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Rover ProCut 560 – Spring Service

It’s now been a year since I found this beauty, and its been working hard!

When the Rover came to me, it was in remarkable condition for a 10-year-old mower. The previous owner had inherited the machine after his father passed away, both clearly kept it well maintained. Even still, I did a reset on it by changing the oil, plug and air filter. I also had to refresh some of the drive system parts, but overall, I had a near new ProCut 560 for half the price I paid for one new in 2015.

After a busy 2024/2025 spring/summer, in February this year I gave it an oil change and a set of new blades. I also replaced the useless fuel tap with a fuel filter. Now that the weather has warmed up and the grass is growing again, I want this mower in top condition for the season ahead. Look after your tools and they will look after you……………………..




Blades –

The current set of blades have been on the mower since February, and while they looked ok at a glance, I had been noticing a decline in cut quality. On closer inspection, they were well worth replacing. As per most Rover stuff now, finding OEM has become hard. I’ve noticed that when I’ve put the OEM Rover blades on the mower, they seem to last longer than the aftermarket stuff from GA Spares or Jak Max. Depending on where you get them, they will come pre-packaged or drawn from bulk lots of blades and hardware. The Rover branded ones come pre-packaged in sets of two. In this case, I’m using the Jak Max versions.











Deck –

While I had the blade carrier off, I took the opportunity to scrape off the accumulation of dirt and grass. Nothing special or glamorous here, just a paint scraper, wire brush………………….. and a giant mess afterwards.





Oil Change –

Briggs normally specify SAE 30 oil, which I use in their older engines or for break-in. Otherwise, I’m using Penrite 10W-30 semi-synthetic. For the big block 850-series, you need 590 – 600ml of oil.

If Penrite is good enough for a Bathurst win last weekend, its good enough for my lawn mowers. …………………



I normally drain or suck the oil out via the dipstick tube. On this occasion, with the blade carrier removed, I decided to remove the sump plug instead. I’ve actually never done it this way, in fact Briggs & Stratton have removed the drain plug from their engines in recent years. Victa’s fitted with this engine are pressure lubricated via an oil pump, which is ran through an external oil filter. Those little filters are extremely expensive at $19.95 each, twice the price of some automotive filters. For the ProCut, Rover went for the basic splash lubrication, which saves me $20 per service.



Cleaning –

With the oil change finished and the blade carrier reinstalled, I decided to give the unit a clean. Shine Supply Wise Guy was sprayed on, left to soak, then rinsed with the pressure washer. A little Hydr02 for the deck, and some Hyper Dressing for the plastics, I then used my blower to dry it off.




Spark Plug –

The plug was last changed 12-months ago when I got the mower. I could have just cleaned it, but I had them in stock so just went ahead with a new one. I went with the Champion RC12YC, but NGK BCPR5ES works as well.




Air Filter –

I’m actually a little disappointed in myself for not checking the filter sooner. I normally tap them out weekly, but for whatever reason I had let it go. No wonder the engine was running rich.

Briggs & Stratton -

Early Models (Long-type) – 795066 (Filter) + 796254 (Pre-Filter)

Late Models (Triangle-type) – 595853 (Filter) + 597266 (Pre-Filter)






Fuel Filter –

With these, you need to make sure you have the correct one. The white 75-micron filters are for engines with a fuel pump, the red 75-micron ones are for gravity fed. The red ones are universal, but the white ones need a fuel pump to draw through the finer filtration material. These pancake filters use a metal screen, which is superior to the paper cartridge style filters that can sometimes break down and send filter material into the carburettor. Both are unidirectional for ease of installation.

Briggs & Stratton – 298090S


Service Cost –

Below is the parts cost to complete this service. If I add my labour rate to that, it would come out at about $177. So I saved about $90 - $100 by doing it myself.

Blade Kit - $39.95

Oil (590ml) - $7.45

Spark Plug - $8.95

Air Filters - $19.30

Fuel Filter - $9.95

Shop Supplies (Towels, Carb Spray) - $2.00

TOTAL - $87.60




Ready for Work –

A quick test fire and the ProCut is ready for the peak mowing season.






This mower also represents the beginning of a massive change to my daily life. I went to pick this mower up on the first day of my long-service leave, and what a sigh of relief that was. In the two weeks leading up to leave, I had a very upsetting and uncalled for interaction at work. I held it together and forged on, so walking out on my last day and the little road trip to buy this mower was the beginning of a new life. Two weeks later, my new car arrived. A month later I landed in hospital, no doubt my body finally giving in, the recovery ate up a month of my leave. Another month on and I resigned, finally putting end to a long running and constant drain on my mental health.

