The Runningblade mower is powered by a Kawasaki FX1000V engine
rated 37 hp at 3600 rpm. According to
Countax, the engine was taken straight
from the factory and installed without
any performance-enhancing modifications. In addition, the Runningblade
was assembled using nearly 90%
standard Countax mower components
found at its Oxfordshire factory. The
only changes made from the standard
specifications were the air cleaner,
which needed to be repositioned to
suit the chassis layout, and the throttle,
which had to be redesigned to be
controlled directly by the driver’s foot
rather than by the engine’s mechanical
governor system.
The chassis for the Runningblade
is based on the Countax A Series
mower. To reduce overall weight,
the company said it fabricated the
chassis from the stock steel material
normally used in the production of
roller carriers found in the Countax
Grass Collector. Also based on the
A Series range, but modified for
use on the Runningblade, were the
footplates, rear body, console and
battery tray. According to Countax,
all pulleys and parts used in the drive
system are standard, and the drive
belts were derived from various cutter decks within the standard range,
as was the A Series steering shaft
and quadrant.
As a safety feature during the
attempt at the speed record, the cutting deck was designed to be removable. Countax also modified the deck
into a single-blade configuration,
making it smaller than the company’s
50 in. standard deck. Additionally, a
Countax A20/50 model bonnet — that
would be the “hood” for Americans —
had the inner insulation removed to
reduce overall weight, but the headlights still functioned, Countax said.
The Runningblade’s nonstandard
parts included a seat, the rear axle
and braking system from a go-kart,
as well as a front beam axle and stub
axles that were custom made in the
Powering the Runningblade without any
performance-enhancing modifications,
the Kawasaki FX100V is rated 37 hp at
3600 rpm.
Countax factory. Tires and wheels
were provided by Tyreline Ltd., as the
standard components from Countax
are not rated high enough to accommodate the speeds needed to assault
the record.
Additional standard components
included the dash panel, steering
wheel, pedals and control cables, all
of which can be found on the Countax
C Series mower range.
To post an official time and take the
record, the mower had to run a measured mile, in both directions, within
an hour. From there, an average
speed of the two runs is calculated,
resulting in a final recorded speed.
The successful record attempt was
made at Pendine Sands in Wales.
At the time, the previous land speed
record for lawn mowers — yes, there
is such a record — was 80.972 mph.
On a Saturday in early summer, with
Wales at the wheel, the Countax
mower bested that mark, posting
a run of 86.069 mph. The following day, the mower ran the measured mile again and established the
Guinness World Record speed of
87.833 mph. dp
www.projectrunningblade.co.uk
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