Klasse Act
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DFB's Garage
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DFB
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Well...............................
The last car I had serviced by the local Ford dealer was a deal breaker. I put a collective of 6 cars through there, including the Jaguar as they are also a JLR dealer. The screw up with the battery was one thing, but the stuff I found in the weeks afterwards were the final straw. If it wasn't for the fact I was selling the Mustang, I would have been devastated.
So, if a "factory trained technician" can screw up a basic oil change, then I can't be any worse at the job. I have no problem paying the premium price for a dealer to look after my cars if that is actually what happens. But to have cars handed back to me in worse condition than they were when I dropped them off, that's a redundant practice. Frankly, I don't know why I tolerated it for so long. I know I'm picky, but it's not unreasonable to expect a job to be done properly.
From now on, I'll supply the parts and consumables and either do it my bloody self, or I have a contact for a mobile mechanic if something is beyond my abilities. Above is $240 in parts spent online and not through their parts department, delivered in less than 48 hours.
I'm feeling a mixture of smugness, satisfaction and apprehension over this.
The last car I had serviced by the local Ford dealer was a deal breaker. I put a collective of 6 cars through there, including the Jaguar as they are also a JLR dealer. The screw up with the battery was one thing, but the stuff I found in the weeks afterwards were the final straw. If it wasn't for the fact I was selling the Mustang, I would have been devastated.
So, if a "factory trained technician" can screw up a basic oil change, then I can't be any worse at the job. I have no problem paying the premium price for a dealer to look after my cars if that is actually what happens. But to have cars handed back to me in worse condition than they were when I dropped them off, that's a redundant practice. Frankly, I don't know why I tolerated it for so long. I know I'm picky, but it's not unreasonable to expect a job to be done properly.
From now on, I'll supply the parts and consumables and either do it my bloody self, or I have a contact for a mobile mechanic if something is beyond my abilities. Above is $240 in parts spent online and not through their parts department, delivered in less than 48 hours.
I'm feeling a mixture of smugness, satisfaction and apprehension over this.
Last edited:
DFB
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Darkhorse stretching its legs on the autobahn.................
Listen to that induction note at the 3.18min mark! This is why I love a naturally aspirated engine, nothing to muffle the pure sound of the engine, and no need for tacky fake noises to be pumped through the speakers.................hello BMW!
Also, it's amazing many revs are needed to get away without bogging. And how naked does the Darkhorse look without the rear wing.
Listen to that induction note at the 3.18min mark! This is why I love a naturally aspirated engine, nothing to muffle the pure sound of the engine, and no need for tacky fake noises to be pumped through the speakers.................hello BMW!
Also, it's amazing many revs are needed to get away without bogging. And how naked does the Darkhorse look without the rear wing.
DFB
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Two years in the making.......................3 months leave started at 5.01pm this afternoon. I was waiting for the car to arrive before going on leave, but after what happened last week, I’ve actually pulled the pin on it. Even if the car doesn’t arrive next week, I’ll have at least unwound and calmed down a little.
The last two weeks have been murder, and in the last week I've been plagued by constant headaches caused by an out of spec spine..............and most likely the stress. I should be elated but I'm so bloody exhausted and my head is still thumping that it's going to take a while to unwind.
The last two weeks have been murder, and in the last week I've been plagued by constant headaches caused by an out of spec spine..............and most likely the stress. I should be elated but I'm so bloody exhausted and my head is still thumping that it's going to take a while to unwind.
DFB
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This morning, I sold off my Stihl KM56 RC-E Combi powerhead, along with the line trimmer, hedge trimmer and edger attachments.
I've had this for many years, bought mainly for the extended reach ability of the hedge trimmer attachment. The edger only got used once as I picked up an Atom Edger for cheap shortly after. The line trimmer was used for a while as my main trimmer, my first foray into straight-shaft trimming.
The main problem with this machine was the weight, even with the basic line trimmer attachment. In hedge trimmer mode, it took a lot of upper body strength to balance.............while standing stretched out on a ladder.........not nice! The line trimmer was poorly balanced, that metal sheath with the locking screw lever put too much weight in the middle of the shaft, so it never felt natural and again caused a lot of upper body strain. This is not unique to Stihl, all multi-tool units are like this.
I stopped using this machine when I bought a Husqvarna 522L, THE BEST lawn maintenance trimmer on the market, powerful enough but extremely light and with an anti-vibration handle. Prior to the 522L, I was getting pins and needles in my hands during and after using a line trimmer, but that stopped after getting the Husqvarna. I was also less fatigued in my shoulders after a day on the tools.
Hedge trimmers were also giving me the pins and needles, including my old Stihl HS 45 (which will be up for sale soon too, just have to refresh the fuel system) and the above-mentioned pole hedger. This stopped after going battery powered.
I kept the KM56 RC-E mainly as a backup line trimmer, but other than the occasional run on my own lawns, or lending it to my father, it was just sitting taking up space. While I sold it off cheap, I'm happy to have purged a rarely used tool. And..............I have some spare cash to buy something else...................
I've had this for many years, bought mainly for the extended reach ability of the hedge trimmer attachment. The edger only got used once as I picked up an Atom Edger for cheap shortly after. The line trimmer was used for a while as my main trimmer, my first foray into straight-shaft trimming.
The main problem with this machine was the weight, even with the basic line trimmer attachment. In hedge trimmer mode, it took a lot of upper body strength to balance.............while standing stretched out on a ladder.........not nice! The line trimmer was poorly balanced, that metal sheath with the locking screw lever put too much weight in the middle of the shaft, so it never felt natural and again caused a lot of upper body strain. This is not unique to Stihl, all multi-tool units are like this.
I stopped using this machine when I bought a Husqvarna 522L, THE BEST lawn maintenance trimmer on the market, powerful enough but extremely light and with an anti-vibration handle. Prior to the 522L, I was getting pins and needles in my hands during and after using a line trimmer, but that stopped after getting the Husqvarna. I was also less fatigued in my shoulders after a day on the tools.