So, every time I use this mower, I’m reminded of how it was the catalyst for change and the feeling of freedom.

I am on the lookout for engine pulleys so I can fit them to the Victa 24's I seem to come across without motors and therefore no engine pulley. I have used a few pulleys from the self propelled Victas by cutting them down and welding a plate on them, then bore them to suit the Victa boss so they fit on the standard Victa boss which is a better option because it means I can use them on both tapers on the full crank motors as well as on the PT motors

Hi Mike, is it just the glass or the reflector as well. I had to make a new lense for a Greenfield earlier this year and I had a perspec lense from a 4 foot double fluro ceiling light so I cut 2 lenses so they looked the same and the owner was stoked. Just an idea or you could use just clear perspec

G'day everyone,
Just wondering if anyone has a spare headlight lens to suit Rover Rancher Mod 1766 1987-88 or knows where I could get one from? cheers Mike

Yes strange things happen like that, one thing has an effect on something else and makes no sense

I dont know why but the tyres aren't rubbing anymore after i did the split pin on the quadrant pin. I cant work it out. And theres no movement on the rims from top to bottom or left to right when i see if they have any play.
So i dont have to do that.

Thanks.

hi Syd,
glad that sorted that out, fix one bit at a time. At the moment I am working on the steering on a Cub Cadet, and that is not a lot of fun

Hello Norm,

Drilled 1cm holes on the flat bars approx 2cm out from the king pins and put bolts facing thread up with washers and lock nuts of which i had here. So that's sorted that out.

Thanks very much for your advice.

Thanks Max for all your info and help.
Cheers.
Maurice.

Hi Merediths,

I can give you a one size fits all type of order of removal ,just take from the following what's applicable to your mower.

Typical removal sequence — do these in order

Remove the blade and arbor nut — leave no load on the spindle.

Remove exterior pulleys / belts / drive components that are on the spindle. If the spindle has a pulley or gear, there may be a keyway and a key — remove the key after loosening the pulley set screws.

Look for set screws or lock nuts at the flange — many machines use a collar or nut behind the flange. Rotate the spindle slowly by hand; you may find a small grub screw/allen screw that locks the flange. Remove any visible set screws.

Remove any snap rings (circlips) visible on the shaft or inside the housing. Use internal/external circlip pliers as appropriate. These often retain the flange or bearing spacer.

Inspect inside the housing for a bearing retainer plate / cross bolts — some housings have a small plate fastened with screws that hold the inner bearing race or retainer. Remove these screws.

Apply penetrating oil to the mating surface between the flange and spindle/housing and let it soak (30–60 minutes is typical).

Use a puller on the flange — attach a 3‑arm puller to the flange face or to the hub if there are threaded holes. Tighten the puller centre slowly. If the flange is stubborn, heat the flange (not the shaft) with a torch for a few minutes — expansion helps free it. Be careful with seals and paint.

If flange still won’t move: use a slide hammer pulled from the flange face or pull from any threaded flange bolt holes (with proper puller bolts). Alternatively, place soft‑faced drifts at several points and give short, firm blows to break the bond — avoid hammering the shaft directly.

Once flange comes off, remove spacers and record order — take photos or lay out parts in order.

Extract bearings from the shaft or housing:

If the bearing is on the shaft (press fit): press the bearing off the shaft using an arbor press or large socket bearing driver, pushing on the inner race only.

If the bearing is in the housing: press it out from the opposite side, pushing on the outer race only.

NEVER press on the wrong race (will damage bearing).

If stuck, heat the housing (not the bearing) slightly to loosen the fit or use a split bearing puller.

Inspect shaft and housing for scoring, pitting, runout. Replace/repair if damaged.

Fit new bearings:

Clean surfaces thoroughly.

Press bearings on by the race you’re supposed to press (inner race for press‑on shaft bearings; outer race when pressing into housing).

Use correct bearing heater or induction or a short, controlled press. Don’t overheat seals.

Reinstall spacers, seals, and any snap rings in original order.

Reinstall flange:

Clean the contact surfaces; consider using high strength retaining compound only if the manual specifies (do NOT guess).

Press flange back on, or reinstall with puller in reverse. Align any keys.

