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

Victa have had an on-again, off-again approach to their commercial / professional mower lineup over the years. Sure, they have been consistent with the Mulchmaster and MasterCut utilities, but the pro-grade catcher models have come and gone. Since I started to get into mowers in the very late 90's, and since then Victa have had three different attempts at offering heavy duty, wide-cut models for professional use.

Back in the late 90's, Victa offered the Pro-Series, which in addition to the utility models offered the 20-inch 505-Pro Self-propelled, which was 2-stroke only.

Then, in the early 2000's Victa renamed the pro-line as the Master Series. That range included the 19-inch Mastercut 480 (based on the alloy Mustang chassis) and the self-propelled 20-inch Mastercut 510 catcher models. These were powered by the Powertorque and Honda GCV160 engines.





In the late 2000's, Victa started offering a 21-inch alloy self-propelled commercial model called the Turfmaster 530. These mowers were powered by the Briggs 850 and Honda GXV160, no 2-stroke. They also offered a 3-speed gearbox and what Victa called "Vari-Mulch", which was a lever that could alter the mulching / catching ratio on the fly. I have never personally seen one of these machines and finding reference to them online is non-existent. The following images I've taken from one of the many brochures I've collected over the years.





In the early 2010's, Victa was offering the Pro 19-inch. Again, these were short lived and I've only spotted a couple over the years. Based on the 19-inch Mustang chassis and using either Briggs or Honda GXV160 engines, Victa also fitted the pro-grade wheels and chunkier side wear strips.





Then in the mid-2010's, Victa started to offer a more serious commercial package. Available in push and self-propelled variants, these mowers were again based on the 19-inch Mustang chassis. However, Victa fitted steel side wear strips, a new heavy duty front clip / bumper, pro-grade wheels, fabric catcher, and side mounted double bolted handles with adjustable angle. Engines offered were the Honda GXV160 and the Briggs DOV, which was renamed "Vanguard" for this application. I've had one of those DOV engines and it wasn't all that special, mainly lacking torque and having more valve clatter than Briggs would have you believe.







And so we arrive at the current offering, which have been on the market for number of years. The main difference is the addition of a new 21-inch alloy chassis, the deletion of the Honda engines. and Vanguard replaced by the Briggs 850. Frankly, I could never understand why Victa under Briggs and Stratton ownership were allowed to fit Honda engines. Also, in recent years, Victa have offered those horrible V-Series 4-stroke engines with 200cc.

Initially, Victa offered both push and self-propelled 19- and 21-inch models, however they ditched the push 21-inch pretty quickly, and for good reason.

19-inch push........................



21-inch SP..........................................



In effect, the 21-inch version is a widened 19-inch, both featuring the same steel wear strips, pro wheels, heavy duty adjustable angle handles and fabric catchers.

The point I'm making here is that there wasn't always a commercial / wide-cut mower available in Victa showrooms. And for me personally, every time I was in the market for a commercial mower, Victa seemed to be in between offerings.

Despite the current pro-grade models being available for a while now, there just isn't much out there in terms of review or feedback surrounding these mowers, particularly the 21-inch model. Because of this, I struggled to commit to buying one. However, back in early 2024, I took the plunge and placed an order for a Commercial 21-inch self-propel with the Briggs 850. I decided that I would be the one providing the review content for others to view and read.



To be continued............................

Overview -

The 19 and 21-inch Victa Commercial catching mowers join the MulchMaster 560 and MasterCut 460 Utility in the Victa professional line.

For efficiency, I chose to focus on the 21-inch machines, which are offered with the 190 cc Briggs & Stratton 850 engine, or the 200cc Chinese Victa VC200. Both have cast iron bores, but a quoted torque number is conspicuous in its absence on the VC200, not that I was considering anything but the Briggs 850 anyway. Interesting to note that the Victa have started to drop the smaller 140 and 170 versions of the V-Series engines, and considering the failure rate of them, I think that says it all.