Hedge trimmers were also giving me the pins and needles, including my old Stihl HS 45 (which will be up for sale soon too, just have to refresh the fuel system) and the above-mentioned pole hedger. This stopped after going battery powered.
I kept the KM56 RC-E mainly as a backup line trimmer, but other than the occasional run on my own lawns, or lending it to my father, it was just sitting taking up space. While I sold it off cheap, I'm happy to have purged a rarely used tool. And..............I have some spare cash to buy something else...................
DFB
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I'm also planning to sell off the above-mentioned Stihl HS 45 hedge trimmer, it has sat unused since I got a battery powered HSA 56 in November 2018. Couldn't be happier about that because petrol powered hedge trimmers suck!
I'm also going to sell off my Bushranger 53AH6IMSP mower.
While I'll be sad to let it go, I haven't used it since getting the Victa Commercial. I'll miss the efficiency and smoothness of the Honda GXV-160, the 3-speed gearbox made it more versatile, and it was built like a tank! But it was a beast to manhandle, and the narrow discharge chute was its main limiting factor. While it was fine in most cases, on thick summer growth Kikuyu, it really struggled in terms of chute blockages. At the time though, it was the best available to me.
I'm also going to sell off my Bushranger 53AH6IMSP mower.
While I'll be sad to let it go, I haven't used it since getting the Victa Commercial. I'll miss the efficiency and smoothness of the Honda GXV-160, the 3-speed gearbox made it more versatile, and it was built like a tank! But it was a beast to manhandle, and the narrow discharge chute was its main limiting factor. While it was fine in most cases, on thick summer growth Kikuyu, it really struggled in terms of chute blockages. At the time though, it was the best available to me.
DFB
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And so, look what I found...........................my lawnmower unicorn, a Rover ProCut 560 with the Briggs 850 engine!
I went looking for a viable self-propelled lawn mower back in 2014 to replace the abysmal John Deere JS48. For a contractor, the unquestioned wisdom suggested that I should have been buying a Honda HRU-216. However, after prior bad experiences with Honda's, not to mention the narrow discharge chute of the HRU-216, I had no intentions of blindly following the crowd.
After extensive research, I was led to an unlikely candidate, the Rover ProCut series. These were 20-inch and 22-inch alloy base mowers, both offered with or without self-propel. By 2014, Rover had ditched Briggs and Stratton in favor of the 196cc "Rover" engine, or the 173cc Kohler Courage XT8. I didn't want either engine, but the Kohler got the nod as the lesser of two evils.
I never liked that Kohler engine. From day one, it seemed to consume more oil than a Briggs, not in a smokey way but it always dropped between oil changes. It has always been harder to pull over, there is a feeling of no inertia. It also lacked the stamina of the 190cc Briggs in really thick grass. I will say, I have belted the crap out of this engine for more than 10 years now, I even changed the position of the governor spring to allow a much higher rev ceiling. To be frank, I was not concerned about blowing this engine up, if it did, I'd then fit the "correct" engine.
That Rover has made me a power of income over the last decade, I've basically ran it into the ground. I did try to find replacement for this machine, but no self-propel mower on the market today has a full width discharge chute. Rover's genius was putting the gearbox on top of the deck, not within the rear chute. As such, I've sunk money into maintaining this unit as much as possible. Only recently, I replaced all of the wheels and rear drive pawls.
I mention all this because I had only just missed the chance to buy a ProCut with the Briggs 850 brand new back then. Rover had always used the OHV Briggs engines on these mowers, prior to the 190cc 850-series, they were also using the older Intek 65 engines. I guess Chinese made engines (including the Kohler) increased the profit margin.
So, to find the unicorn ProCut with the Briggs 850 has me extremely excited! And from the photos, it looks to be in great condition. Look, I need another mower like a hole in the head, but I just couldn't let this one go by, I'll be driving to pick it up next week. And as for my old Rover, it may end up being a parts bin.
I went looking for a viable self-propelled lawn mower back in 2014 to replace the abysmal John Deere JS48. For a contractor, the unquestioned wisdom suggested that I should have been buying a Honda HRU-216. However, after prior bad experiences with Honda's, not to mention the narrow discharge chute of the HRU-216, I had no intentions of blindly following the crowd.
After extensive research, I was led to an unlikely candidate, the Rover ProCut series. These were 20-inch and 22-inch alloy base mowers, both offered with or without self-propel. By 2014, Rover had ditched Briggs and Stratton in favor of the 196cc "Rover" engine, or the 173cc Kohler Courage XT8. I didn't want either engine, but the Kohler got the nod as the lesser of two evils.
I never liked that Kohler engine. From day one, it seemed to consume more oil than a Briggs, not in a smokey way but it always dropped between oil changes. It has always been harder to pull over, there is a feeling of no inertia. It also lacked the stamina of the 190cc Briggs in really thick grass. I will say, I have belted the crap out of this engine for more than 10 years now, I even changed the position of the governor spring to allow a much higher rev ceiling. To be frank, I was not concerned about blowing this engine up, if it did, I'd then fit the "correct" engine.
That Rover has made me a power of income over the last decade, I've basically ran it into the ground. I did try to find replacement for this machine, but no self-propel mower on the market today has a full width discharge chute. Rover's genius was putting the gearbox on top of the deck, not within the rear chute. As such, I've sunk money into maintaining this unit as much as possible. Only recently, I replaced all of the wheels and rear drive pawls.
I mention all this because I had only just missed the chance to buy a ProCut with the Briggs 850 brand new back then. Rover had always used the OHV Briggs engines on these mowers, prior to the 190cc 850-series, they were also using the older Intek 65 engines. I guess Chinese made engines (including the Kohler) increased the profit margin.
So, to find the unicorn ProCut with the Briggs 850 has me extremely excited! And from the photos, it looks to be in great condition. Look, I need another mower like a hole in the head, but I just couldn't let this one go by, I'll be driving to pick it up next week. And as for my old Rover, it may end up being a parts bin.
