourage you to work out repair cost vs buying new and make sure its worth it for you in the end.

Just my 2c.

Welcome to Outdoorking, MowerAddict. However, your post contained an advertisement for a commercial site, and unauthorised advertising is contrary to Outdoorking policy. I've edited your post to remove the advertising.

Hi Jonesy, Blue is spot on...this is what I will do with my next Victa resto...As Mal says, all easy when you know how.

Hi,
I will be making up a new set of axles for my 18 shortly and I am just wondering about when you say "Lathe the 3 grooves for the rear and face off the ends" How many grooves are on the 18 Special axle? Thanks

Your highlighted extract refers to Rotomo" single bar rear axle Paul...

Your axles will require just the ONE Circlip grove for each of the 4 axle ends. Just copy your own/samples to clarify distance:)

Make sure you cut them a little longer and fit the wheel for test, then face the ends when your happy, as occasionally you can lose a few mm on wheel and dust cap variances and axle bar thickness.

And....DONT forget to put up a pic for us, lols:)

Thanks for replying, I thought so but just wanted to check. I bought a length of 1/2 mild steel rod from Masters this afternoon for $10. Should get 3 sets out of it I reckon. Thanks heaps, great forum here.

Sounds good...

Do you know what model/models you have?

Some images of your mower would be great if your willing

And picked this one up this morning






Working my way through them mechanically and then I will repaint bases etc

Good little collection.

Model 3 Rotomo....Correct Engine Serial, 128,000-200,000 over 3

Model 5 Series 3....AA AAA AAAI IAAC plus a few more Variants, 0-50,000 over 5/0

Model 5 Series 1.... 150,000 approx- 300,000 over 5

Model 4 STD ....110,000-330,000 over 2/4

There are a few things I can see on this model that make me think there is a possibility it was once an Automatic. Painted housings, broken front Predicta flap housing and its shade. If im correct and it has the right serial Id say its engine no is 114,000-120,000...but its just an educated guess. The Total Automatic Serial Run is from 110,000- 128,500 approx.

Enjoy your restos. If you need a hand with originality, please dont hesitate to ask.

I will check the engine number on the standard and get back to you. I was hoping it might have once been an automatic. Were the automatics a different paint color ? Thanks for the info.

No they were the same, They just varied mildly in shades at different times.

But the very early Automatics tended to have more of a blue tinge.

The later ones a more prominent green.

Its just something Ive noted through various examples over the years, and not something you really pick up on.

Im always looking for discrepencies and clues lols

Quick trip to the shed


Some paint from under the motor


And it also has this nice looking coil, a bit different than my other coils

Yes thats more the original Colour under the home paint job. They clearly painted the whole mower when they did it.

It is a Model 4 STD. BUT its a very early one, and not many of these have survived.

Infact, the serial sequence between 130-140,000 are very rare.

What happened with the demise of The Automatic was they used non predicta parts. Recoil starter, badges cigar taps and groove covers. Also what people dont realise is they also fitted the skirts as an option. They were a Non predicta item and a safety feature. This is why you see so many model 4 STDs with skirt bolts.

So to get rid of all the remaining parts, they just kept fitting them until they dried up.

So while no record exists in relation to model 4 variants, its my opinion they infact had more than 1 . The STD which was base model and rope start, and the Other model would have had the extras and the recoil start. With the skirts being another additional cost safety option. I think this would have been initiated to give variety, increase sales and get rid of the remaining Automatic remnants by offering more options other than just the STD form, to try and recoup some of the costs from the failed Automatic.

So while yours was not an Auto, its still a fairly rare and very early example of a Model 4 Std, The unexpected Predecessor to the First Victa Special. ....The Model 5 Series 1.

And you can still restore it with the options of starter, groove cover and tap if you wish and it will still be accurate and a Great mower in your collection

A model 5 S2 and a dept store model will give you the whole Model 4/5 collection. Excluding The Auto of course.

The Coil is a replacement. Second generation and OE for later Specials.

The early wrapped coil is correct for your model.

But if it works...Leave it!

Well I have the tap and starter, which groove cover is correct ? The one with the bolt and round nuts or the clip retainer ? Was the groove cover on early models die cast or plastic like the repro ones. The reason I ask is that I have a repro one with a clip on hand.

The edger channel cover was always plastic.

The thumbscrews were the early setup, when Victa was promoting the use of the edger channel as a washdown port. The clip was used later on.

This was the washdown procedure, as I recall it:
Back off thumbscrews, insert end of hose, nip up screws enough to hold the hose end. Then run the engine and hose, to wash down the underside of the deck.

Thanks Gadge, did all the specials have the cover until the end of the model or just until supply of groove covers ran out ?

I don't think anyone would be able to give you a definitive answer on that, at this distance in time.

But it's my opinion that they would have been fitted to the end of the model run, as they were still available as a spare part for years afterwards.

A very slow-moving one, as the cover didn't perform any useful function really, and by the 1970's owners didn't care much about the cosmetics, on these older mowers. We still used to get a few Model 5's in for service in those days, though. Those things were really hard to kill!