Simplistically, this is a widened 19-inch Mustang alloy chassis, with several changes made to make it more suitable for commercial applications. The following applies to both 19 and 21-inch commercial mowers. Because this mower was going to be used side-by-side with the Bushranger 800SP, you will note the comparisons made here -

- Metal rather than plastic catcher flap
- Cutting heights from 10 – 70mm with 10 positions (25 – 76mm and 7 positions on Bushranger)
- Heavy Duty Gearbox (as used on the MulchMaster)
- High-capacity fabric catcher with heavy duty steel frame, double layer dust deflector and leather wear points on rear corners
- Heavy duty cast aluminum deck
- Replaceable steel wear plates on the deck
- Cast iron bore engines

Something else to note is the lighter weight of the 21-inch Victa’s, tipping the scales at 46 to 48 kg compared to 52 kg for the Bushranger. First impressions proved this is quite noticeable.

But there is no such thing as a perfect mower, so there are some compromises. The chief of which being the half rear chute. In the end, I sent an email to the supplier and kindly asked for images of the chute, which was promptly sent. From this limited information, the chute appeared to be slightly wider than the Bushranger, and certainly bigger than the Honda’s.



Another thing to note, the belt rather than shaft driven gearbox is also a single speed unit, but the 5 kph speed is actually faster than the Bushranger’s 4.6 kph in top gear. And the Victa's catcher only holds 50 rather than 70 liters.

So that’s the overview! More to come..................................

Un-boxing, assembly and fluids!

Victa’s are all semi-assembled and shipped in a singular large box. If bought from a mower shop, they will finish the final assembly as well as adding oil and fuel, an initial startup and inspection. In my case, having blacklisted the local shops, and no other neighboring towns stocking the Victa Commercial range, I bought this online from a vendor, which means I get the honor of getting the new toy up and running.











So, so satisfying.....................



First step after opening and unpacking the box is to install the lower handle, angled side pointing up...........ask me how I know this............



Next, the upper handle is secured using the locking handle cams.



Throttle and clutch cables are pre-installed, but the throttle control needs to be secured to the handle.





At this point, you will need to make sure the cables are routed cleanly and without the possibility of rubbing on the catcher flap. Both cables are then secured with a plastic clip.





The catcher is supplied pre-assembled.

For some strange reason, Victa only fit two blades to this model, despite the unit shipping with a four-blade carrier. I'm not sure if this was the seller or Victa, but there were an additional two blades included in the box. I don't have a firm reason why they do this, all I can think of is the fitment of two blades would slow down the discharge of clippings into the chute, perhaps making it more manageable for the half-chute arrangement? Either way, I decided to fit the additional blades.







It’s then time for the vital fluids. Now, I typically use Penrite 10w30 semi-synthetic oil in my mowers. The exception to that being my older Briggs engines, where I use the SAE30 monograde mineral oil to help reduce oil consumption. For a new engine, its generally recommended to use mineral oil for the initial fill, before swapping to synthetic after the first 25 hours. In this case, 600ml of Penrite SAE30. Then a full tank of 91-ron unleaded petrol (I don’t bother with 95 or 98-ron).



Assembled, oiled and ready to go, the engine fired right up. This is the first 850 engine I have had with the newer plastic carburetor, which seems to idle a bit lower than before. As I always do, I'll run the engine in, change the oil and then up the revs to about 3600 rpm.

Next, something completely pointless, but oh-so satisfying!

Ceramic Coating!

Yes, I know! But why not?! Once again, my car detailing skills cross over into mowers.

To be honest, I’m doing this for a laugh, and to use up some left-over coating. In this case, that coating being Armour Detail Supply High Temp Wheel Coating, which was designed for high-heat applications.

https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...ing?_pos=12&_sid=695d26382&_ss=r

This particular ceramic coating is designed for wheels and other high temperature surfaces such as brake calipers, engine bays and exhaust tips. I especially like this coating because of how slick it is after application, usually high-temp wheel coatings lack slickness due to their ability to handle that extra heat. I've also found it more durable than other similar coatings and very forgiving to apply once you are familiar with it. I currently have this coating on three sets of wheels, one set of Brembo brake calipers and.................................................one lawn mower.