DFB
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Dove into my collection of brochures that I have accumulated over the last 25 years and found a bunch on Rover ProCut.
This one is not dated, but it would be circa mid-2000's. I actually forgot they used Honda engines for a while there, in this case the OHC GCV160 and GSV190. The GCV160 only had 4.0hp, the big bore GSV190 produced 5.0hp. The Briggs engines were the 190cc Intek OHV series, which are different to the newer 850-series engines, the intake/exhaust layout mirroring the 190cc flat head engines. They also offered a remote air filter, missing from the later engines.
Again no dates are printed on this brochure, I'd say it would have been very late 2000's/early 2010's as both the old Intek and new 850-series engines are referenced, although I suspect old images were used here and that in fact all were powered by the newer engines. By now, the Honda's were gone, the crappy "Rover" engine taking its place. The beginning of the end..................
This one is from the 2015 Rover catalog. Briggs and Stratton out, Kohler and "Rover" engines in.
A few years after this, Rover came out with a new line of ProCut models, named ProCut 750, 760 or 960. These has a completely different deck with a similar gearbox design and location. They also included a blade clutch to stop the blades spinning while emptying the catcher, like Honda use on the pro models.
https://www.rover.com.au/pub/media/wysiwyg/2020-21-Rover-Catalogue-FINAL_SP_SMALL.pdf
I remember asking about them at the dealer and was told Rover stopped using the old alloy chassis because apparently "the molding was worn out". Bull crap, they just started using a cheaper chassis produced in China. If the deck molds were worn out, why are SuperSwift and Bushranger still using the old Rover decks?
https://supaswift.com.au/products/lawnmowers
https://bushrangerpe.com.au/products/lawn-mowers
Actually, SuperSwift use the old ProCut 50 chassis and powered by the Honda GXV-160. I just wish they made it in self-propel, I'd be walking across broken glass to buy one!
https://supaswift.com.au/products/lawnmowers/supaswift-797hmc-20-push-mower
This one is not dated, but it would be circa mid-2000's. I actually forgot they used Honda engines for a while there, in this case the OHC GCV160 and GSV190. The GCV160 only had 4.0hp, the big bore GSV190 produced 5.0hp. The Briggs engines were the 190cc Intek OHV series, which are different to the newer 850-series engines, the intake/exhaust layout mirroring the 190cc flat head engines. They also offered a remote air filter, missing from the later engines.
Again no dates are printed on this brochure, I'd say it would have been very late 2000's/early 2010's as both the old Intek and new 850-series engines are referenced, although I suspect old images were used here and that in fact all were powered by the newer engines. By now, the Honda's were gone, the crappy "Rover" engine taking its place. The beginning of the end..................
This one is from the 2015 Rover catalog. Briggs and Stratton out, Kohler and "Rover" engines in.
A few years after this, Rover came out with a new line of ProCut models, named ProCut 750, 760 or 960. These has a completely different deck with a similar gearbox design and location. They also included a blade clutch to stop the blades spinning while emptying the catcher, like Honda use on the pro models.
https://www.rover.com.au/pub/media/wysiwyg/2020-21-Rover-Catalogue-FINAL_SP_SMALL.pdf
I remember asking about them at the dealer and was told Rover stopped using the old alloy chassis because apparently "the molding was worn out". Bull crap, they just started using a cheaper chassis produced in China. If the deck molds were worn out, why are SuperSwift and Bushranger still using the old Rover decks?
https://supaswift.com.au/products/lawnmowers
https://bushrangerpe.com.au/products/lawn-mowers
Actually, SuperSwift use the old ProCut 50 chassis and powered by the Honda GXV-160. I just wish they made it in self-propel, I'd be walking across broken glass to buy one!
https://supaswift.com.au/products/lawnmowers/supaswift-797hmc-20-push-mower
I have gotten headaches that I suspect are back/neck related and if they feel like those... ouch. Atleast you know they are spine related so hopefully you will be able to get it sorted.
Sorry to hear about recent situations and Best wishes to you.
About the dealer's... I have a couple places/mechanics I trust and I dread having to use others. Sometimes I have, and depending on the situation I either watched the work and/or planned to do extra work in/around that area in the future, at which time I can choose to correct anything I may dislike about the work.
(I've learned though that some mechanics don't want to be watched... and I feel this is becoming more common.)
I have recently gotten a wash mitt similar to the mitt/pad in your image here ( or maybe it's the same?).
After a few uses I am enjoying it. I have been thinking about whether I might prefer them for rinseless washing over towels, but I have not determined how the much longer nap compared to towels would affect the rinseless wash.
Also, I've started (again) thinking that rinseless may not be worth the extra hassle over waterless.
Nice find on the ProCut with briggs 850. Enjoy!
Sorry to hear about recent situations and Best wishes to you.
About the dealer's... I have a couple places/mechanics I trust and I dread having to use others. Sometimes I have, and depending on the situation I either watched the work and/or planned to do extra work in/around that area in the future, at which time I can choose to correct anything I may dislike about the work.
(I've learned though that some mechanics don't want to be watched... and I feel this is becoming more common.)
I have recently gotten a wash mitt similar to the mitt/pad in your image here ( or maybe it's the same?).
After a few uses I am enjoying it. I have been thinking about whether I might prefer them for rinseless washing over towels, but I have not determined how the much longer nap compared to towels would affect the rinseless wash.
Also, I've started (again) thinking that rinseless may not be worth the extra hassle over waterless.
Nice find on the ProCut with briggs 850. Enjoy!
DFB
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Leave Project 1 - Unicorn Chasing!
Regular readers will know of my love for the Rover ProCut. And in that, I mean the ProCut's made before MTD discontinued the classic series and replaced them with something cheaper. The original ProCut's were on the marker for 20+ years, the replacement lasted a mere five. Says it all really. The Rover brand was once a force, it's now a shadow of its former self. Shame on you MTD and your cost-conscious control freaks.
