Magazine - New Cutting Height Adjuster for Allett fine turf mowers

28 Feb 2009 by Leeboy

Pity they dont put this on the bigger machines they make, would save a lot of time on having to replace the cheap, weak bolts that come as standard that shear off very easily when changing the height of cut.

1 Mar 2009 by Sumomosr

Be grateful that they don't Lee.

0.4mm is a rather coarse adjustment so I don't know how they can call it 'convenient'.

What does one do if one needs/wants a 0.25mm variation in HOC? (or a half a mm, or even a full millimetre)??

Multiples of 0.4 aren't actually all that convenient are they?

By the looks of it, more 'square blocks of steel' from the Allett engineering department containing a spring-loaded ball-bearing detent no doubt. Grub screw with a locknut holding the spring in the true spirit of Heath Robinson...

Buy yourself some higher grade 10 bolts that won't break and stick with the system you have. It will be far more precise.

Notice the grease fitting on the top of the knob? Have you ever tried to induce grease down the length of a threaded adjuster rod in this manner??

GOGGA

1 Mar 2009 by Grassman2011

How close a copy is this of Dennis anyway ?

Lee, as a matter of interest, how do you get on with the bigger machine ?

I demoed one a year ago and went elsewhere, was not impressed, which was a great shame because i loved my old one.

1 Mar 2009 by Leeboy

We have ordered more bolts, if there is one criticism of the machine it is these bolts. Otherwise it does exactly what we want, a good cut with a light machine, we have only had them a couple of months and it was a choice between the Buffalo and the Dennis Premier, cost really was the only reason we went with Allett. They were bought to replace an old Mastiff, due to the extremely poor performance of a Mastiff we bought 18 months ago, a Mastiff was never going to be considered by us.

Be interested if anyone from Allett would like to tell us why the bolts mentioned shear off so easily?

2 Mar 2009 by Sumomosr

Am not from Allett, obviously, but you answer your own question:

" Be interested if anyone from Allett would like to tell us why the bolts mentioned shear off so easily? "


"... cost really was the only reason we went with Allett"

You get what you pay for.

GOGGA

2 Mar 2009 by Leeboy

Not sure that those two bolts made up the significant price difference though!

3 Mar 2009 by Sumomosr

Same grade of bolt will have been used elsewhere on your machine Lee.
It's only a matter of time before it dismantles itself all over your turf!

GOGGA

3 Mar 2009 by Roy Allett

Gentlemen
I try not to get involved in the messageboard forum as it is intended for groundsmen to discuss things amongst themselves and not for us manufacturers to peddle our wares. However I feel I've been invited to comment on this one.

Firstly our new height adjuster system is only to be fitted to our fine cut machines and not on the Buffalo range that has the bolts that our friend is experiencing problems with. This is a great chance to ask you what sort of increments are acceptable to a groundsman? This quick height adjuster is so easy to use, but by definition, it's not infinitely variable as our old height adjusters were. Our dealers tell us that we have been losing business as 'no tool' height adjustment is now the norm on fine cut machines.

This height adjuster has been well tested, I might be wrong here but I don’t think our friend Heath Robinson put any of his inventions through a 20,000 cycle test as we have done with this. Simplicity of design is, in my opinion, important.

Thanks for the feedback on the Buffalo height adjuster bolts. We don't always get this feedback. Why would they break? It's an over tightening issue. Basically they are not strong enough to take a lot of pressure from a long spanner and a strong arm. Just nip them up, enough to hold but not enough to stretch them and break them. We use a coach bolt for this application so that the square under the dome head fits into the slot in the bracket thus requiring the use of only one spanner not two. Coach bolts are not available in high tensile steel (5.6). I have asked the factory to investigate having some bolts specially made from high tensile material (8.8). Let me have your details and I'll organise to send some to you when they are done. Meanwhile, you should only torque the nut on the coachbolt to 9Nm torque which is sufficient to hold the height adjuster in place.

I should perhaps also point out that our 34" Buffalo was developed specifically for and at the request of Football Groundsmen. I was asked to produce a mower that is roughly half the weight and half the price of Mastiff, Premier and our own high specification Regal 36 and 42.

So yes, if you want a bigger, heavier 36"or 42" machine you have 3 choices and with all of them you get to pay more for it. A rule that's rarely broken, but with Buffalo you get reduced weight, better handling and a lower cost price.

I am available to you all 24/7 on royallett@btinternet.com and I am always willing to help and delighted to receive feedback. You guys forget that we don't use our machines as much as you do and we appreciate your comments. It's all about teamwork.


Kind regards to all, Roy Allett