With any coating, its success relies on proper preparation. Prior to application, I gave the mower a thorough wipe down with IPA-based prep spray, in this case P&S Paint Prep. The coating was applied to all accessible surfaces including the deck, handles, throttle control, engine cover, valve cover, wheels and rear flap. Working in sections, the coating was applied, allowed to flash / sweat, then levelled with two towels.

https://detailingshed.com.au/products/p-s-prep?_pos=3&_sid=08ec4164f&_ss=r





As is the case for this coating, it's then left to cure for 12 hours before use or getting wet.

A seemingly pointless endeavor, but one that makes me happy. Actually, the coating has proven its worth in preventing dust build up, it also adds some additional depth to the silver paint and black plastics. So I guess its not so pointless after all.

A Closer Look

One of the difficulties I faced when contemplating this purchase was the complete lack of information on this mower. A lot of that comes down to an apparent lack of interest from Victa itself, the website is pi.s poor with incomplete or inconsistent published spec’s, and incorrect or insufficient product images. And it's that second part that annoys me most. Where most mower manufacturers highlight key features with clear imaging and text, Victa is not that sophisticated.

After that, I went looking far and wide for online reviews, images and videos. But little to nothing was out there. Victa clearly sent a few units to key social media influencers, but that sort of content is designed around short, algorithm pleasing videos that offer no value to someone contemplating a purchase.

And so, having spent the money, I present basically the first published review and photo essay of the Victa 21-inch Commercial SP mower –

Commercial grade gearbox -





Commercial grade double ball bearing 8-inch wheels -



Steel height sector plate with 10 positions, ranging from 10 to 70 mm -



US-made Briggs & Stratton engine, 190cc, cast iron bore, automatic choke, spin-on oil filter and 11.5 Nm of torque -





Heavy duty front bumper -



50L fabric grass bagger with heavy duty steel frame, double layer dust deflector and leather wear points on rear corners -











Steel catcher flap -







To be continued...........................

A Closer Look continued.............................

Rear discharge chute. I can say this is wider than the Bushranger -







Plastic mulching plug -





I have to say, these are a good-looking mower! The lighter grey deck, white Victa logo's and blacked out engine, wheels and trim look fantastic. I know this is just a lawn mower, but like any consumer product, it still has to look good in the showroom or brochure to attract your attention.









Missing from the spec list is a zone starter mounting, which I remedied with a clip I had in stock. Compared to Honda engines, the Briggs has a long enough rope to make this possible -





More to come, stay tuned!

Who doesn't love a good spreadsheet!!!

This is a comparison between Victa, Rover and Bushranger's commercial grade mowers.



The above dry weights for each engine confirm what I have suspected for a while, the Honda GXV 160 is a heavy beast. That's not a bad thing, probably explaining why they live so long. The GXV 160 has always felt nose heavy to me as well.

Looking at the performance numbers, I would take those with a grain of salt. While the Krohler appears to have more torque than the Honda, in the real world the Honda is much stouter than those numbers suggest. However, the Briggs is in another league.

Fuel economy has the Honda first, closely behind is the Krohler, leaving the Briggs as the thirstiest, exaggerated by the smallest tank capacity...........its a big block after all. The Krohler is the easiest to fill, owing to the largest tank opening here, followed by the Honda, with the Briggs bringing up the rear.

I have always hated Honda's method of measuring oil on the dipstick as it makes accurate readings variable. The Krohler's dipstick has always been hard to read. The Briggs has the best dipstick here, easy to read, easy to remove and install. The oil filter on the Briggs is a nice touch, but largely unnecessary.

The Honda is also the quietest and smoothest running, the Krohler is easily the loudest of the trio with insufficient muffler performance, the Briggs sits somewhere in the middle.

And finally, the Rover's High Zone / Snorkel filter arrangement is a worthwhile addition, and a disappointing omission on the Honda and Briggs.



The Victa here has the widest range of cutting height, with the Rover offers more finite adjustment. The Bushranger has always annoyed me with the large gaps between positions.

I have always preferred plastic catchers, which the Rover therefore stands out in that category. The Victa's lowest capacity is disappointing but has the superior dust cover, extending further down than the Bushranger and has leather corners.

Weight wise, the Bushranger's ultra-heavy-duty construction is easily felt in use. The Victa seems noticeably lighter.