In spring 2013, I bought my first self-propelled lawn mower, the American-focused John Deere JS48. The personal pace drive system, killer Briggs & Stratton 875 engine (it ran so hard that it would ignite fuel in the muffler on shut down, always loved the BANG it made), the key start and a wide 22-inch cut made it the perfect mower. Except, it was abysmally terrible at catching and wouldn't cut low enough for my customers' requirements. I cut my losses after less than a year and started researching an alternative.
Now, for a contractor, the unquestioned wisdom suggested that I should have been buying a Honda HRU-216. However, after prior bad experiences with Honda's, not to mention the narrow discharge chute of the HRU-216, I had no intentions of blindly following the crowd to end up with the same lack of catching ability as the John Deere.
After extensive research, I was led to an unlikely candidate, the Rover ProCut series. These were 20-inch and 22-inch alloy base mowers, both offered with or without self-propel. By the time I was in the market, Rover had ditched Briggs and Stratton in favor of the 196cc "Rover" engine, or the 173cc Kohler Courage XT8. I didn't want either engine, but the Kohler got the nod as the lesser of two evils.
I never liked that Kohler engine. From day one, it seemed to consume more oil than a Briggs, and always felt harder to pull over with strange resistance against the rope. Nor did it have the grunt of the 190cc Briggs in really thick grass. I will say, I have belted the crap out of this engine for more than 10 years now, I even changed the position of the governor spring to allow a much higher rev ceiling. And yet, it doesn't smoke, no piston slap or unusual sounds.
I actually keep a tab on each mower I own and how much income they generate. I originally started doing this to find out when the machine had paid for itself and therefore when it started earning me money, however I just kept going beyond that. So, I have a record dating right back to the day I bought this Rover, you'd be shocked at how much income this mower has generated over the last 10 years!
As age started creeping up on it, I've tried three times to replace this Rover. I looked at the new Chinese-made ProCut 960's while Rover still offered them, but the dealer warned me off them due to issues with the blade-clutch system, his advice was to refresh my current Rover's drive system to buy me some more time. After that, I stared looking again and ultimately took a punt on the Bushranger 800 SP with the Honda GXV-160 engine.
To be clear, I did actually like the Bushranger. The build quality is the best I have ever experienced on mower, everything was made to be super heavy duty, thick cast aluminum deck, sold metal wheels with actual rubber tyres, cross-bolted axles, and shaft rather than belt driven gearbox with three speeds. The GXV-160 engine is superbly refined and efficient, and after a governor adjustment, plenty of power too.
But again, the half rear chute limits the catching ability in heavy duty cutting or on damp/wet grass. And all of that heavy duty-ness meant the unit was extremely heavy, making it dicey on soft/saturated ground. It became a lottery, did I risk being inconvenienced by frequent chute blockages by taking the Bushranger for the day, or did I grab the aging Rover just to be safe. And that is not really ideal when spending the better part of $2000 for commercial mower. At the time of writing, I'll be selling off the Bushranger in the near future, I just don't use it.
The next attempt was considerably more successful, the Victa Commercial 21, a machine I'd had my eye on for quite a while. The problem I had committing to this machine was the lack of info out there on these mowers. In that I mean very little online content, both written and video. In the end, I took another punt and have been very impressed with how it's performed since.
I've gone on to provide content on this mower that will hopefully help others make an informed choice. Overall, the Victa C21 is a great mower, plenty of power, well-made and even with the half chute, it's been performing very well.
All along, I had been replacing and repairing the Rover to keep it in action as a backup or when I knew I'd need that full discharge chute. So, I didn't need another mower, the Victa C21 was a more than capable replacement for my beloved Rover ProCut, but.......................................
To be continued..........................
Regular readers will know of my love for the Rover ProCut. And in that, I mean the ProCut's made before MTD discontinued the classic series and replaced them with something cheaper. The original ProCut's were on the marker for 20+ years, the replacement lasted a mere five. Says it all really. The Rover brand was once a force, it's now a shadow of its former self. Shame on you MTD and your cost-conscious control freaks.
In spring 2013, I bought my first self-propelled lawn mower, the American-focused John Deere JS48. The personal pace drive system, killer Briggs & Stratton 875 engine (it ran so hard that it would ignite fuel in the muffler on shut down, always loved the BANG it made), the key start and a wide 22-inch cut made it the perfect mower. Except, it was abysmally terrible at catching and wouldn't cut low enough for my customers' requirements. I cut my losses after less than a year and started researching an alternative.
Now, for a contractor, the unquestioned wisdom suggested that I should have been buying a Honda HRU-216. However, after prior bad experiences with Honda's, not to mention the narrow discharge chute of the HRU-216, I had no intentions of blindly following the crowd to end up with the same lack of catching ability as the John Deere.
After extensive research, I was led to an unlikely candidate, the Rover ProCut series. These were 20-inch and 22-inch alloy base mowers, both offered with or without self-propel. By the time I was in the market, Rover had ditched Briggs and Stratton in favor of the 196cc "Rover" engine, or the 173cc Kohler Courage XT8. I didn't want either engine, but the Kohler got the nod as the lesser of two evils.
I never liked that Kohler engine. From day one, it seemed to consume more oil than a Briggs, and always felt harder to pull over with strange resistance against the rope. Nor did it have the grunt of the 190cc Briggs in really thick grass. I will say, I have belted the crap out of this engine for more than 10 years now, I even changed the position of the governor spring to allow a much higher rev ceiling. And yet, it doesn't smoke, no piston slap or unusual sounds.
I actually keep a tab on each mower I own and how much income they generate. I originally started doing this to find out when the machine had paid for itself and therefore when it started earning me money, however I just kept going beyond that. So, I have a record dating right back to the day I bought this Rover, you'd be shocked at how much income this mower has generated over the last 10 years!
