OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Victa Walk-Behind Rotary Mowers Victa Commercial 21" 850 I/C SP

Leaf Vacuum Duties

The following is from Autumn last year...........................



Despite appearances, the above and below image is before I started cutting. The technique I use is to blow all of the leaves from the gutter and paths onto the lawn, in the process clearing a path around the perimeter to avoid the mower blowing leaves back onto the pavement. I then get to it...............





The machine has no problem packing the catcher full. I have found this particular fabric catcher to be harder to empty than Bushranger's similar arrangement, the opening isn't as wide and requires quite forceful shaking to empty. The lack of a rear handle really hampers your progress here.

Bushranger for comparison, note the rear handle that is missing from the Victa............................





Returning to the Victa, this is after the initial cut.....................



From there, most would be happy, but I then go around with the blower again and re-cut the area to suck up any remaining leaves. With so many more leaves yet to fall, it's probably a waste of time, but I have high standards!



For leaf vacuuming, I would normally be using my Rover ProCut 560 or a 2-stroke Victa for this role, the Rover for its full width chute and massive catcher, the Victa 2-stroke for its sheer power. The Commercial 21 with its partial chute did surprisingly well in this case, the engine barely raising a sweat.

A few additional notes on the 850 engine -

1 - It’s easier to pull over the Krohler or Honda. The Krohler feels very heavy, like it doesn’t have a compression release. The Honda’s rope is too short, meaning it doesn’t permit a zone starter and reaches the end of the travel on each tug.

2 - It can power through thick Kikuyu that has the Honda or Krohler bogging down.

3 - The quick release air filter cover allows for more convenient filter cleaning. I like to tap the filter out after a big day, something that is discouraged on the Honda and Krohler arrangements with the wing nut style fasteners.

4 - Even though I have it revving harder than standard, the 850 is quieter than the Krohler and Honda, in particular producing less high frequency muffler noise across the rev range. The Honda does idle quieter, but only because of a slower idle speed. This will sound deranged, but I actually love how this engine responds to a rapid full throttle action, it has such a rorty sound to it.

The 850's only major failing is its thirst for fuel, exaggerated by the extra revs I have it at, but in every other way it’s the perfect modern lawn mower engine.