Torque any flange nuts/bolts to the manual spec (if you don’t have a spec, tighten to a firm stop and check axial play).

Check axial/preload (if applicable): some spindles require a certain preload or shim pack. If the unit uses shims, measure end‑float with a dial indicator and adjust with shims until in spec.

Reassemble pulleys/guards, test rotation by hand, then powered test at low speed. Listen for noise and check bearing temperature after a short run.

Common traps and tips specific to “housing assembly and flange won’t come off”

Hidden set screws: look under paint, behind seals, inside small recesses. Use a flashlight.

Snap rings inside the housing: sometimes they’re tucked behind a shoulder — remove them first or the flange won’t clear.

Loctite / thread locker: previous repairs may have used thread‑locker on retention nuts; heat and penetrating oil will help.

Corrosion/bonding: flange can corrode to the shaft — heat the flange (do not overheat bearings) and use a puller or slide hammer.

Don’t hit the shaft end hard — that can damage bearings/seals or cause the shaft to displace and damage the motor.

If the flange is a press fit on the bearing and you try to pull the bearing by the stator/housing, you’ll destroy parts — always support and push on the correct race.

If you get stuck

Are there threaded holes in the flange face? They often accept puller bolts or are where the blade guard attaches.

Is there an internal circlip under the outer housing seam? Remove housing cover and inspect inside.

Does the manual show any numbered retaining screws? If so, those must come out before the flange will move.

Reassembly checks & run-in

After reassembly, run the spindle by hand to feel for smoothness.

Run at low speed under no load for 5–10 minutes. Check for unusual vibration, noise, or heat.

Re‑check end float and bearing preload after first run (some bearings seat slightly).

Cheers
Max.

G'day Maurice,


As I can't see a taper on the bottom of the crank for a blade plate hub ,it's possible it's an early Rotomo crank.(501 to 1246)


Number 1247 and on had the tapered crank end for the tapered sleeve (or blade plate hub)

No mention of the split pin hole in the paperwork so not sure if the factory drilled that or someone at home drilled the crank but
if it was factory drilled you'd expect it to be a perfect centre hole.

Unless you find another original mower,outboard ,etc with the same crank it's difficult to say for sure what this crank was used for.

Cheers
Max.

Hi. Got the parts manual. Thank you! Anyone got the service manual that will show me how to disassemble the blade spindle and replace the bearings? Can't see how to get the housing assembly and flange off.

Hi Max.
No keyway on the bottom of the shaft, yes there is a split pin hole in the bottom thread.
Cheers.
Maurice.

Hi Maurice,

Probably need you to confirm if there is a Keyway cut in both ends of the crankshaft before going further.

The 38mm end of the shaft looks to have a split pin hole , for a castellated nut etc.

The 39mm end instead of the Rotomo 54 mm end ,it may have had a shorter shaft that end because if it was a boat
motor (outboard motor) and had a cowl fitted it could use a different flywheel and a different starter ,possibly a recoil starter
and that may explain the split pin hole in the other end of the crank to lock in a direct coupling via universal joint or flex coupler etc.


This crank looks like an industrial motor crank and not a lawn mower crank ,I've seen Victa motors used on cultivators
and they don't use a standard lawn mower crankshaft. The cultivator crank has a Keyway cut on both ends of
the crankshaft.

I've seen old Victa motors also used as inboard boat motors.

For this to be an Industrial motor crank I would expect the 38mm end to also have a keyway machined into the shaft but I
can't see that in the images

Could just be from a batch of motors they were testing.

I've seen some pre production models and they have slight differences that they didn't go ahead with ,for mass
production.

If there is no keyway on both ends of the crank and no taper on one end then it looks like it may have had a threaded hub
that used a splitpin and a shaft or blade plate could have been bolted to the hub.

Cheers
Max.

Hi Max.
On the original shaft the machined area where the rotor fits that length is 54mm, on the shaft I have the machined area is 39mm.
Cheers.
Maurice.

Thanks Max.
I spent some time on it this morning and have answered both of my questions, as follows:
1. The reason for the odd configuration of the cutter brake bell crank was that the threaded rod that goes to the front of the mower and back into the U piece that attaches to the top of the bell crank had been pulled so hard the spring had bound and the end of the rod had been pulled out of its hole and was jammed against the cross piece. Easily fixed once it was out.
2. The plate with the threaded holes is an Engine Mounting Bolt Plate. The engine mount bolts go down beneath the engine deck and screw into it. Need some Loctite for next time. If there is enough clearance I'm going to get longer bolts so I can put Nyloc nuts on so it can never vibrate loose again.
Cheers
Doug

Thanks Max.
This crankshaft actually came out of a Victa crankcase, it is in used condition, I will try to post some photos.
Cheers.
Maurice.