As age started creeping up on it, I've tried three times to replace this Rover. I looked at the new Chinese-made ProCut 960's while Rover still offered them, but the dealer warned me off them due to issues with the blade-clutch system, his advice was to refresh my current Rover's drive system to buy me some more time. After that, I stared looking again and ultimately took a punt on the Bushranger 800 SP with the Honda GXV-160 engine.
To be clear, I did actually like the Bushranger. The build quality is the best I have ever experienced on mower, everything was made to be super heavy duty, thick cast aluminum deck, sold metal wheels with actual rubber tyres, cross-bolted axles, and shaft rather than belt driven gearbox with three speeds. The GXV-160 engine is superbly refined and efficient, and after a governor adjustment, plenty of power too.
But again, the half rear chute limits the catching ability in heavy duty cutting or on damp/wet grass. And all of that heavy duty-ness meant the unit was extremely heavy, making it dicey on soft/saturated ground. It became a lottery, did I risk being inconvenienced by frequent chute blockages by taking the Bushranger for the day, or did I grab the aging Rover just to be safe. And that is not really ideal when spending the better part of $2000 for commercial mower. At the time of writing, I'll be selling off the Bushranger in the near future, I just don't use it.
The next attempt was considerably more successful, the Victa Commercial 21, a machine I'd had my eye on for quite a while. The problem I had committing to this machine was the lack of info out there on these mowers. In that I mean very little online content, both written and video. In the end, I took another punt and have been very impressed with how it's performed since.
I've gone on to provide content on this mower that will hopefully help others make an informed choice. Overall, the Victa C21 is a great mower, plenty of power, well-made and even with the half chute, it's been performing very well.
All along, I had been replacing and repairing the Rover to keep it in action as a backup or when I knew I'd need that full discharge chute. So, I didn't need another mower, the Victa C21 was a more than capable replacement for my beloved Rover ProCut, but.......................................
To be continued..........................
DFB
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A few weeks ago, I found a very tidy looking Rover ProCut on Facebook Marketplace. At the time, I was super busy and didn't want to burn a few hours traveling to buy it when I didn't really need it. So, I told myself that if it was still available when I went on leave, that I would do something about it. The advertisement pics showed a tidy mower that clearly had been looked after.
So, why THIS example? Because this particular ProCut is fitted with the brilliant Briggs & Stratton 850-Series engine! As mentioned, I missed the boat on this engine back then, at the time neither the Kohler or "Rover"
engines interested me, so I went for the "name" branded Kohler. But I really wanted the Briggs.
So, after I contacted the seller on Saturday and organized a time to pick it up, I got in the Ranger this morning and set off towards Cobram-Barooga. This is the first time I have driven out of town on my own mission for nearly 12-months, the first time in 7 years leaving Victoria. I didn't even mind being stuck behind two trucks for most of the way, the road is super bad and not conducive to overtaking in an underpowered 2.2 diesel Ranger, so I just pottered along listening to the divine Miss K.
Once I arrived, I spotted the mower in question was stunned at its condition, the photos didn't do it justice! Chatting with the seller, he seemed to be into mowers as well and once bought (another, not this one) brand-new Rover from the factory back in the day. This particular ProCut was handed down from his grandfather, which nearly had me in tears because I too have my grandfather's old mower. Apparently, the seller was downsizing so the Rover was just too big and heavy for him. The machine was originally sold by Sugden Kerr in Toowoomba, its better traveled than me!
Lawn Mowers & More at Sugden Kerr Pty. Ltd. | Toowoomba (sugdenkerrmowersandchainsaws.com.au)
After collection and on my way home, for the first time ever, I decided to check out some silo art....................
Once I got home, I mowed the front nature strip to get a feel for it. I then grabbed the tachometer, the 3030 rpm is the fastest standard Briggs 850 I have come across, most of them sit at 2800 - 2900 rpm from the factory. I then grabbed my excellent Knipex curved pliers to bend the governor spring tab towards the front of the engine, bringing it up to a healthy sounding 3670 rpm. This also speeds up the self-propel to a more efficient walking pace.
The seller mentioned it had synthetic oil in the engine, and it still looked golden, if a little over-full. After tuning the governor, the oil was up to temp, so I just decided to change it out for peace of mind. Oil of choice being my usual preference, Penrite 10W-30 semi-synthetic.
While the oil was draining, I took the chance to inspect the blades, which are the OEM style with the three holes. The belt also looks in great condition.
The drive system is a little clunky, which will need further investigation. I did pop off the hub caps and inspection plug to look at the cogs, which looked fine. So, I lubed the cogs with graphite to see how it goes, but if needed, I have a replacement set of cogs and pawls. I then removed the gearbox/clutch cover, blew out a small amount of debris and lubed the drive chain.
For those wondering where the detailing content was, this is where I decided to give the unit a clean. After a rinse with the pressure washer, I sprayed it down with Shine Supply Wise Guy, agitated with a brush and then rinsed. I then followed with Carpro Hydr02 and dried it off with the EGO. After that, I went over the catcher, engine plastics and wheels with Megs Hyper Dressing.
Next, I decided to pull the plug, which was ok but well worth replacement. The 850-Series uses a Champion RC12YC or NGK BCPR5ES, of which I keep the Champions in stock. You will need a 16mm deep socket for this.
Annoyingly, I didn't have a brand-new air filter in stock. These earlier 850 engines used a longer rectangular filter instead of the triangular version on the newer engines. A clean used filter I already had will have to do for now, which was better than what came off the machine.
To be continued.........................
So, why THIS example? Because this particular ProCut is fitted with the brilliant Briggs & Stratton 850-Series engine! As mentioned, I missed the boat on this engine back then, at the time neither the Kohler or "Rover"
engines interested me, so I went for the "name" branded Kohler. But I really wanted the Briggs.
So, after I contacted the seller on Saturday and organized a time to pick it up, I got in the Ranger this morning and set off towards Cobram-Barooga. This is the first time I have driven out of town on my own mission for nearly 12-months, the first time in 7 years leaving Victoria. I didn't even mind being stuck behind two trucks for most of the way, the road is super bad and not conducive to overtaking in an underpowered 2.2 diesel Ranger, so I just pottered along listening to the divine Miss K.
