VICTA 19 Inch & 21 Inch Commercial Lawn Mowers User Manual

VICTA 19 Inch & 21 Inch Commercial Lawn Mowers

Safety Marking and Symbols

IMPORTANT NOTES

• Congratulations on your purchase of a Victa lawnmower. This instruction manual will aid in the assembly, operation and maintenance of your new lawnmower.
• Please read this manual carefully to ensure safety and the long life of your product.
• Please read the Warranty leaflet carefully.
• Keep this operators manual in a safe place for future reference, or if service is required on your unit.
  • Do not operate the unit before reading this manual.
  • Do not operate before reading the ‘Engine Manual’.

Safety Instructions

Transporting the mower

• Turn the engine off, by moving the throttle lever to the ‘STOP’ position and switching the fuel tap off (where fitted).
• Disconnect the spark plug lead and wedge it well away from the spark plug.
• Do not transport the mower in a vehicle if there is fuel in the fuel tank.

Before using the mower

• Do not allow children, or people unfamiliar with these instructions, to use the mower.
• Ensure that the blade assembly is not worn or damaged. Always replace worn or damaged blades and bolts in sets to preserve correct balance. Damaged or worn blades and bolts are major hazards. Use genuine Victa spare parts only.
• Please note: blades may be tucked under blade disc for safety and transport reasons before use. Once the engine is started they will relocate themselves for cutting.
• Check all fasteners regularly. Always ensure the mower is in a safe operating condition. Use genuine spare parts only.
• Check for grass build up around the engine and muffler which may cause overheating and/or a fire hazard.
• SAE 30 oil must be placed in engine sump before starting the engine. Please refer to Engine Owner’s Manual, for filling volume and method. Failure to do so will cause engine damage and will void engine warranty.
• Do not start the engine unless the rear flap and/or grass catcher are securely in position.
• Know the mower controls. Learn how to stop the engine quickly in an emergency by moving the throttle to the ‘STOP’ position or releasing the brake bale arm on models fitted with presence control

Operating the mower

• Do not mow while people, especially children, or pets are in the vicinity of the mower or within the mowing area. Ensure that bystanders are a minimum of 15 metres away.
• Do not mow in bare feet or open shoes. Wear long trousers heavy footwear and eye protection.

Safety Instructions cont’d

• Make sure the lawn is clear of sticks, stones, bones, wire and debris before mowing. These could be thrown by the blades and cause injury or damage.
• Start the engine carefully with feet well clear of blades. Do not tilt the mower when starting the engine.
• Stop the engine whenever you leave the mower, even for a moment.
• Mow only in good daylight.
• Keep hands and feet away from rotating parts beneath mower when engine is running.
• Do not over speed the engine or alter the governor settings. Excessive engine speed is dangerous and shortens mower life.
• Never lift, carry or tilt the mower when the engine is running.
• Stop the engine before pushing the mower across gravel, paths or roads. Stop the engine before the mower leaves the lawn.
• Stop the engine before adjusting the cutting height.
• Mow across the face of a slope, never up or down. Use extreme caution when changing direction on a slope. Do not mow on excessively steep slopes.
• Never mow by pulling the mower towards you. You may slip and pull the mower on top of your feet. Never mow grass while walking backwards.
• Walk with the mower, never run.
• The safety distance determined by the guiding handles must be maintained at all times.
• At the conclusion of mowing, always turn the mower off using the throttle lever then turn fuel tap off (where fitted). To stop the mower on models with presence control, release the brake bale arm.
• Do not operate the mower in confined spaces where exhaust fumes (carbon monoxide) can collect.
• Stop the engine when emptying the grass catcher.
• Stop the engine and disconnect spark plug wire before clearing blockages, checking, or working on the mower.
• If you strike an obstruction, stop the engine and check the blades for damage.
• Bystanders must be at least 15 metres away during operation of the mower, as rocks and other materials may be thrown at high velocities. Switch the unit off immediately if approached.
• Never use the mower unless the grass catcher and/or the rear flap are correctly assembled and fitted.
• Wear suitable eye protection when operating mower.
• Never use an electrically powered mower in the rain or when grass is wet.

