OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Four Stroke Lawn Mower Frames Separating old Rover catcher body halfs

The mesh inside the catcher of my ancient Rover has disintegrated, would like to cobble up something to stop grass flying out the exits. Can probably do it working from the inside but would be a much easier job if the top and bottom halfs were separated.

There's several tabs that look simple to undo but they aren't ! I've tried various screw drivers, butter knives, metal strips and although each tab can be unclipped I'm getting nowhere. Looks like they must all be "unclicked" simultaneously then the halfs pull apart but I don't have a dozen pairs of hands.

What's the trick?

Hi MM,
I have repaired many of them over the years. I bought a sheet of perforated metal and I have a pattern here somewhere that I cut the sheet out and then pop rivet it inside the cover with 3/16th rivets Probably doesn't help you much, just giving you some ideas. I haven't bothered pulling the catcher apart

G'day MM and Norm,

The easiest way to get the catchers apart is to start at one end, the front and unclip the first locking tab with a screw driver then
wedge another screw driver inbetween the two halves so they can't lock together again ,then do the next clip and wedge another
screw driver inbetween the 2 halves and keep going until the catcher halves are apart.

If you just want a quick fix for the catcher you don't take it apart but just screw some plastic mesh over the outside edges
of the air discharge vents.

Cheers
Max.

Thanks Norm and Max, I will do that quick fix but nice to know it can be disassembled. Although it's one of my oldest mowers (vertical pull to start) the catcher system works very well and the motor can idle at a catatonic speed enabling emptying the catcher to be done without copping a grass shower.

Hi maxwestern, mowingmania and NormK,

I find a low tickover useful for passers by when doing the nature strip.

Did a quick fix, cut a couple of strips of shadecloth and taped them over the exit holes of the catcher. Worked quite well and about 30 percent more clippings go into the catcher before it's full.

Looks good enough for a quick fix.

Shade cloth will work but the holes are a little too fine, so may clog up with wet grass or dirt / dust but if the catcher
isn't filling properly you can just get a rag and wipe down the inside face of the shade cloth.

Cheers
Max.

Here's a pic which can be used as a template if anyone else ever wants to replace the mesh inside the catcher of a Rover Pedigree.

Yep exactly what I was doing. Nearly every Rover catcher I got always had that screen damaged