Once I arrived, I spotted the mower in question was stunned at its condition, the photos didn't do it justice! Chatting with the seller, he seemed to be into mowers as well and once bought (another, not this one) brand-new Rover from the factory back in the day. This particular ProCut was handed down from his grandfather, which nearly had me in tears because I too have my grandfather's old mower. Apparently, the seller was downsizing so the Rover was just too big and heavy for him. The machine was originally sold by Sugden Kerr in Toowoomba, its better traveled than me!
Lawn Mowers & More at Sugden Kerr Pty. Ltd. | Toowoomba (sugdenkerrmowersandchainsaws.com.au)
After collection and on my way home, for the first time ever, I decided to check out some silo art....................
Once I got home, I mowed the front nature strip to get a feel for it. I then grabbed the tachometer, the 3030 rpm is the fastest standard Briggs 850 I have come across, most of them sit at 2800 - 2900 rpm from the factory. I then grabbed my excellent Knipex curved pliers to bend the governor spring tab towards the front of the engine, bringing it up to a healthy sounding 3670 rpm. This also speeds up the self-propel to a more efficient walking pace.
The seller mentioned it had synthetic oil in the engine, and it still looked golden, if a little over-full. After tuning the governor, the oil was up to temp, so I just decided to change it out for peace of mind. Oil of choice being my usual preference, Penrite 10W-30 semi-synthetic.
While the oil was draining, I took the chance to inspect the blades, which are the OEM style with the three holes. The belt also looks in great condition.
The drive system is a little clunky, which will need further investigation. I did pop off the hub caps and inspection plug to look at the cogs, which looked fine. So, I lubed the cogs with graphite to see how it goes, but if needed, I have a replacement set of cogs and pawls. I then removed the gearbox/clutch cover, blew out a small amount of debris and lubed the drive chain.
For those wondering where the detailing content was, this is where I decided to give the unit a clean. After a rinse with the pressure washer, I sprayed it down with Shine Supply Wise Guy, agitated with a brush and then rinsed. I then followed with Carpro Hydr02 and dried it off with the EGO. After that, I went over the catcher, engine plastics and wheels with Megs Hyper Dressing.
Next, I decided to pull the plug, which was ok but well worth replacement. The 850-Series uses a Champion RC12YC or NGK BCPR5ES, of which I keep the Champions in stock. You will need a 16mm deep socket for this.
Annoyingly, I didn't have a brand-new air filter in stock. These earlier 850 engines used a longer rectangular filter instead of the triangular version on the newer engines. A clean used filter I already had will have to do for now, which was better than what came off the machine.
To be continued.........................
DFB
Well-known member
- Aug 12, 2019
- 4,887
- 2,952
- Thread starter
- #1,753
After a basic service and a clean, the Rover is ready for work. Hard to believe this is a 10-year-old mower........................
Comparing my well used Kohler powered example, the main difference being the bale/drive lever. The Briggs version has a single drive bale, but the Kohler uses that for the engine brake, as such it has a secondary lever to control the drive. I've always hated the useless engine brake and used a small clamp to keep the engine running to prevent restarting after each catcher dump. But I did like the single-handed drive control lever better, so no doubt some adjustment on my part will be needed.
On final thing for today, I removed the zone-start clamp from the Kohler powered machine and fitted it to the Briggs.
As for further work, I will most likely pull the wheels off and replace the drive pawls, the cogs looked fine. I'll also order a new air filter, as well as an exhaust tip.
So, I found my unicorn lawn mower! I just have to find a decent Victa Twin and my life will be complete!
And joy of joys, I managed to get the Ranger dirty enough for a wash!
Thanks for reading my babble.
Comparing my well used Kohler powered example, the main difference being the bale/drive lever. The Briggs version has a single drive bale, but the Kohler uses that for the engine brake, as such it has a secondary lever to control the drive. I've always hated the useless engine brake and used a small clamp to keep the engine running to prevent restarting after each catcher dump. But I did like the single-handed drive control lever better, so no doubt some adjustment on my part will be needed.
On final thing for today, I removed the zone-start clamp from the Kohler powered machine and fitted it to the Briggs.
As for further work, I will most likely pull the wheels off and replace the drive pawls, the cogs looked fine. I'll also order a new air filter, as well as an exhaust tip.
So, I found my unicorn lawn mower! I just have to find a decent Victa Twin and my life will be complete!
And joy of joys, I managed to get the Ranger dirty enough for a wash!
Thanks for reading my babble.
Tasmania
Well-known member
- Jan 12, 2017
- 1,465
- 706
About bloody time! You can do it! Tell Sandro Ayden from Tassie says hello.Well...............................
The last car I had serviced by the local Ford dealer was a deal breaker. I put a collective of 6 cars through there, including the Jaguar as they are also a JLR dealer. The screw up with the battery was one thing, but the stuff I found in the weeks afterwards were the final straw. If it wasn't for the fact I was selling the Mustang, I would have been devastated.
So, if a "factory trained technician" can screw up a basic oil change, then I can't be any worse at the job. I have no problem paying the premium price for a dealer to look after my cars if that is actually what happens. But to have cars handed back to me in worse condition than they were when I dropped them off, that's a redundant practice. Frankly, I don't know why I tolerated it for so long. I know I'm picky, but it's not unreasonable to expect a job to be done properly.
From now on, I'll supply the parts and consumables and either do it my bloody self, or I have a contact for a mobile mechanic if something is beyond my abilities. Above is $240 in parts spent online and not through their parts department, delivered in less than 48 hours.
I'm feeling a mixture of smugness, satisfaction and apprehension over this.
DFB
Well-known member
- Aug 12, 2019
- 4,887
- 2,952
- Thread starter
- #1,755
Leave Project 2 - Sell, Sell, Sell!