Hi Mops,

What the Marking “K.MAR” Could Mean ,I don't have a definite answer.

It might be a manufacturer’s logo or batch code.

It could refer to a machining house, foundry, or part subcontractor, especially if the engine or crank was made under contract.

Sometimes crankshafts are remachined or replaced, and the new maker (or rebuilder) stamps their mark.

I didn’t find any documents having “K.MAR” associated with Victa or Hurricane engines

Why the Top End (Rotor Interface) Isn’t Fully Machined

Possible reasons:

It’s a generic crank not yet finished for that particular engine

The crank may be a “blank” or partially machined version. The final step of machining the taper, shoulder, or journal to exactly fit the rotor/flywheel may not have been done.

It’s intended for a different engine design

The crank might have been used for another engine with a different rotor diameter, taper, or mounting method. That would mean the rotor (from your suspected engine) doesn’t match exactly.

If this crank came from a “copy” engine or third‑party manufacturer, tolerances or specs might differ slightly.

machining error


Or perhaps someone attempted a rebuild and didn’t complete the machining step correctly.

Interchange part / retrofit adaptation

Sometimes people adapt a crank from a different model/engine and leave material so they can machine it to fit as needed. The extra material gives flexibility to fit different flywheels or rotors.

Back in Rotomo days there were copied Victa engines (that probably are slightly different) ,I've seen a lot of strange adaptions using what was once a Victa 2 stroke motor ,like old air compressors using an electric motor to spin the 2 stroke so the compression
cycle fills up the air tank.

Even old go-kart motors could have a lot of different parts that were made stronger for more Hp.

Cheers
Max.

Yes 125 cc doesn't sound too good Norm for a slasher, you would think it would only be good under light load cutting.

Looked up a comparison , a rough comparison.

Feature 125cc Victa 160cc Victa
Displacement ~125cc ~160cc
Typical HP (approx.) ~2.5–3 HP ~3.5–4.5 HP
Torque Lower Higher
Blade Handling Lighter blades / small mowers Heavy blades / slashers
Cooling / Load Design Lighter use Designed for higher resistance

Cheers
Max.

Hi Doug ,

With the flat bit of metal 8.75: long all I can see in the parts manual is a slot like the grass or dirt left on
the flat metal where the bolt hole is thus indicating it's possibly from the top of the cutter deck above the discharge port
or possibly underneath ,could be used to prevent flexing or cracking of the cutter base where other components (like the chute or guards) attach.

You may need to undo a bolt move the brackets so they are straight then tighten the bolt .

Cheers
Max.

Hello Norm,

I plan on doing it this Monday as it will be cooler even though i could do it earlier but i dont go well in any type of heat or cold in general.

Given up on it Max, just putting another motor on it. I pulled the cowl off the motor on another 24 here and discovered it is a 125 with a spark plug in the decomp hole. Starts straight up and runs smoothly like the 125's do but I'm not sure if it would have enough power as a 24 inch slasher

Hi Syd,
Yep I am hearing you about the motivation thing these days, but now it is warming up a bit it is easier for me to go to the shed and fix something each day. Sun comes out after the rain and the grass grows and that means you have to cut it and the cycle continues, repair, mow, repeat

I have a wonderful one owner (before me) example of these, which ran perfectly until I hit some bricks hidden in long grass. The deck came up rapidly with the handle whacking my right leg just below my right knee.
It did some damage, with the brake arm now fouling the side of the cutter pulley when the deck is down, and when up, the brake pad arm is a long way from the lower face of the pulley - and the brake pad has gone. I cannot see how to get it all to line up again - nothing seems bent.

Of greater concern is the piece of metal found on top of the deck - 8.75: long, holes 7" apart, with witness marks each end. I cannot see where it has come from.
Can anyone please point me in the right direction for fixing this, and identifying the mystery part and where it might have come from?
Many thanks,
Doug (Brisbane)

Hello Norm,

Yes that's what it does. I had a look today whilst turning the wheel and can see whats going on.

I barely have any motivation these days to do anything so your advice makes it a heap easier to get the job done.

Thanks.