The only comment I can make here is they were not design to be bush hogs rotary cutters with swing arm bar blades. They were meant to cut personal lawns that were keep clear of things like large limbs, roots, and the likes. Even the AYP/Husqvarna and MTD spindles break sometimes from hitting tree roots here. There are mower decks with spindles that handle these impacts but even with those blade bars are bent and even those spindles can be broken. I know as a big commercial ZTR (zero turn rider) came in with a shattered cast iron spindle last year where the owner hit a 1-1/2 solid metal post.
As the deck rebuild if I understand correctly the Aussie equipment and part costs are much higher than ours in the US.
The deck is good, I think it just Poo the motor and the re-engine didn't work and was parked as far as I know for 7 years. It can't have more than 3 years on an easy property. The source is typical of "Just get another one" and they bought a John Deere. The paint is perfect apart from the accumulation of dust and polishes to a nice, almost automotive shine. I use an 18" utility to cut down rough stuff, of which I have little left and then I have a 24" slasher for long but clean stuff.
I've got the place nearly under control so it will become a "Lawn Mower" not a "grass cutter" as I have more suitable equipment for those jobs. I like the look and the fact it's cosmetically so tidy, too good to trash, I think. But all this being said, running well, is it a decent mower???
Ta Da B
Quality is a direct experience, independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions. R. Pirsig .
I will chip in here. I did up a Victa 4215HX, it was powered by a 15HP Tecumseh. Made in 1998. I was in a similar situation (spend money or not) I decided to service / repair the engine first, once that was sorted. I use it around here, it cuts 42 inches which I like. I like the steering & turning circle, it is comfortable to sit on. It feels safe on slopes, It doesn't handle steep grades ( back wheels spin or just stops), so I leave those bits for the Cox.
I researched changing oil in the transmission, but never went ahead and did it. It is working enough for me to use. I have never driven a new one, so dont know how to compare its performance. It works enough for me to use, speed is ok, climbs well enough. The 15hp engine is not under or over powered. I know to clean the grass dirt from off the top of the tranny, so it can stay cool and no overheat / degrade the oil.
All in all, I did this over a long period of time, in the end it was worth it for me. I like it.
Thank you for that. It pretty well sums up my thinking. I don't need a new mower but for a bit of effort and what I'll get for the Rover I'll upgrade to a nicer chassis and the two blade deck. Spending the money will give me a different mower, is it a real upgrade from me spending bit of time on the Rancher??? It goes like a trooper now but will need some work very soon.
If the Murray chassis is reliable, and reasonably serviced with generic parts then I should get another 10 yrs from it.
If it has quirky fiddly issues then setting fire to it might be a mercy.
I know these decisions are mine and I have to associate the values but, if I go ahead then a good rebuild thread won't hurt for the Victa owners out there anyway. Murray made a series of Victas for a number of years so the info should be good for cross sharing info.
Again, thanking everyone for your input.
We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. Einstein
Last edited by Brycevr; 30/12/1507:14 AM.
Quality is a direct experience, independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions. R. Pirsig .
After a clean and sort, apart from engine this beast is in VERY good condition. I am told the first engine seized and blew the crank in short order. Experience tells me it was run without oil....
Hence the smaller 12.5 installed now which has never run properly, it has blown smoke since it was installed. It may have been dodgy then.
Oh I so love used gear that was only driven by Grandma's on alternate weekends and mowed a small prizewinning lawn every other month. (& in truth it was used to slash 40 acres of dense weeds and gave up.. )
The new lump is a Briggs 12.5 which I wouldn't consider suitable but it's in there and I can get it started. Apart from a sticky float which floods it an easy fix, when I get it to run it just streams light grey smoke but the plug is good? I'd like to at least get the chassis running with this engine before going to an expensive re-engine and find some other issues in the drivetrain which make it an expensive white elephant.
My first thoughts are a gasket leak letting oil into the 'zorst manifold, then maybe a blocked oil breather. The lack of fouling of the plug spins my head. It's not rings and a blocked breather usually pushes oil past the rings and gives similar symptoms.
Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes. Confucius
Last edited by Brycevr; 31/12/1508:16 AM.
Quality is a direct experience, independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions. R. Pirsig .
I think everyone will like this one it's turned into a nice bit of kit.
I started with this...
and ended with this...
I used a 17hp clone engine, extended the hood by 75mm, powder coated the deck, resprayed the body and hood with epoxy, all new service items, and LED headlights with an MP3, Bluetooth, SD card FM stereo with a 15W amp and some 4" speakers. Bearings for the front wheels, knife edged blades and adjusted to perfection. I'm a bit proud of it as it came together as well as I'd imagined. What do you think??
Quality is a direct experience, independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions. R. Pirsig .
If anyone is interested I'll do a mini build thread showing some of the less conventional stuff like extending the bonnet, fitting the stereo LOL and the simple pull down.
By the way, it actually does a great job of cutting the grass so that has to be a bonus.
Last edited by Brycevr; 04/05/1606:29 AM.
Quality is a direct experience, independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions. R. Pirsig .
One major mod i recommend to all is to re-inforce the edges of the deck with some rod. It will give a deck 5 times the life.
You can see the rod welded into the lip of the cutter shell and it helps to keep the shell rigid and is a buffer against wear and flex that opens the edges to more wear and rust. I'll face the bottom edges when they wear.
Last edited by Brycevr; 04/05/1608:32 AM.
Quality is a direct experience, independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions. R. Pirsig .