As mentioned in the previous post, the Bushranger and Stihl HS 45 are on the chopping block and will be put up for sale. Both have seen little to no use and have been taking up room in the back of my garden shed. These machines owe me nothing, both having paid for themselves long ago.
First up, the Bushranger. I bought this mower in September 2020, but it has sat idle since I bought the Victa Commercial 21 back in February this year. The first job here was to make sure it was running, so I drained the fuel out of the tank and carburetor bowl, then put fresh fuel in the tank and gave the cord a yank, it started on the second pull. Nice.
Next, I replaced the air filter with a brand new one, then an inspection of the blades. I didn't anticipate needing to replace the blades, but they were too dicey to put up for sale, so I dropped the disk and replaced them with some I had in stock. I won't be needing Honda air filters or this blade set in the future, so I may as well send them off with the machine, I'll factor this into the asking price anyway. The oil was still golden, so I left it be.
So, running and with some new parts, it was time for a clean. Like yesterday, I used Wise Guy, followed by a coat of Hydr02 and Hyper Dressing for the plastics.
Ready for sale...................
I'll miss that engine, everything about it screamed quality, in a way that the similar looking Kohler could never hope to achieve. It was responsive, easy to work on, smooth running, the low idle tick-over delightful, and backed up by fuel efficiency the big-block Briggs could only dream of. Everything about this mower was heavy duty, it felt un-killable. But............its time to move it on.
Next, the Stihl HS 45 Hedge Trimmer............................
As you can see, this thing was looking very sad! This machine was sidelined in November 2018 after getting a battery powered HSA 56. Originally, I decided to keep the petrol powered HS 45 as a backup as I wasn't completely sold on battery power at that stage. I remember the first hedge-job (I know, that sounds rude) I took the battery powered HSA 56 on, I actually took the petrol unit with me just in case I ran out of battery. Well, the petrol HS 45 sat in the truck all day................and was NEVER used again. So, it really should have left my company long ago.
Having sat for the better part of 6 years, I fully expected to be doing some sort of carburetor work on this machine. But first, I needed it clean to work on. Again, Wise Guy, Hydr02 and Hyper Dressing to the rescue..............
Now clean, I opened the fuel tank to see what I was dealing with. I committed the cardinal 2-stroke sin with this machine in that I stored it with fuel in the tank, fuel lines and carburetor. The fuel had actually evaporated long ago and left a slimy oil reside in the bottom of the tank. To remedy this, I splashed some fuel into the tank, shook it up and then dumped it into the waste oil drum.
Next, I splashed some fresh 2-stroke in the tank and pushed the primer, as expected, it crumbled under the pressure of my finger. So, on with the choke and several pulls of the rope until it finally gave a slight splutter, I knew then it would run. A few more pulls and I had it idling but bogging under throttle. I've done this enough now to know it would eventually clear as it burnt off old fuel, I could smell it too. After about a minute of working the throttle with gentle blips, the thing cleared its throat and was running HARD. To have sat for so long with absolutely no preparation beforehand, I couldn't believe it! I have a suspicion that after the fuel evaporated, the 2-stroke oil it left behind kept the diaphragms in the carb pliable.
So, I was expecting to have to pull the carb and replace all the fuel lines, but all I'm up for is a purge bulb, which is a simple replacement. The local Stihl dealer stocks them, so I'll run down and grab one tomorrow and it too will be ready for sale.
Giving the engine a good workout, including several restarts to make sure it was running and starting properly, I was reminded why I stopped using this machine. First, its frigging noisy, especially when you end up having the engine so close to your ears when working. You also end up with the exhaust blowing smoke all over your body, so at the end of the day you stink like a 2-stroke engine. I would also say a battery machine is safer as there is no wind down of the blades, they stop when the motor stops. And its heavy compared to a battery powered machine, which in turn puts strain on your shoulders and upper body. Lastly, there is no anti-vibration on this model, so you end up with pins and needles after extended use.
And so, this is one area where I'm 100% committed to battery power, and therefore not sorry to see this machine depart.
As mentioned in the previous post, the Bushranger and Stihl HS 45 are on the chopping block and will be put up for sale. Both have seen little to no use and have been taking up room in the back of my garden shed. These machines owe me nothing, both having paid for themselves long ago.
First up, the Bushranger. I bought this mower in September 2020, but it has sat idle since I bought the Victa Commercial 21 back in February this year. The first job here was to make sure it was running, so I drained the fuel out of the tank and carburetor bowl, then put fresh fuel in the tank and gave the cord a yank, it started on the second pull. Nice.
Next, I replaced the air filter with a brand new one, then an inspection of the blades. I didn't anticipate needing to replace the blades, but they were too dicey to put up for sale, so I dropped the disk and replaced them with some I had in stock. I won't be needing Honda air filters or this blade set in the future, so I may as well send them off with the machine, I'll factor this into the asking price anyway. The oil was still golden, so I left it be.
So, running and with some new parts, it was time for a clean. Like yesterday, I used Wise Guy, followed by a coat of Hydr02 and Hyper Dressing for the plastics.
Ready for sale...................
I'll miss that engine, everything about it screamed quality, in a way that the similar looking Kohler could never hope to achieve. It was responsive, easy to work on, smooth running, the low idle tick-over delightful, and backed up by fuel efficiency the big-block Briggs could only dream of. Everything about this mower was heavy duty, it felt un-killable. But............its time to move it on.
Next, the Stihl HS 45 Hedge Trimmer............................
As you can see, this thing was looking very sad! This machine was sidelined in November 2018 after getting a battery powered HSA 56. Originally, I decided to keep the petrol powered HS 45 as a backup as I wasn't completely sold on battery power at that stage. I remember the first hedge-job (I know, that sounds rude) I took the battery powered HSA 56 on, I actually took the petrol unit with me just in case I ran out of battery. Well, the petrol HS 45 sat in the truck all day................and was NEVER used again. So, it really should have left my company long ago.