The shaft drive on the Bushranger gives a much more abrupt and audible engagement but does at least mean no belt changes in the future. Speed wise, the on-paper figures don't mean much as all three have had the engine speed lifted, which in turn speeds up the drive system. ( NOTE - I did that after running in the engine and changing the oil)

The First Mow -



Apart from a quick run over my front lawns, this was the first mow. In this case, I didn't catch, hence the grass sitting on the deck.

Walking speed was about what I expected. The drive bale could probably use a redesign, it's angled just a touch too low. Having said that, at the time it was more of a case of being used to the right-hand bale on the Rover, so it was a matter of getting used to the Victa. I also prefer the plastic tread wheels on the Victa, the rubber tyres on the Bushranger were prone to wear and would occasionally come off the rim. The Bushranger's fabric catcher is superior in design, being easier to remove and install. WIth that said, I much prefer the solid plastic Rover catcher.

The engine turns over much easier than either the Honda GXV 160, and especially the Krohler. That's one of the things that has always annoyed me about the Krohler, its unusually hard to pull over, like there's no compression release. The Briggs 850 proved superbly torquey out of the box, but it felt stilted. I hadn't put the tacho on it at that stage, but it was sounding like around 2800 rpm, which is just too low. Upping that to around 3600 - 3800 rpm is completely safe, makes for superior cutting and speeds up the self-propel too.

Tweaking the governor is not as easy as the earlier versions of this engine with the metal carb. Briggs have hidden the adjustment tab behind the air filter housing, but its easy when you know where to look.

It wasn't long before the Victa C21 was being put to work dealing with two weeks of summer Kikuyu growth. I wasn't sure how the new unit would travel, so I took the old Rover with me as well.

After starting the run with the Victa, I then switched to the Rover at the next stop which is notoriously thick and tall after two weeks. Annoyingly, the Rover was not driving properly, I got through the job but it warranted investigation. That sort of meant the C21 was thrown into the deep end!

It's at this point I decided it was all or nothing! As predicted, the shipped governor position yielded about 2800 - 2900 rpm................



Two small adjustments to the spring tab had it running at above the 3600 sweet spot.



Now, before this adjustment, the engine would grunt through thicker stuff, but it wasn't powering through, and the walking speed was a touch too slow for my liking. After the adjustment, now we are in the ballpark!

The engine is now powering through thicker grass, which improves catching ability, which in turn clears grass from the deck and prevents the engine bogging down. The walking speed is now much better, not running speed but a decent brisk walk.

Now, just because I have the full throttle revs set at 3600 rpm, that doesn't mean I need to run the machine at that all the time. But the good thing is, I now have options. On lighter growth, run it at half throttle. On thicker grass, go full throttle and get on with it!

What I love about the Briggs 850 engine is that while it has the power, about 6.0 - 6.5 hp, the larger 190cc capacity means it has torque too. That means it doesn't bog down under load in the same way the smaller 163cc Honda and 173cc Krohler do. Both of those engines can make power and spin hard, but they just don't have the same grunt to get through thicker stuff. The 850's slight mark against it is the fuel consumption, but I would rather deal with that over an engine that doesn't cut the mustard............or grass as it were.

That doesn't mean I hate the Honda, I'm a big fan of the GXV 160, its built like a tank, is ultra smooth and is fuel efficient. It's easy to work on too and feels like a high quality product............... yes, there is some American Jank to the Briggs.

The Krohler? I've pounded that thing for years now and it's been extremely reliable................but I've always hated it! As mentioned earlier, its always been hard to pull over, often needed a second or third pull to fire. The thing has used oil from the beginning, never in a smokey way, but it just seems to consume it. The muffler is too small and makes it very noisy at full tilt. The dipstick is hard to read and made from nasty plastic. Overall, it just looks and feels cheaply made. But to be brutally honest, I'm surprised its lasted this long.

Anyway, here is a shot of the Victa Commercial 21 tackling one of my most challenging lawns. And the half chute? No blockages!

A Few Mods -

Something I have never understood, Victa don't fit padded soft touch handles on commercial grade mowers. This is despite the majority of the domestic models having this feature. On the Commercial 21, the drive bale was actually rubbing the paint off the handle, so this modification addresses two things.



