Here is my Rover Heavy Duty slasher from the 1960s, which was actually called a "Rover Rider" in those days. This one mowed a primary school grounds for around 20-30 years. Operator at the time found it would clog in the front if grass or clover was thick and wet, so a local engineer extended the frame a bit which apparently stopped this problem from occurring. The engine was replaced by an almighty 10HP Honda G400 at some time in the past. It originally had an 8HP Kirby Tecumseh. Other models had 8HP Briggs and Stratton. I added the little fenders to the front just to dress it up a bit and for added safety. I am intending to paint it one of these days.
Battery and heat shields were a recent addition. Just push a button on the solenoid and away she goes, first try. You would really need that starter as it would take Hercules to pull it over. There is no stopping this brute. It will plough through grass over a foot high and throw it aside as if it was not even there. Two fuel tanks to go that extra distance!
I have two manuals for different Heavy Duty models from the 70s which I will post up shortly. I am still chasing a manual for the original "Rover Rider" (probably 1965-1969). It was so-called because it came with an optional sulky that you could sit on and get pulled along behind. I recently viewed one of these sulkies. It has a bend midway suggesting that someone might have been using it in the past and come to grief. Reversing and going over drains or across steep hills was a definite "No, no"! I am amazed that despite Rover having to encase the belts due to safety concerns around 1972, they were still advertising their pull behind sulkies up to at least 1979. I am hoping to purchase an original sulky soon and will show photos of it once it arrives and gets renovated. The sulky is missing its wheels, so I need two wheel hubs for it if anyone has them to spare? They were the same size hubs as used on the rear wheels of the HD slasher itself.
Hello vint_mow, is that the original type blade carrier? That's in the so ugly it's beautIful camp. Must be worth a lot now with the engine upgrade and electric start. Two fuel tanks? It's the Kenworth (or UD?) of grass cutting implements!!
What does NormK make of this animal?
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Hi MF, Yes original blade carrier and blades. I had to shop around to find one. Finally came across a lone one still in stock at a Melbourne mower shop who shipped it up to me. I had to replace the central HT bolt and 4 carrier bolts at the same time, as the old ones were extremely rusty. They took some removing but I finally succeeded.
Beautiful piece of equipment there MF and vint_mow and as long as a machine does what it was designed to do you can't ask for much more. A belt guard would make me a bit happier, not like you are trying keep it original with all the modifications
Thanks Norm, It doesn't try to hide the fact it is very "utilitarian", and that is one of the things I like about it. I did get a belt cover made by a local engineer for that top pulley, but still haven't got around to fitting it.
Here are the two manuals. Judging by the numbers on the back, one was printed in 1975, the other in 1991. As I have said previously, I am still chasing a manual for the very early Rover Rider model. If anybody can supply one, please let us know.
We had a district hospital in the town I went to primary school in and the grounds were well maintained by the gardener, who in those days was on staff there.
He had a large Victa Imperial and that was fitted with a sulky. It looked like a tractor seat with two wheels and was attached to the big cylinder mower via a drawbar. I thought it was magnificent at the time and would try and get a closer look when it was parked in his workshop only to be shooed away.
Yes, they were pricey even for those times. I was surprised when I saw this add that Jack had posted on the forum.
I might be able to obtain a sulky. It is missing the two wheels but I should be able to find aftermarket ones to fit. The problem with Rover is they made their own special wheels which were very low profile compared to modern ones of the same size. Luckily you can still get the tyres and tubes, but the hubs are a problem. I require two if anyone has some to spare? Any wider than about 40mm and the locknut will not catch the thread on the end of the axle! I've thought about buying trolley wheels and taking the bearing out of the offset, then cutting back the offset and re-inserting the bearing.
I might be in luck. I looked at the sulky again today and the axle allows for a hub width of 50mm. So any modern day 6" gas cylinder trolley wheels should do the job nicely!
While looking at the sulky I found a very long number stamped into the underside. Obviously a part number.
Not sure what diameter rims suit but I just measured a front wheel of a colt major outside of bearing to outside of bearing and it is 35mm same as in your previous pic (tyre is 2.50 - 6) (bearing inside dia is 15.7mm approx) ( about 14 to 15mm from outer face of bearing to outside of rim). I have a couple here you are welcome to if they fit. Will need new tubes and tyres though.
Thanks Mich, Those wheels would make a perfect fit by the sounds of it. In fact now that I look up the parts manual for the Colt, I see they are in fact identical.
