I've got a Victa MSV562 Self-Propelled mower, and I've noticed that when the drive belt isn't engaged, moving the mower forward is often much more difficult, but also when trying to move backwards, the rear wheels sometimes lock up and if they don't, it's still just as difficult to move backwards. Hi Paul, I just re-read you original statement, the belt is engaged all the time under spring pressure, so the gearbox pulley is spinning all the time the motor is running. What you actually engage with the lever is a clutch of some sort in the gearbox itself, this internal setup I' have no idea how it works, but what I have found with the motor running the mower will move forward without holding the lever in, it is just friction drag through the box, but when I engage the lever the mower rockets forward, way to fast for me to keep up. What I am not sure of is if letting it move forward without the clutch engaged, is it going to wear the internal clutch quickly because it is obviously slipping. With the clutch disengaged it is easy to hold it to prevent it moving forward and it is only travelling at about half the pace it does when engaged. Not sure if this has helped much but it seems like this is the way they are
The roller skate idea is just for moving the mower on the concrete when the engine is not running Norm, you should not have problem pulling the mower backwards the gears should freewheel easily,I had a self propelled mower with the same drive set up as the Honda,it would lock up when pulling the mower backwards,I just removed the drive gears cleaned them and re lubricated the ratchet and the mower had no problem moving backwards.I have not had to fix these later Victa gears so without pulling them apart I can't say if they are serviceable but replacement cost is $21 a gear.Not sure if you get the unit complete with the over run clutch or it is just the gear for $21 but others I have seen for sale were complete gears with the over run clutch.
Hi Max, I did lube as best I could inside the gears, It works ok if you could keep up to it,I feel it is geared way too high but that might just be because I have difficulty walking. It pulls back ok but there is a fair bit of drag on it, but I guess that is just the way it is with these. I would like to get hold of another one just to compare them but they don't come up for sale too often.
Hi Norm ,It's been a few years since I've taken my self propelled Victa for a spin but from what I remember yes they are a bit of a brisk walk even when you lower the rpm to slow down the drive speed.I remember the mower was easier to push forward with the drive belt tensioner disengaged after the mower was used for a few minutes..
what I have found with the motor running the mower will move forward without holding the lever in, it is just friction drag through the box, but when I engage the lever the mower rockets forward, way to fast for me to keep up. What I am not sure of is if letting it move forward without the clutch engaged, is it going to wear the internal clutch quickly because it is obviously slipping.
Hi Norm,
I'd suggest based on what you're saying:
1. The clutch drive cable may be too tight and is constantly engaging the drive clutch, but only enough to rotate the wheels at part/half speed. Giving the cable some slack may help. 2. The variable speed cable may be too tight due to the variable speed setting you've got it on, or because the cable is too tight. Either would result in the gearbox constantly spinning at too fast of a speed. If you find it occurs with the throttle in the slowest position, the cable is too tight. In the slowest position, it should either not engage, at all when tensioning the drive clutch, or if it does engage, it should be slow.
Originally Posted by NormK
these would be best suited to bigger lawn areas that don't need catching, my preference is still a 24
Similar to the 18" commercial, the 24 is also a side chute mower, is that correct? Is it possible to mulch with either the 18" (MSP462) or the 24" (MSP602)? If not, and you can only cut and chute, you're really limited to short grass aren't you (Assuming you're mowing grass to the 1/3 rule and trying to have a nice lawn after)?
Paul, with the cable disconnected it still wants to drive forward, easy enough to hold it though. A mate of mine does a number of inner suburb lawns with his 24 and the owners are very happy with the way they looks, Then the 24 is also capable of chewing through 3 foot high grass with ease
I had another look at this one yesterday and I am convinced I am going to have to put a lazy axle on it at the rear so it can be tilted back to allow the drive wheels to just clear the ground. You can pull it backwards but it is not easy, the drag ( I'm not sure what is causing the drag) is hard to pull against. Pushing forward is no harder that pushing a normal mower. When engaged the drive works fine although a bit too fast for me to keep up.