As I did with my Mulchmaster, I decided to wrap the handles, the same stuff used on road bikes. In this case, the wrap is protecting the paint on the handle as well as providing a softer grip to grab onto. This stuff is readily available from bike shops or online, mine was from Amazon. I typically get a couple of years out this type of wrap tape, but its easily applied and removed.

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07B21JF1R?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1









Just like the ceramic coating, the next "modification" is completely pointless, but oh so necessary for my enjoyment.



Yes, that's a muffler exhaust tip! Briggs and Stratton fit these depending on what the customer is asking for. For example, a lot of Masport's with the earlier version of the 850 came with one as standard.





The one on my Mulchmaster has been on a few mowers now, I grabbed it off a Masport before I traded it in.

Briggs and Stratton also sell these as a spare part. There are now two versions of this tip, the earlier example above has a smaller diameter outlet, the latest is much bigger and fits the newer engines. This larger version will also fit the domestic engines with the QPT muffler, mostly the 163cc variants.

Briggs & Stratton Part Number - 594563









Facing down, it reminds me of those dump pipes fitted to old muscle cars.



More to come.................................

As I had intended, I'm trying to get some content out there on this mower. There just isn't much available, be that images or video. This thread is part of that, and so is the video below. It's pretty primitive, but it's a start...................



In this case, I'm mowing two Kikuyu nature strips, both with 2 weeks growth without irrigation. So, hardly its ultimate test, but at least gives an example of how the engine grunts through under load. I'm also running it on full throttle with the revs at about 3600 rpm.

I'm not one for pushing YouTube videos, I detest the whole "like and subscribe" thing. Rather, I use the platform to put some of my words into action. Having said that, this video is the most viewed video on my channel by considerable margin, proving what I had suspected in terms of a lack on content.

More to come.

Sensational posts, you deserve a LOT more likes and praise for them, well done!

The First Oil Change

Contrary to Breaks & Scrapem’s advice, you actually DO need to change the oil!





Some time ago, Briggs & Stratton determined that consumers don’t like changing the oil on their gas-powered lawn equipment. In fact, I would be willing to bet that 90% of gas-powered lawn mowers never get an oil change in their life. According to Briggs and Stratton, because of the advancements in oil technology and engine design, the engines run cooler and negate the need for regular oil changes. Those changes include improved air filter and oil filler seals, which limit the chance of debris entering the oil system. The subsequent tag line being “No Oil Change Required, Just Check and Add”.

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/eu...check-add.html



Briggs & Stratton even make note of the environmental savings made by not generating waste oil. I guess they have a point, but if the engine blows up because of degraded or a lack of oil, then I can guarantee Briggs’s would happily sell you another engine that took a lot of energy and natural resources to manufacture. Go figure.

Needless to say, if you want the engine on your lawn mower to go the distance, please change the oil!

NOTE - The above information applies to the consumer-grade EXi OHV engines. This includes the 150cc and 163cc engines fitted with the paper cartridge air filters. Also included, the 190cc 875 EXi, which is the same engine as the 850 fitted to the Victa Commercial but doesn't come with the cast-iron bore, hence being considered consumer-grade.

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/e...es/lawn-mower-engines/625exi-series.html
https://www.briggsandstratton.com/e...es/lawn-mower-engines/675exi-series.html
https://www.briggsandstratton.com/e...es/lawn-mower-engines/875exi-series.html

When I first took delivery of the Victa Commercial 21-inch, I filled the engine with the recommended SAE-30 mineral oil.





Having outlined the "No Oil Change Required" above, that actually doesn’t apply to the 850-series engine. I would suspect that relates to these engines being primarily for commercial users, meaning they are being used far beyond the average domestic lawn mower engine. As such, Briggs recommend the first oil change on the 850-series be at 5 hours of use, then every 50 hours or annually going forward. The oil filter replacement is also at 50 hours.

After the first oil change at 5 hours, I go a bit more conservative in doing oil changes at 25 instead of 50 hours. I would normally switch to 10w-30 semi-synthetic at the first change, but I've decided to run SAE-30 mineral for another set.

