OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Four Stroke Lawn Mower Frames ROVER Regal/Regent 19 catchers

Is this the silliest most unnecessarily cumbersome catcher retaining arrangement?
For those not familiar, the back door has a (sometimes) adjustable bolt with hook on end of it, and catchers has a little buckle insert riveted on top which incorporates a small sliding pin ..as you lift the rear door, which has a lever on the LH side to raise it with, the hook on flap supposedly engages with the little pin in catcher buckle..which when emptying, is somehow disengaged to free the catcher..It neither engages nor disengages particularly easily..It was a hard-waste rescue, had no catcher..it had also been updated to Sprint engine, which they had fitted at 90deg to get clearance, the muffler now faced back towards operator..I've changed that so that engine now faces to LH side as per usual, by washer-shimming engine up about 3/16" so that tank clears (only just)
I located one catcher..with some adjustment of that hooked bolt, I got it to work, but it has never been easy. Now I have a fleet of 5 catchers of that style, one is slightly different shape and top pin is enclosed by a buckle (which seems to make whole arrangement even more difficult to operate)
There also seems to be an alternative rear flap, which has a fixed hook out of pressed steel, rather than the adjustable bolt.
Tried that flap, (it's red/orange coloured, instead of the original ones bluish green) but that flap does not work any better either.
Be interested in hearing if anyone has any insights into that particular mower, the original owner's manual page re working the catcher, would be especially interesting.
I'll try to upload a couple of images later, for those unfamiliar with the Regent/Regal 19 models .

I still use the thing (I have two other mowers, a petrol flymo and Victa 4-stroke) but what I have done now is remove rear flap altogether, just let catcher hang on back chassis lip (it only falls off occasionally) but downside there is that you tend to be blasted with back-draft and dust when working catcher!
t/y

Catcher designers in the early days were not the smartest kids on the block, once they all got the idea to use the rear flap to hold the catcher things improved. I have fitted a few later Rover catchers to high arch Victa bases with good success. Haven't tried an early Rover base but I will have a look out of curiosity

Ok I have had a look at this and if just want to fit a catcher to catch grass and not wanting to keep it original, a Victa catcher from the early eighties to the current models will fit by fitting a piece of angle to the inside of the rear door and that will hold the catcher in place in the same manner the existing catchers are fitted. The catcher will require a small section cut out of it down the front left hand corner, easy to see when you fit the catcher in the throat. Victa catchers are everywhere and are only cost a couple of dollars if you look around. I recently picked up 21 catchers for $20

t/y Norm, did not realize till now I'd had replies..

I've got Victa commando style catchers..and Mustang/Corvette style...and Rover Quickstart both most common types, and Flymo, and Talon.. and one or two others

so RU saying the rear flap then lies on top of the Victa catcher...rather than threading through and inside the entrance, as they do with original now?

That is correct the flap will sit on top as all the catchers do now. You will have to cut a section in the lower left hand corner of the catcher to allow the catcher sides to come up against the rear of the mower. Lift the catcher up as high as it will come and mark on the door where you need to fit a piece of angle on the underside . Rivet/weld it on and it should be fine. You can also put a piece of angle on each side of the flap, this will prevent the catcher moving sideways and help stop any clippings flying out

so the piece of angle is going on underside of flap, parallel with the rear edge of opening on catcher...that's so the catcher catches on the flap and the flap restrains it, right ...but where are the cuts on the catcher going..

I tried one in the back of the Regent, it clears and sits in there alright, at the bottom..but i', unsure where to cut it..

The catcher may clear the inner part of the mower body, some probably do, I have the same situation fitting a Rover catcher on a high arch Victa. If you lift the flap or if the flap is off you can see down in the left corner if it is touching and holding the catcher out about 5mm. I usually cut out a strip about 5mm wide by 80mm long and then the catcher sits up snug. With the door on top of the catcher, pull it up as high as you can at the back (put a brick under it) and you will then be able to see where to river the piece of angle onto the door, it is up about 20mm from the bottom. If you don't lift the catcher up tight with the angle the catcher will keep falling off when you are mowing