Maintaining the mower

• If the mower begins to vibrate abnormally, or if it strikes a foreign object – STOP the engine. Disconnect the spark plug lead from the spark plug and carefully wedge it well away from the spark plug. Inspect the mower and blades for any damage.
• Replace worn or faulty mufflers as they adversely affect engine performance and increase emissions.
• Victa recommends that all maintenance, repair and inspection work be carried out by a Victa Authorised Service Centre.
• Store the mower in a well ventilated area, away from any naked flames such as those found in hot water heaters.

Refuelling the mower

• Refuel the mower outdoors only.
• Do not smoke while operating or refuelling the mower. Never add fuel or remove the fuel cap while the engine is running or hot. If fuel is spilt, do not start the engine. Move the mower away from the area of the spill. Do not create any source of ignition until fuel vapours have dissipated.
• Store fuel in a cool place and in a container specifically designed for the purpose. Victa supplies a 5 litre fuel can as an optional extra. Plastic containers are unsuitable, except those specifically designed to hold fuel.

Hazards
The following safety precautions must be strictly observed to avoid the risk of damage or personal injury.

• Do not smoke while operating or refuelling the mower. Never add fuel or remove the fuel cap while the engine is running or hot. If fuel is spilt, do not start the engine. Move the mower away from the area of the spill. Do not create any source of ignition until the fuel vapours have dissipated.
• Check all fasteners regularly. Always ensure that the mower is in safe operating condition. Use genuine spare parts only.
• Do not operate the mower in confined spaces where exhaust fumes (carbon monoxide) can collect.
• Stop the engine whenever you leave the mower, even if only for a moment.
• Stop the engine when emptying the grasscatcher. Never try to clear grass from inside the mower while the engine is running.
• Never lift, carry or tilt the mower when the engine is running.
• Bystanders must be at least 15 metres away during operation of the mower, as rocks and other materials may be thrown at high velocities. Switch the unit off immediately if approached.
• Never use the mower unless the grass catcher and/or the rear flap are correctly assembled and fitted.

Personal Protective Equipment
Recommended personal protection equipment to wear when working with your lawnmower:

Features

Cap
3. Throttle Control| 7. Lower Handle| 11. Deck|
4. Handle Knob/ Lever| 8. Pull Start | 12. Wash Port |

ASSEMBLY PROCEDURES

Attaching upper handle
Mowers will have either knobs or toggles to fix the handles in position. Refer to the instruction below which is specific to your particular model.

• Attach the upper handles using the knobs and bolts provided. The knobs should be on the outside.
• Tighten the handle knobs to secure the upper handle to the lower handle.
• Flip the handle toggles to secure the upper handle to the lower handle.
• On some models the knobs/toggles have to be consumer fitted.

Adjusting Handle height

Your mower has two handle height positions. It is supplied with the handles set in the higher position. To adjust the handle height to the lower position:

1. Loosen nut “A” (left and right hand sides)
2. Remove nut and bolt “B“(left and right-hand sides). Lift rear flap to gain access
3. Push handle down to align hole “C”
4. Re-assemble bolts in hole “C” ensuring bolt shoulder is aligned in square hole
5. Re-tighten all nuts (16Nm)

Attaching the throttle control

• Attach the throttle control to the inside of the upper handle, so that the lever lifts upward toward the user.

Remote Air Intake Assembly (Where Supplied)

Never run the engine unless the remote air intake assembly and snorkel are properly fitted to the upper handle.

1. Use screw, 2 washers, star washer and nut from kit provided.
2. Place housing over upper handle as shown.
3. Pass screw from outside of handle and ensure flat washers are fitted against on both sides and the star washer under the nut.
4. Tighten nut securely.
   NOTE: Check that snorkel is pushed all the way into the housing.

TextStarting & Stopping
These notes supplement the information on starting and stopping your lawnmower engine found in the Engine Operator’s Manual supplied with your lawnmower. Please read your Engine Operator’s Manual prior to attempting to start your engine for the first time. If your engine model is not covered by the notes below please read the Engine Manual supplied with your lawnmower.

• Always check your engine oil level before starting the engine at the start of mowing.
• Check that the spark plug is connected before attempting to start the engine.
• Ensure you have fresh petrol in the engine’s fuel tank.
• Ensure the fuel tap, where fitted is ON before attempting to start the engine.
• For your safety, keep your hands and feet clear of the mower blades at all times.

