OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Four Stroke Lawn Mower Frames Rover slasher with Briggs

Just curious if anyone has any info on these mowers from Rover? I searched the net but could not find any info.

Particularly years of manufacture and did they have a handle mounted throttle etc?

I am curious as I guess this one may have had an engine change.





These are pics I found on the net.

Hi Aldot, there is a Illustrated Parts manual in the Rover manuals area....if you have subscribed to the area, go to "Repairs and Maintenance > Questions on Lawn Mower Frames > Lawnmower Parts List & Repair Manuals" scroll down the list of threads to the bottom; Rover Mowers parts Lists and Manuals > Rover Slasher 25.pdf.
If you have not yet subscribed, just click My Stuff in the toolbar above > Subscriptions.

The parts list says that they were fitted with an option of Briggs and Honda engines and both had a hand throttle on the upper left of the handle.
The date on the manual is December 2003.

Im not so sure that would have been newer than 85 or there abouts so im tipping the previous person that fitted that later model 8hp with electronic ignition did you a big favour.

This thread lead me to this wonderful forum. I'm lucky enough to have scored a rover slasher mower, as pictured in the OP and I'm very impressed.
My questions now include;
What things should I do for regular maintenance?
How do I find a source for replacement belts for the future?
Is there anything I should know to optimise my use of this thing and it's reliability?

Hello McGruffy,
I still haven't used one of these yet, but I am in the process of refurbishing two of these.


Things I have done:
Stop rust using rust converter, I Galmet then paint with kill rust.
Replaced all bearings: top & bottom cutter, left and right drive shaft, wheel bearing & there is the cutter belt idler bearing.

The engine I removed and served as a separate task.

I have a part no. for the cutter belt (A01397 V- Belt)
If you take your old drive belt to a belt place they will match it up.

Maintenance is endless some things to keep your machine working:
Correct oil level, keep fuel tank free from grass water, remove grass spiralled around cutter disc, clean underneath, check belt alignment & tension.
Check to ensure everything that is meant to move does so freely.

Here are images of my 7hp Honda driven machine. Happy to help with any other questions you may have.

I chased down the drive belt size it is A33.
Tubes for tyres are 2.50-6
This slasher it all but finished now.




This slasher was one step away from being a garden ornament.
It is back in service now, just a few minor issues to sort out, like: muffler has had an extension welded on, has a few leaking holes to fill. Engine is not running smoothly, I suspect points or carb. Also have to make a latch up on the handles to lock the handle in or out of drive, cant remember.

Hi Mark, if you post the Honda engine model, we can talk about what may be wrong with it. It appears to be a side valve model, but I couldn't guess which one.

Here are the numbers for this engine, have a few things on the go ATM, one of which is building a pizza oven. When I don't have concrete on my hands I will get back to it.

Well Mark, at least I have the workshop manual for that engine, so it isn't all bad. Early examples had breaker points, later ones had electronic ignition, by the way.

As you might expect for a Honda stationary engine, it has both a fuel filter and a sediment cup in the fuel system, plus as usual the float bowl may contain all kinds of collected junk, so I'd suggest you get the fuel system and carburetor into good order right at the beginning.

G'day guys. Just bought a rover sell propelled slasher in vey poor condition. Missing a few parts unfortunately
I was hoping you guys might be able to give me a rough idea of what size the original pulleys on the motor are as I have one aftermarket deck Pully 4" and I am unfortunately missing the drive Pully.

Currently has a 2hp Briggs and Stratton
Will post a photo shortly

Would also like to see a few more pictures of your slashers from different angle to help me see exactly what is missing

Cheers Will

I can get you some sizes and images Will. Cant do it right now.

Cheers that would be great. I will post up exactly what measurments im after shortly.

Cheers

That looks as if the cut would be close to 30" and it is self-propelled. Bearing in mind the kind of slashing usually expected from such a machine, I can't help feeling a 2 hp engine may fall a long way short of the requirement.

Couldn't agree more, I'm actually just waiting to receive the 6.5hp OHV motor.

I have 2 ride on mowers and a few home built tow behind slashers so this one is just for limited access jobs

The measurements I was hoping you could help me with were
-deck pully size on the motor
- drive pully size on motor
- distance between centre of drive pulleys

Also engine rpm would be handy so I can calculate the correct over all speed due to drive ratio

Would also love a few pictures showing the belt clutch as mine is missing and I am going to have to make something else

Lower drive pulley OD diameter 240mm

Dual pulley on engines output shaft
for cutter belt OD 107mm
for drive belt OD 67mm


Dual pulley on engines output shaft
Belt centres 38mm
Total length across 65mm



This handle when pulled down, pulls the engine back tightening the cutter belt.



SP drive handle & linkages.
Handle moves tyre treads to meet the drive dogs, which are always spinning when the engine is running.

Lower drive pulley OD diameter 240mm

Dual pulley on engines output shaft
for cutter belt OD 107mm
for drive belt OD 67mm


Dual pulley on engines output shaft
Belt centres 38mm
Total length across 65mm



This handle when pulled down, pulls the engine back tightening the cutter belt.



SP drive handle & linkages.
Handle moves tyre treads to meet the drive dogs, which are always spinning when the engine is running.
Mine is missing the latch up on the handles.

Cheers that's a huge help. So is the engine on a sliding Chanel or are they oblong holes? My engine is hard mounted to an aftermarket plate. I have a suspician I will just have to make up some other form of tension system for the belt

I have two manuals for these Rover Heavy Duty walk behind slasher mowers, and will try to post them up soon. Or will I have to send them to a moderator to post up? I am not sure how to post PDF files.

It seems there were about 4 or maybe 5 models of these built over two and a bit decades. I have been unable to locate a manual for the earliest model. I wonder if anybody can help out in this regard?

They changed a bit over time. Early models were yellow with a red engine. By around 1972 Rover were forced by legislation to put enclosures around the belts for safety, and the paint changed from CAT yellow to hammertone royal blue. The royal blue colour persisted until 1979.They added a height adjustment lever which was a great benefit for operators. On the early models, operators had to go through the tedious process of manually raising or lowering the front wheels. The odd thing is that despite addressing safety issues, they still continued to make the optional "sulky", which you could hitch behind and sit on! I know someone who has one of these sulkies, and it is said to be an original Rover-made one. I will try to get some photos of it. They are extremely rare today.

I think Rover stopped making these walk behind slashers into the 80s at some point, my guess would be around 1983. There was a red model made, suggesting they did certainly make it into the 1980s. These and the earlier blue models often came with a "We Make it Great in the Sunshine State" sticker from 1979 on. This slogan was popularized in 1979 and the stickers persisted through much of the 1980s. They help to place these machines in a time and place.

The Rover in the attached photo is currently for sale in Tamworth and must be a 1979 model, given that it has the Sunshine State sticker on top. A parts manual published in 2003 suggests that Rover were still stocking parts for these slashers. But of course that all ended in 2010 when Rover merged with American-based MTD. This move meant that decades of history would be lost forever. I have contacted MTD about these historical mowers and received a three word reply from them: "Sorry too old".

Another page on this forum showing the optional "sulky". This early model was marketed as the "Rover Rider", before being called the "Rover Heavy Duty Slasher Mower".

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=59808

Some more links to pages from Outdoorking forum.

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...eavy-duty-mower-images-from-vietnam.html

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=55004

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=48386

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/110234/looking-for-a01398-link-belt.html

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...type-of-walk-behind-slasher-is-this.html

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/116031/my-old-rover-rider-slasher.html