For oil filters, I do them every second oil change for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the filters are $20 each, which is quite expensive for such a small filter. Secondly, I just don't see the need considering the frequency of oil changes.

Engine Oil Capacity – 540 to 590 ml (wet fill)
Oil Filter P/N - 795 990



These engines can be drained from above or below, but I have always drained them from the dipstick tube to avoid taking off the blade carrier. I've recently invested in an oil extractor to hopefully make oil changes quicker and easier.

Either way, make sure to clean around the dipstick tube beforehand, which you should be doing anyway when checking oil levels. All waste oil is put in an empty bottle and disposed of at the council collection point. I actually rinsed the mower down prior to the oil change, the ceramic coating easily shed the dust debris that was clinging to the deck. See, there was method in my madness!



Once drained, the mower is flipped back up and the new oil added, reserving about 100ml. I then check the dipstick, adding the final 100ml in steps to the correct level is achieved. If the oil filter is changed, make sure to check the oil after a quick test run and add more oil if needed.

As a way of keeping track, I put the date on the oil filter to indicate when the last oil change was.



Something I only just now realized, the 850 engines fitted with an oil filter actually have Pressure Lubrication with an oil pump instead of the splash type lubrication on the rest of the Briggs push mower engine lineup. I've had a few 850's over the years, some have come without the oil filter, some have, including this Victa and also my Mulchmaster. I thought I knew everything about these engines, clearly not.





More to come............................

Thanks for the kind words. I'm actually having a lot fun putting these together.

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.

Very good write up DFB

With regards to the turfmaster variable mulching, I had never heard of it either, my only guess is its a New Zealand feature Victa inherited from Steelfort Lawnmaster (who cast that model).

Victa were also buying and marketing Steelforts twin drive cylinder mower up to the mid 2010's until bushranger began selling them in the late 2010's (and discontinued last year). Bushranger at one point had a hodgepodge of steelfort and unbadged victa mowers.

I regularly use a Masport president 5000 with the 161 iron liner DOV motor and can definitely empathise with the annoyance of a half chute

Great info DFB, great read. i stumbled across these pages trying to find info on the victa Commerical 21 sp, as you said theres limited info or reviews around.

I just purchased a brand new one, as our near 20 year old mutchmaster 550 sp needs a backup 😀

Ive adjusted the governor, to give a bit more speed and stop it bogging on long buffalo. Its was a lot slower then our old one.

DFB, do u have issues with the mulch plug falling out? Ive adjusted the springs holding the catcher flap and it helps but still sometimes needs pushed back in.

I'm so glad you got something out these posts. Victa has a great product here, I just wish they were a little more proactive with getting the word out about it.

I'll be honest, I haven't used the mulching plug, I also have a Mulchmaster 560, so I just use that.

What engine do you have on the Mulchmaster 550?

That's some excellent insight, thank you for the information.

What chassis do you have on the Masport, steel or alloy? If it's the steel chassis, make sure to check your front axle bushings on a regular basis.

Going back to the late 2000's, I bought a Masport from the Platinum series with the 19-inch steel chassis and the then all-new 850-series Briggs. I went for the steel base because I wanted something lighter but without stepping back in power. Within about a year, I noticed the mower was cutting unevenly and had become harder and harder to push. In the end, I discovered the front axle bushes were virtually gone, and the axle had flogged out the mounting channels, extending them up into the deck. It effectively wrote off a lawn mower less than a year old. I salvaged the engine, but the rest went to scrap.

The only other Masport I bought after that was a 530 Utility.

How do you find the DOV engine?

It's an alloy deck, with the completely useless chipper chute, was top of the line apparently when new (about 1k). Funnily enough, I replaced the axle bushings sunday before last as the front right was starting to thin out.

Can't complain about the dov motor, never fires first go but always second (would rather a primer as well in lieu of auto choke), Makes enough power given the half width chute has clogged up by the time the motor even remotely labours haha

Still, provided its not used in super heavy grass, it works great.

Have cleaned up a few old alloy masports and a honda for my regular mowing. Next one I need to do is an almost mint Victa Razor 2 stroke I've had sitting in the shed for over a year trying to get to it.