OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Victa Lawn Mower Frames Victa Mulchmaster 560

What are people's thoughts on the Victa MSV567 Mulchmaster 560? Is the self propelled mechanism up to the job?

A customer has an elderly Honda push mower that is proving extremely hard to start and wants to replace it with a self propelled 4 stroke Victa.

They mow large areas of grass in an attempt to make it look like lawn, and don't use the catcher on the current mower. The guard is wired up to prevent the grass blocking. Not ideal from an OH&S point of view!

They love the thought of the electric start on the Victa Ultimate, but they would still need to wire up the rear guard to prevent it blocking whilst cutting their heavy grass. They don't want to use a catcher, and prefer a side throw.

It would seem that the Victa 560 is the only self propelled Victa that will suit their requirements.

Hi LRT, no idea how tough the drive is in them but apparently the Snapper drive is pretty good and around the same sort of price.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SNAPPER-P21875-Self-Propelled-Mower-Catch-and-Mulch-/141942447372

Thanks Norm. I'll look into it. The Snapper Commercial mower looks impressive.

https://www.snapper.com/na/en_us/product-catalog/push-mowers/commercial-walk-mowers.html

Snapper's USA website mentions a disc drive system, but Victa don't give any details of theirs. However, since both companies are owned by Briggs & Stratton, there is a strong possibility the drive mechanism is the same.

LRT, there was somebody here recently not happy with the Victa gearbox, seems as frail as the Honda one. I have just the belt and bearings in the drive on an Ariens and they are a very basic simple and rugged drive system, I would stay away from any self drive with a gearbox system

Looks like Snapper is the way to go. I'll do some enquires and report back.

According to the local Victa & Snapper dealer, no side throw Snappers are sold in Australia.

Are the ones on eBay 'grey' imports or does the dealer just want to push the Victa?

They also say the Victa 560 drive system is ok if used domestically.

LRT that is the dead give away, the message is in the wording "the Victa 560 drive system is ok if used domestically". That would be enough to make me run a mile. If it has a gearbox forget it. Otherwise look at the Ariens, the drive on them is nice and simple but the Ariens are not readily available. My grandson is using one and he is thinking about importing another one

Yes I had the same thought too! Does the Ariens mower your grandson use have a Chonda? I noticed on Allpower's site the LM push mower is using an Arien branded engine.

The Ariens my grandson uses has a Briggs on it, it is an older one but they are good. I noticed the LM push was using an Arien branded motor but as you would have also noticed nil stock

Yes, they look like a cheap mower compared to the older Ariens. Seems the Snapper on eBay is the way to go.

It looks like Greenfield are going against the trend to market a tough and long lasting mower for Aussie conditions, but they don't offer them as self propelled nor with side chutes. Maybe that is to protect the sales of the self propelled slasher and ride ons?

enduro-vanguard-commercial-mower

Another one to consider�

Toro Personal Pace mowers

Been trying to get info on how the personal pace works but information is not very forthcoming so turned the back on them. The disc drive system on the Snapper is probably similar to the Ariens

Hi, I have an old Snapper which looks like the one in the link although now a bit battered with a Briggs Sprint replacement engine.

It has a chute for the catcher which is a bag at the rear. We do not use the catcher at all. We use it as a side throw. It has a sort of windrowing attachment.

It has been very good . The disc drive system seems to work well. What ever you do do not use it without either the catcher or the side throw attachment. It will fling stones 20-30 m at high velocity. There is a safety device on it so it will not start without either in place but that had been disconnected by a previous owner.

Its very old perhaps 70's or earlier. It had a white Briggs 3.5HP (absolutely worn out) on it as the original engine.

All the best
Jeff

Did you contact Snapper USA? I find the Australian OPE distributors and dealers don't give out much info.

I've never used a Toro mower, but I've spent many hours using their tracked and wheeled mini skid steers (Dingo) and their Kawasaki powered stump grinder. They are well built machines and last well when used for rental/hire.

Yes Jeff, I'm leaning towards the Snapper since the Victa is only a 'domestic' mower!

Mulch-bastard sounds more fitting.

I don't know yet!

There are some videos of the 560 but not sure how well the drive lasted.

Victa Mulchmaster

The drive gets a few mentions on Product Review�

Product Review - Victa Mulchmaster

Yep, Snapper is where it's at.

So there you go not a lot of happy customers there, looks like any with these small gearboxes are to be avoided as MF says the Snapper might be the go

Yes. There are videos on how to change the belts on the self propelled Toros and the gearbox looks quite flimsy too. Toro how to change drive belt video

I contacted the person selling the Snapper on eBay and he's only importing the 3 in 1 model and not the Commercial series. He's also in the process of importing Active mowers from Italy. I don't know what model though.

The gearbox in the Active 5300 looks ok: Active 5300 SB

I'll wait and see what response my grandson gets from Ariens in the States he has emailed them to see if they will send one out

I can't understand why manufacturers can't build something with a decent drive system for the contractor, they will pay for a robust machine that is strong and won't give them trouble. The Deutschers are good but too cumbersome for general contracting work. My mate has one but it is murder on the garden beds

Yes it's odd. Snapper offer tough commercial mowers in USA but all we get is consumer models in Australia. Maybe they think nothing grows out here�

Greenfield offer a competitor to the Deutscher, but both are too big.

Greenfield Industrial Power Drive

The other problem is the price of a Deutscher is comparable to a good ride on. For $5,000 most people would like to sit down and mow.

Still, in rough and hilly terrain Deutscher mowers come out on top.

I repowered an FH model Deutscher for a customer a few years ago and it's still doing a great job.

I'm also making up a new gearbox shaft for another FH that I'm restoring. Although the 1961 Massey Ferguson 35 restoration is taking up most of my time at the moment, so I haven't done much to the Deutscher in a while.

Snapper has a ready niche on a platter here. They are crazy!! With so many mowing contractors here nowadays, they would sell up a storm!!

Maybe someone should try importing them privately? I'd buy one!

I presume they're not selling them here so they don't compete with Victa, since both Snapper & Victa are owned by Briggs & Stratton.