Could be Jeff, I did think it might have been that on the F/C but it wasn't. Another thing I have noticed is I don't think this is an original motor going by the home made plate over where the electric starter mounts for the adjuster to push against. I'm sure the factory would have fitted a more professional looking plate.
I do not think that yellow colour is factory either. I wonder if its orange or grey underneath? Does it have the chunky top to the area over the blade disc? Mine is smooth.
I guess if the air gap is out you would have to check for play in the bearing in this model with belt drive. I do not think the engine itself is any different on the VEX 60. Just manifold and perhaps exhaust mods to get a little more power. You could change over all those.
Looks good so far to me. Very neat with no sliding plate.
Hi Jeff, Paint looks original unless somebody has done a very good re spray job and got all the new stickers which would surprise me as these are not something that people restore to that level. It is the first one that I have come across that is not totally worn out in the front end requiring major re bushing and repairs. Tyres are a bit worn but I will sort that out
Certainly looks like original paint and decals. I did not know they did yellow ones but they obviously did. I wonder what its vintage is? Its a Super 600 not a 24 so thats a bit later. Maybe around 2000 or so. Its has the later type top to the blade disc area. It looks a real beauty to me particularly with the front end..
I so want a 24. I used to think they were extreme, but now think they are practical even for a standard 1/4 acre block yard. Would be ideal for recreational mowing of public spaces.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
MF, yes they are a bit extreme but once you have cut the lawn with one of these, hard to go back to a standard mower except for trimming around the edges, with the big wheels they are so easy to push around
once you have cut the lawn with one of these, hard to go back to a standard mower except for trimming around the edges
I haven't tried a 24, as much as I'd love an MSP602, but after trying an MSV562 on the weekend... OMG!! Mowing has never been so easy, it does all the work!!
The only problem, which I would imagine this would experience as well, would be around things like poles and trees, but I need to try the MSP562 to compare. I do find the MSV562 to be quite heavy though, and the MSP602 is supposed to be a good 10 kgs heavier. How do they go maneuvering around obstacles? I understand their advantage is in the larger flatter areas, I'm just curious though. I imagine they'd pivot quite well on the large rear wheels.
Paul, the only one I have used was a 550 non self propelled and that was heavy to use, I can't understand why they made that model. I have a self propelled F/C here but I have only got the motor running, the cable to the gearbox has been disconnected and that required removing the box to re connect it and that was going to take time I didn't have to get it sorted so I can't comment on how well they work. The 24's big rear wheels are a big advantage, problem with the new ones fitted with a Honda motor are I believe around the $1800 mark. I have watched my grandson using his F/C 24 on 45 degree slopes that I could hardly walk on. He and another mate of mine use theirs regularly in their lawn mowing businesses
No mower is a one fits all type my mate has at least 7 mowers that he uses depending on the job he is doing and he takes which mower/slasher he knows the job requires. He has 3 Hondas, 1 three speed self propelled ( still working) that he uses on very gentle straight forward jobs, a 2 speed self propelled that has a blown box that he uses as a push mower that he can bash around a bit and a non self propelled one. These all have catchers so they get used on various jobs that need the clippings collected.He then has 2 lightweight 2 stroke sidethrow utilities, not really sure what he uses these on but I assume he uses these to clean up around the edges and in the harder to get places around trees and garden beds etc after he has run his 24 over the bigger areas. He has a standard PT/catcher mower that is just a back up machine for what I don't know. He also has a Deutscher self propelled that he was conned into buying, I tried to talk him out of it, but it is far to difficult to use on suburban blocks
My converted FC to PT 24 has a warning on it that says. "This mower is for professional use and does not comply with certain safety standards for domestic mowers". Its about the only sticker left other than the Super 24 one. There may be some small amount of sense in that. I can not see any safety issues myself but it is a bit of a brute, a lot bigger and noisier than any domestic mower. Having said that I find it easy to use on my yard. Its not really much heavier to push than normal and you can swing the front around under trees and even under a caravan easily. I do not think it saves much time on my 600sq m block. To much time spent in the hard to get at areas. Its slightly quicker but not much.
Its just about to go to its new owner, my brother in Eden NSW for a half-acre kikuyu block thats a bit steep in places.
Trust me Jeff there are a lot of people out there who should not even use domestic mowers. Half acre of kikuyu it will handle easily. I saw this one on Gumtree , hasn't done much work, these are $900 new and obviously just a poor quality toy, only comes with a bar blade so has no spinning mass to help it get through long grass, not really a slasher, just an imitation and fitted with a problematic Briggs motor, just ask Speedy. https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/st-kilda/lawn-mowers/24-slasher-lawn-mower/1212424286
Yes I had seen these advertised new. It looks to have a steel base reasonably heavy guage. The self propelleled drive looks to be just a roller that drops down on to the main belt. You would think that it might slip on the taper. I have bought these EBay type of things before. They look good but inevitably do not work very well and end up just taking up space. Probably not much wrong with it though but as you say the cutter bar is not a patch on the heavy blade disc. Maybe if it was $50 & fit a PT.
It is a bit of a pity with this yellow one Jeff, I have fitted a modified carby on it, it starts easily on a gentle pull but it has this strange noise. I have a couple of jobs I can use it on and see how it goes and grass season is over here now so nobody will be wanting one till probably September
I delivered the Super 24 to Eden in combination with a trip to spend time with relatives. Its mowed the half-acre kikuyu yard twice now with good results.I was there for the first time and it was suggested that perhaps the cut quality was not quite up to the standard of the Powertorque previously used. We pulled off the blade disc, removed the blades and sharpened them even though they were new. While we had the blade disc off we noticed that the diamond shaped blade holes were definitely the worse for wear. They had been welded up by the previous owner but had started to crack slightly again. We welded up the cracks and built them up to more closely to the correct shape, ground the face flat. and put them back on. Now the wings on the blade bolts now seem to engage OK in the disc and you can tighten them up properly. .A new blade disc will probably happen in the future but they are very expensive so will just suffice with the current one inspected regularly for tight blades and cracks for now.
Latest reports are that the cut finish is much better now. Its a very good kikuyu lawn but the time saving with the 24 is definitely worth it. Its a bit heavier to push up some of the steep hills.
Well done Jeff they are a brilliant machine, I guess I will one day have to buy a blade carrier as one machine I bought was missing it, but I have been too afraid to look for one because of the expected price. I was contemplating getting one laser cut out of 5mm plate, no that should give some spinning weight
I guess a laser cutter might be able to cut those diamond shaped holes, not sure. But that would have to be flat wouldn't it, not with the centre recessed like the OEM. The original also has the outer edge folded up but that might not matter. Sure would have some spinning mass.
The discs are about $100 plus postage from ODK. That's probably quite reasonable really. although substantially more than the cost of the whole machine in its original state. At least you can get them.
Yes Jeff a lot of thought would have to go into it as the blades need to be recessed into the plate and my press isn't wide enough to put the depression in the center either
The bloke with that 600 brought it over today. He bought it from somebody in Deer Park a couple of weeks ago, pretty dodgy job on it, fan shroud and top cover missing,no tension on the pull start, cord hanging out 3/4 of the way, blade carrier blade holes chewed out, and the motor had been straight fueled. He said he got it running for about 10 mins after he got it home and was adamant that he had put 2 stroke in it. No idea how he got it running when I pulled the head off. Anyway I put another motor on it, fixed up the bits that needed fixing and he went away happy. Another saved 2 stroke 600.