Having sat for the better part of 6 years, I fully expected to be doing some sort of carburetor work on this machine. But first, I needed it clean to work on. Again, Wise Guy, Hydr02 and Hyper Dressing to the rescue..............
Now clean, I opened the fuel tank to see what I was dealing with. I committed the cardinal 2-stroke sin with this machine in that I stored it with fuel in the tank, fuel lines and carburetor. The fuel had actually evaporated long ago and left a slimy oil reside in the bottom of the tank. To remedy this, I splashed some fuel into the tank, shook it up and then dumped it into the waste oil drum.
Next, I splashed some fresh 2-stroke in the tank and pushed the primer, as expected, it crumbled under the pressure of my finger. So, on with the choke and several pulls of the rope until it finally gave a slight splutter, I knew then it would run. A few more pulls and I had it idling but bogging under throttle. I've done this enough now to know it would eventually clear as it burnt off old fuel, I could smell it too. After about a minute of working the throttle with gentle blips, the thing cleared its throat and was running HARD. To have sat for so long with absolutely no preparation beforehand, I couldn't believe it! I have a suspicion that after the fuel evaporated, the 2-stroke oil it left behind kept the diaphragms in the carb pliable.
So, I was expecting to have to pull the carb and replace all the fuel lines, but all I'm up for is a purge bulb, which is a simple replacement. The local Stihl dealer stocks them, so I'll run down and grab one tomorrow and it too will be ready for sale.
Giving the engine a good workout, including several restarts to make sure it was running and starting properly, I was reminded why I stopped using this machine. First, its frigging noisy, especially when you end up having the engine so close to your ears when working. You also end up with the exhaust blowing smoke all over your body, so at the end of the day you stink like a 2-stroke engine. I would also say a battery machine is safer as there is no wind down of the blades, they stop when the motor stops. And its heavy compared to a battery powered machine, which in turn puts strain on your shoulders and upper body. Lastly, there is no anti-vibration on this model, so you end up with pins and needles after extended use.
And so, this is one area where I'm 100% committed to battery power, and therefore not sorry to see this machine depart.
DFB
Well-known member
- Aug 12, 2019
- 4,887
- 2,952
- Thread starter
- #1,756
After yesterday's mini road trip, the Ranger needed a wash!
Trust me, it looked worse in person, the windscreen in particular. After washing the wheels with foamed Brake Buster, I soaked down the whole vehicle with Gyeon Foam and allowed it to dwell. The rinse that followed removed the bugs easily, ceramic coating for the win here. It was then time for the contact wash.....................
Soap of choice today was Meguiar's NXT Car Wash, a product that I used extensively for many years, mainly on my FG XR6. Thinking back, I remember NXT being a champion of suds, so I wondered how it would foam.........................Very well as it turned out. Actually, more than well!
First of all, the grape scent of NXT took me back to my early 20's, much the same as the ArmorAll stuff did a few weeks ago. Mixed into the foam cannon, NXT produces medium to thick foam and felt very nice under the wash pad. At this point I was impressed, but it wasn't until I started to rinse the soap off the car did it finally click, this is Meguiar's BEST SOAP! Up until the rinse, I was thinking NXT was very similar to Hyper Wash, if not quite as foamy. But the way it instantly rinsed from the vehicle set it apart, Hyper Wash in comparison requires significantly more effort to fully rinse off the car.
The only drawback to NXT is the ultra-thick consistency, the key reason I chose to move away from it. However, now that we have wide-mouth foam cannons, this aspect is less relevant as you don't have to dribble a thick soap into a narrow foam cannon bottle. But still, I think this is a killer soap!
For the rest of the detail, I used OG Drying Aid on the paint, Gyeon Quick Detailer on the door jambs and tray, glass attended to with KCx Speed Glass, interior wiped over with ADS Pilot. To finish, the wheels got a quick wipe with ADS Amplify, tires dressed with ADS Tire+.
Trust me, it looked worse in person, the windscreen in particular. After washing the wheels with foamed Brake Buster, I soaked down the whole vehicle with Gyeon Foam and allowed it to dwell. The rinse that followed removed the bugs easily, ceramic coating for the win here. It was then time for the contact wash.....................
Soap of choice today was Meguiar's NXT Car Wash, a product that I used extensively for many years, mainly on my FG XR6. Thinking back, I remember NXT being a champion of suds, so I wondered how it would foam.........................Very well as it turned out. Actually, more than well!
First of all, the grape scent of NXT took me back to my early 20's, much the same as the ArmorAll stuff did a few weeks ago. Mixed into the foam cannon, NXT produces medium to thick foam and felt very nice under the wash pad. At this point I was impressed, but it wasn't until I started to rinse the soap off the car did it finally click, this is Meguiar's BEST SOAP! Up until the rinse, I was thinking NXT was very similar to Hyper Wash, if not quite as foamy. But the way it instantly rinsed from the vehicle set it apart, Hyper Wash in comparison requires significantly more effort to fully rinse off the car.
The only drawback to NXT is the ultra-thick consistency, the key reason I chose to move away from it. However, now that we have wide-mouth foam cannons, this aspect is less relevant as you don't have to dribble a thick soap into a narrow foam cannon bottle. But still, I think this is a killer soap!
For the rest of the detail, I used OG Drying Aid on the paint, Gyeon Quick Detailer on the door jambs and tray, glass attended to with KCx Speed Glass, interior wiped over with ADS Pilot. To finish, the wheels got a quick wipe with ADS Amplify, tires dressed with ADS Tire+.
DFB
Well-known member
- Aug 12, 2019
- 4,887
- 2,952
- Thread starter
- #1,758
Being Spring, I can't really leave my own business as I have no one to fill in for me on that front. Still, I can pick and choose when I do that work.You off for 3 months or you still doing the Garden work?
Anyway enjoy it sleep in and tell the boss no gifts from Santa this year.
Eldorado2k
Well-known member
- Nov 9, 2015
- 14,545
- 645
How many oz. of Megs NXT did you put into the foam cannon?