TextStarting & Stopping
Starting – Non-Primer Engines:

1. Push the throttle control to the START/RUN position.
2. Firmly hold the starter handle and pull the starter slowly until resistance is felt, then pull the cord rapidly.
3. The engine should start after a couple of attempts.
4. Return the starter handle gently. Do not allow the starter handle to fly back and strike the engine cowling as damage may result.
   To stop the engine, move the throttle control to the stop position.

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Grasscatcher – Fitting

Fitting the grasscatcher

• Stop the engine.
• Raise the rear flap. Locate the grasscatcher tongue over the rear axle and insert the grass catcher under the rear flap and locate on bracket.
• Lower the rear flap.

Mulching Plug – (mulch or catch models only)

• Stop the engine and set the mower height setting.
• Mulching is most effective between height settings 4 and 10.
• Lift the rear flap and identify the support plate as shown. Note the orientation of the mulching plug.
• Insert the mulching plug into the baseplate.
• Ensure that the mulching plug is resting on the support plate and is positioned against the inside of the baseplate. Push the mulching plug down so that it rests flush against the rear cross member.
• Close the rear flap ensuring that it closes fully. The rear flap should rest on the mulching plug as shown in the sectional illustration.
  To stop the engine, move the throttle control to the stop position.

Drive Control
Ensure spark plug lead is disconnected.

Set Clutch Lever Travel
Clutch lever setting is very important to ensure clutch is not slipping or overloaded. The incorrect clutch setting may shorten gearbox life.
The clutch is set correctly at the factory during the assembly of the mower. The clutch travel should be checked after the first five hours of operation and then every fifty hours thereafter.
The clutch lever travel setting should be checked IMMEDIATELY if clutch slipping is noted during the operation of the mower.

To check and set the clutch:

1. Stop the engine and disconnect the spark plug lead from the spark plug.
2. Remove the four screws securing the drive belt cover.
3. Hold the clutch bale arm closed against the upper handle as shown. Using a feeler gauge measure the cable gap (B) between the dog-leg and plastic grommet. The gap must be between 0.5mm and 1.0mm. Fig 1.
4. If the clutch setting is incorrect: Loosen the locknuts (A) Fig 2 on the upper end of the clutch cable. Adjust the outer cable in the direction of the arrow to decrease the gap or opposite the arrow direction to increase the gap.
5. Tighten the locknuts and recheck the gap before refitting drive belt cover and spark plug lead.
6. Refit drive Belt Cover using 4 screws and washers. Fig 3.

Caution
When replacing the cover, make sure that the cables are not pinched by the belt cover and are neatly in position as shown before tightening the cover screws.

MAINTENANCE

CLEANING
Before cleaning the mower, ensure the throttle lever is in the ‘STOP’ position. Turn the fuel tap off, disconnect the spark plug lead and wedge it well away from the spark plug, and remove the battery on Instart models.

• Remove grass build up from the air intakes on the top of the mower cowl, around the engine and carburettor, and around the air filter body.
• The underside of the mower should be cleaned regularly to remove dirt and grass build up; any build up will adversely affect grass catching and mulching performance and can promote corrosion on steel baseplates.
• When cleaning the underside of the mower, always tilt handle back to ground level so the front wheels are off the ground and spark plug is pointing to the sky. Tilting in other direction can cause the oil to contaminate the fuel & damage air filter causing starting difficulties.
• A hose may be used on the underside of your mower ONLY. Care must be taken to NOT get water into the engine, as it may damage the magneto or get into the fuel system.
• To prevent chassis corrosion, the underside of your mower should be cleaned immediately after mowing an area which has been recently dressed with sulphate of ammonia or fertiliser.
• After cleaning, run the engine briefly to dry off excess moisture before storing.

Wash Port (where fitted)

• Turn engine off.
• Attach hose to wash port and turn on water.
• Start the engine and run for a short period.
• Turn off engine.
• Turn off the water and disconnect hose.

StorageMainte
Fuel can become stale when stored over 30 days. Stale fuel causes acid and gum deposits to form in the fuel system. Drain the fuel for long term storage.

Blade Replacement

For Your Safety

• Before starting the mower check blades and bolts for damage or wear.

• Victa recommends that all maintenance, repair and inspection work be carried out by a Victa Authorised Service Centre.
  Worn and damaged blades are major hazards.