Excellent job you must be very proud of it and you will get a lifetime of work out of it because you appreciate the work involved and what the machine is capable of. Many owners have no idea and bash and crash their way around and then wonder why they break. Any machine used within its design capabilities will always give good service, abuse they and they will fail. The rod welded around the cutter edge is a good move
Yeah, it's nice but where's the high back bucket seat, the twin overhead foxtails and the chrome grease nipples?, and do you play the Benny Hill theme song when mowing to keep Jack happy?
Don't laugh too hard, I actually have some foxtails here... It was more an exercise for my next door neighbor who likes to help out but hasn't ever done anything remotely like this.
Quality is a direct experience, independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions. R. Pirsig .
Excellent job you must be very proud of it and you will get a lifetime of work out of it because you appreciate the work involved and what the machine is capable of. Many owners have no idea and bash and crash their way around and then wonder why they break. Any machine used within its design capabilities will always give good service, abuse they and they will fail. The rod welded around the cutter edge is a good move
When you build something you aquire a mechanical empathy and you understand what all the parts of the symphony are doing. You can tell easily when something is not in tune and have the skill to correct it before it becomes a problem. You also appreciate the value of maintenance.
Quality is a direct experience, independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions. R. Pirsig .
... and LED headlights with an MP3, Bluetooth, SD card FM stereo with a 15W amp and some 4" speakers... you aquire a mechanical empathy and you understand what all the parts of the symphony are doing
What a great performance this has been!
And I now know the name of the tune to the BH theme! I can't believe how many versions there are on YouTube:-
Andre Reiu
And with Chet Atkins:
On a serious note, I love a good ride-on mower deck, and the advice on reinforcing the deck for greater life is an excellent one - particularly with the realization that we cut grass lower here than in any other country.
A stellar job. --------------------- Jack
p.s. encore - this topic will be moved into the R.C.M. forum shortly, and any special sub-topics can be linked.
Last edited by Bruce; 13/08/1709:05 PM. Reason: Corrected Youtube
Ok so now I will ask, where did you extend the hood
I meant extended the mounts so the hood sits 75mm further forward to clear the longer engine and about 25 higher to clear the air cleaner screws. A few simple bracket fabricated and welded and you'd never know it wasn't factory.
The brief was, that everything had to done as well as a new mower (except tyres, they'll be replaced when they wear out) and where possible to improve on the original if possible, then each piece had be finished to match the scheme all metal bare was primed and when overpainting the items were all rubbed back with 320 to get a good surface, the deck was sent away disassembled to be blasted and powdercoated, all deck bolts were replaced with zinc plated ones. The obvious bolts on the front of the chassis are chrome plated (I already had these lying around). Any modifications had to be an advantage and to the quality of the original. Of course there are a few "Everest" items (because I could ) like the stereo. It has no moving parts and the amp is a compact module sprayed with clear epoxy to weather proof it, the speakers are poly cone with urethane roll surrounds so they're pretty well weather proof and some recycled dip containers are on the rear to protect from debris. My only disappointment was the quality of the paint and that was my fault as I'd never done a large area using epoxy and i had a few little issues. I've learned and can only improve.
Last edited by Brycevr; 05/05/1605:22 AM.
Quality is a direct experience, independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions. R. Pirsig .
... and LED headlights with an MP3, Bluetooth, SD card FM stereo with a 15W amp and some 4" speakers... you aquire a mechanical empathy and you understand what all the parts of the symphony are doing
What a great performance this has been!
And I now know the name of the tune to the BH theme! I can't believe how many versions there are on YouTube:-
Andre Reiu And with Chet Atkins:
On a serious note, I love a good ride-on mower deck, and the advice on reinforcing the deck for greater life is an excellent one - particularly with the realization that we cut grass lower here than in any other country.
A stellar job. --------------------- Jack
p.s. encore - this topic will be moved into the R.C.M. forum shortly, and any special sub-topics can be linked.
That's very punny
Which forum? and maybe instead I'll do a smaller build thread there if it works better for the forums.
Last edited by Brycevr; 05/05/1605:05 AM.
Quality is a direct experience, independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions. R. Pirsig .
I would like to move this Topic into the Restoring, Customising and Modifying forum - to showcase this machine. It is in the wrong forum at the moment - dealing with repairs and maintenance.
This is a custom project.
Any special sub-threads could also be placed in that forum - under "Ride-on Mowers". I can link them to the main project when done.
This is a truly special project that should be recognised - any given appropriate provenance for future reference.
I would like to move this Topic into the Restoring, Customising and Modifying forum - to showcase this machine. It is in the wrong forum at the moment - dealing with repairs and maintenance.
This is a custom project.
Any special sub-threads could also be placed in that forum - under "Ride-on Mowers". I can link them to the main project when done.
This is a truly special project that should be recognised - any given appropriate provenance for future reference.
All very fox tail! ---------------------- Jack
Thanks Jack, Why don't I just do a new thread with more photos showing the build and detailing some of the fiddly bits I took a lot of pictures (with foxtails). It was originally a repair and refurb job I could put a link under the completed pictures post to direct to it. Some of the early dialogue might help someone and the new thread would be far more interesting and cohesive, without going through the early banter, for those that care? Just my thinking.
Rgds Bill
Last edited by Brycevr; 05/05/1605:32 AM.
Quality is a direct experience, independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions. R. Pirsig .
What I made was the mower EVERYONE would really like. Clean, durable, aesthetically pleasing and practical. I started a new thread where you recommended and I think, to tell a story is more interesting than to tack on updates to a disjointed dialogue.
)![[Linked Image]](https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/uploads/usergals/2016/05/full-7049-28286-mowers_5.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/uploads/usergals/2016/05/full-7049-28287-final_murray_pics_1024.jpg)
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