OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Victa Lawn Mower Frames Victa wheel inserts

I have a heap of Victa wheels here and I constantly struggle to find a reasonable set to put on a mower. There must have been a cheaper version of the Powertorque, the small hubcaps, straight handelbar without the step in it and they all seem to have the same type of wheel which is always is practically bald. These I can cut new tread pattern in but the big issue I have is the inner insert is more often than not missing or broken by stones flung up against it. My thoughts are to get my son to turn up a heap of these on his wood lathe out of something like 7mm waterproof ply. Can't hurt but try I guess, any thoughts? Everyday is a new challenge.

3d printer.

I'm thinking that would be costly

Why go to the trouble Norm, the "standard" models did not come with the insert from factory. Just another small thing that shaves a little off the cost of a mower.

Thanks BT, that saves another little problem. What I have found is that these wheels although looking ratty the bushes in them (no bearings in these wheels either) are usually in good condition suffering little wear. I would like to see what they looked like new because they all have that very bald look. I was throwing them out but it is getting very hard for me find any decent wheels

These still show signs of the tread pattern Norm.

Some wheels I have someone has used pop rivets to hold the inner wheel cover in place.

Thanks Max, I have buckets of them like that, I'm just not sure what they looked like new. I had a go at cutting 4 grooves in them yesterday so they don't look so tired. They sort of half look ok. There mustn't have been much tread on them in the first place

Yes I agree there was not a lot of tread on them in the first place.I might have a new one somewhere but I am sure it has barely any
more depth to the tread than the ones I uploaded.

I thought they were the ones being described. I found a pair of very low mileage ones indeed from one of those odd looking Victa hand trucks from the 80s. The treads and orange wheel covers look almost in nos condition.

This is what I am talking about MF, I think the re-grooved ones look better

These are the virtually new ones I took off a Victa trolley.

They look worn out from new don't they.

Not to me as there is an identifiable pattern as shown in the last photo. These were the lowest tier design, taking over from the ones with the smaller wheel covers and deeper tyres with the grooves. These would have been much cheaper in materials used compared to the long running previous design.

My Flintstone , concrete inserts seem to be holding up ok, they have done a bit of bash and crash slashing work and they still look ok. Sadly the mower is coming to bits because I need the motor for the 24 I am building

Weren't you saying somewhere that they cracked on another mower? I have been lucky enough to find good inserts on otherwise really munted wheels and swap them over. I guess with the high turnover of mowers at your end, you can't find enough.
Pity you don't have your own plastic press. Are there 3D printers available at reasonable cost that could churn some out?

Yes MF, originally some cracks starter to appear, but then I put a coating of roof tile pointing compound and that seems to have worked well so far. I think anything 3D printed would not withstand the rocks and stones thrown at the inserts