Went to my local mower shop yesterday and saw the new redesigned Victa chassis. There are a number of differences i noticed, the most obvious being the lower handle design. There is no second set of holes drilled into the base to accommodate a powertorque, no exhaust port pressed out and they don't use the spacer ring to lift the 4 stroke up higher like the previous models. The motor still uses the medium length(50mm) crankshaft. Personally, i don't like it as you'll never be able to fit a 2 stroke to it.
I noticed the same thing on a Victa in Bunnings yesterday bigted, I think it was a classic cut $399. I suppose quite soon the whole Victa range will be this style, shame we wont be able to put a PT on when the Briggs inevitably goes bang
I was hoping the PT compatible bases would slip under the radar and offer future chassis to mount powertorque motors to as their original bodies succumb to tin worm and the newer chassis Briggs die. Looks like it won't be that simple down the track.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
But the best thing is they've finally changed that pathetic handle mount on the chassis and moved it to the sides opposed to leaving it on top how they've had it for decades with inevitable failure happening. I guess now it will be the chassis that will outlast the cheaper Briggs units that will be the downfall.
Oh well engines are easy to swap over.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
^ Of course they decide to correct that glaring design flaw after the power-speak is discontinued We can't have an engine and mower frame last forever with basic maintenance can we?!?
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
But do the standard Victa catchers still fit? The issue with the Briggs only base is you still have to drill the PT holes anyway, not the end of the world but another annoyance. The other issue is the height adjuster bar is going to foul on the head as all the others do.
They are probably making everything including the bases overseas now anyway, or they will be soon. Speaking to a guy at a dealer was saying most of the new Victa stuff is made overseas, won't be too long until they are all assembled over there also.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
That is good Tyler I expect to start seeing some of those on the nature strips later this year when people pull them out of the shed again and can't get them started
I never look at mowers at Bunnings just now and they are all up there with it price wise and then I get home to some clown who emailed me offering me $60 for a good Rover I have here. I just replied to him, try Bunnings
You can't just drill the base to fit the PT engine. The lack of the spacer means it's like a tornado base so you'll have to use the longer shaft 2 strokes as found on the tornado's
BT, they gazump us every way they move these things around, something I hadn't thought about, but I should have known, I have had a few of the Tornados to deal with and as we know the long shaft Victas don't turn up too often, I have a couple here that need new rings
Are the new Briggs engines really that bad? For someone like me who does regular oil changes (with quality oil), uses decent fuel with stabiliser and makes sure the air filter is in good condition, surely it should last 5 years? Even 10? Is it just lack of maintenance that kills them?
Hi John, they are probably ok if you look after them but my beef is why buy a $500 mower that will hopefully last you 5 years that amounts to $100 a year compared to a Victa 2 stroke that will cost around the $600 mark and as we know they can go on for 50 years and more if you maintain the body which is the weak point
Good point. Ideally I want a Powertorque on an alloy base with the handle bars on the side, with a mulch plug. Doesn’t seem to be a thing though, either factory or frankenmower. I’ll keep searching.
It can be done John, I have done it before, high arch alloy body with PT motor and then fit a Rover catcher to it, you just have to make a flap to suit the Rover and rivet it to the existing Victa flap, they work well. This gives you the side mounted bars,alloy body and a PT motor. Never need to buy another mower ever again, unless the base gets damaged. Mulch plug you would have to fabricate yourself. Won't help the economy much but won't hurt your pocket either John, another alternative is just getting one of the alloy bases that have been around since the PT's first came out, they still have the single handle bolt but I have not seen any problem with those in that area and I have had a number of those here. If it bothered you, you could weld a bracket to the side of the handle and bolt it to the chassis, never be a problem ever again
John, another alternative is just getting one of the alloy bases that have been around since the PT's first came out, they still have the single handle bolt but I have not seen any problem with those in that area and I have had a number of those here. If it bothered you, you could weld a bracket to the side of the handle and bolt it to the chassis, never be a problem ever again
Those came out in 1992 to replace the thumb latch design. Powertorques were introduced 8 years prior. The single bolt top mounted handles don't seem to prove a problem on the alloy copy of the steel base, as they don't flex.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