• Stop the engine and disconnect the spark plug lead before fitting new blades.

• Work from the grasscatcher flap.
  With the rear flap secured, undo the blade nut, applying upward pressure to the bolt head into the blade disc. (the head of the bolt will not rotate due to the diamond shape in the underside of the head).

Assembly: Fit as per the drawing remembering to push the head of the bolt into the blade disc (this will stop the bolt head from turning). Ensure correct order of assembly.

DO NOT lay mower on its side.

• We recommend changing blades, bolts, nuts and
  washers as a set. Metal fatigue and damage may occur which may not be visible to the operator. Always replace all blades to ensure correct engine balance, reducing vibration and wear. Tighten nuts on blade bolts to 14-19 Nm.

• Always turn the nut to check tightness, not the bolt.
  Use only genuine replacement parts made and guaranteed by Victa. Insist on them from your parts and service dealer. Detailed fitting instructions are printed on genuine Victa blade packs. Use of non-genuine blades may void your warranty, and could result in damage or injury.

Maintenance Chart

Maintenance Chart

Features                        Requirements

|

Before Start

|

After Finish

|

Refuelling

|

Weekly

|

Monthly

|

If Faulty

|

If Damaged/Faulty

|

As Required

---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---
Lawnmower| Visual inspection (leaks)| •| | •| | | | |
Throttle lever| Check operation| | •| | | | | |
Remote air filter hose| Check| •| | | | •| | |
Cutting system (Blades)| Inspect and check assembly

Replace*

| •| | | | |

•

|

•

|
Rear flap| Inspect and check assembly| •| | | | | | | •
Chassis| Check for buildup of grass| | •| | | | | |
| Clean| •|
| Replace| | •
Air filter| Check| •| | | | | | |
| Clean| •| |
| Replace| | •| •
Engine cylinder fins| Clean| | | | | •| | | •
Spark plug| Replace| | | | | | •| | •
All accessible fasteners| Clean

Retighten

| •| | | | | | |

•

Engine mounting bolts| Check

Retighten

| | | | | •| | |

•

Mulching plug| Inspect and check assembly| •| | | | | | | •
Muffler| Inspect| | | | | •| | •|
| Replace| | •| •
Grasscatcher| Check

Clean Replace

| •|

•

| | | | |

•

|
Check oil| Check| •| | | | | | |

• Victa recommends that certain maintenance, repair and inspection work becarried out by a Victa Authorised Service Centre.

  • Before carrying out maintenance, STOP the engine, disconnect the spark plug lead from the spark plug and move it well away fromthe spark plug. Remove the starter key from the ignition switch of Keystart models and disconnect the battery.
  • Never attempt maintenance that is not outlined in this manual. All repair work must be carried out by a Victa Authorised Service Centre.

troubleshooting

plug
| Engine flooded| Turn fuel tap ‘OFF’. Pull starter cord until engine starts, then turn fuel

tap ‘ON’

| Dirty spark plug| Replace spark plug
| Stale fuel in tank from last season| Contact Service Centre
| Water in fuel tank| Contact Service Centre
| Service required| Contact Service Centre
| Engine worn| Contact Service Centre
| Low or no oil| Top up with correct oil
Loss of power| Incorrect throttle setting Dirty air filter element

Too low height adjustment

Low or no oil

| Set throttle lever in the ‘RUN’ position Clean or replace

Raise cutting height

Top up with correct oil

Poor cutting or catching| Blades worn or damaged Blade disc loose

Slow running

Blades restricted by grass and dirt accumulated under the baseplate

| Replace

Contact Service Centre

Refer to ‘Loss of Power’ above

Remove spark plug lead and clean under the baseplate

Excessive vibrations| Build up of grass and dirt on upper surface of blade disc

Blades out of balance

Bent or damaged disc or blade Looseness of assembly

Low or no oil

| Clean

Replace both blades Replace disc or both blades Check all nuts for tightness Top up with correct oil

Engine stops frequently| Fuel supply blocked Engine worn or seized Fuel cap not venting

Low or no oil

| Check fuel line

Contact Service Centre Check / Loosen cap slightly Top up with correct oil

If running difficulties continue, please contact your closest Victa Authorised Service Centre. You will find the latest Service Centre listing on the Victa website, www.victa.com.au or contact Victa Customer Service 1800 356 632.

References

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