I am in my second year of grounds work looking after two cricket tables (learning slowly but surely). Just recently my mower (Lloyds Palidin) has started to "jar/stick" and the grass still being quite long. We are a small club and no-one seems to know what to do, however I did notice what seems to be 4 adjustment screws (2 each side of the blades). I have adjusted these and have made a good improvment. The problem is, am I right to adjust these screws? and if yes how do I know when I'm at the right adjustment.
many thanks
Mark
13 Aug 2009 by Chalky 1 Last edited 13 Aug 2009
Mark, I'm not familiar with a Palladin some others here may well give you more specific advice but it sounds like your mower might be off cut; that is the gap between the rotating cylinder (reel) and the fixed bottom blade (bed knife) beneath it is not set correctly. In your case it may have been too close causing the two parts to rub or even collide, hence the "sticking."
The good news is it seems you have struck upon the reel to bed knife adjustments, adjusting these to keep a mower on cut is routine, for some a daily task, I'm quite suprised you have managed two years without doing so! You neeed to check the cut...
What you want to do is with the mower OFF, fuel tap off, key out if it has one, spark plug disconnected to be sure! Put the mower on a flat, hard surface, (the shed floor) tilt it back and then starting at the left hand end of the cylinder hold a piece of paper between the cylinder and bottom blade (where the grass should be getting cut)...
Now carefully!! and SLOWLY turn the cylinder by hand, or better with a wooden ruler or similar, clockwise until one of the blades of the cylinder passes over your piece of paper and gathers it to the bottom blade then snips it clean off like a pair of scissors, beautiful. If this happens your mower is on cut...
More likely though one of two things will happen:
The blade and paper will jam, causing the same resistance to you turning the cylinder as the motor is experiencing when you try to cut grass. If this happens THE GAP IS TOO SMALL; loosen any locking nuts (if your mower has them) start to adjust the screws (probabaly one then the other?) on that side of the blade, only a tiny amount perhaps an eighth/quarter turn then check again with your paper. Still not right? then keep adjusting (make sure you are turning the screws in the right direction) until the mower is cutting properly.
If however the cylinder spins freely and paper is only folded over but not cut then THE GAP IS TOO BIG: make adjustments in the opposite direction until that gap is just right.
Ok once you have done the left hand side, do the same on the right hand side, then with your piece of paper check the cut all the way along the cylinder, sometimes you might need to make a small second adjustment on the first side again if it was very far off cut.
If you are now happy with the cut, tighten up any locking nuts (if there are any) on the adjusters, and hopefully you should be ok again, try it out on the grass! Happy? Now you know what to do just remember to check the cut and make any adjustments before each time you use the mower for a really nice cut.
If however you just can't get it on cut all across the blade at the same time, then it might mean the geometry of either or both the reel or bed knife is out. This means you can't get a consistent gap because the blades themselves aren't even. Uneven baldes could be the result of hitting a small stone or something, was your mower fine then suddenly alot worse, it has it declined to this state?
Either way if you can't get it on cut then you probabaly need a REGRIND to reshape the blades. This is a periodic service requirement of all cylinder mowers and is a job for an expert with specialist equipment. Unless it is fairly new your mower must have had one at some point in it's life, what about the previous groundsman?
It sounds like you might do well to check your height of cut as well. What height are you currently cuting at?
Hope it helps, corrections and additions form other contributors welcome.
Chalky.
Thanks Chalky,
this sounds like good advise and I will try this procedure out tomorrow.
I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks again
Mark
13 Aug 2009 by mario
Just keep your fingers away from the blades or you'll be looking for a job as a shorthand typist!
I know no boundaries.
Mario, palladins are so bad at cutting grass anyway I doubt thay could cut a finger off!
Chris
You will never see a statue in honour of a committee.
14 Aug 2009 by mario Last edited 14 Aug 2009
I've had mine since 2004 and it's the best machine in my stable!
Easy to work on, one touch height of cut adjustment.
Can't say how well it deals with long grass as mine is exclusively used for final chop down of my match pitches. Typically from the preliminary 12 mm to 8 mm with an Allett Shaver then worked down to 2.6 mm with the Paladin.
You just have to be careful at the low cutting height with damaging the shaver blade, keeping it up on its rear roller whilst transporting from the shed to the square. (I don't have transport wheels for mine!).
It would take a bit of convincing to change for something else.
I know no boundaries.
I would agree strongly with Mario. My machine is over 30 years old and once setup properly its cut is comparable with more modern and expensive machines (I have used Ransomes, Alletts and Proteas). Of course the best aspect is that it only cost me £100. British engineering at its best!
I went to see Hampshire playing Yorkshire this week and what was the Hamsphire groundsman using - a Palladin!
Mark
Try contacting Lloyds directly and they should be able to provide you with a manual showing you how to set up your mower.
sales@lloydsandco.com
Birds Hill
Letchworth
Hertfordshire
SG6 1JE
United Kingdom
Tel 01462 683031
Fax 01462 48196
Phil
Do as phil suggests - lloyds will send you a copy of the manual.
My paladin is comparable (in terms of cut quality) to any other machine I've ever tried (and I've tried most of them). As with any mower it won't do a good job unless it is setup correctly and used for a job to which it is suited.
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
14 Aug 2009 by Dunk
Well said Mario and Phillipfish - lovely engineering throughout and easy to work on in-house - used them for many years on golf courses.
Great back up too - as mentioned give them a call and speak to Clive Nottingham - he's the MD but he always finds time to speak to us lowly individuals! - he'll probably get someone to drop in to help you out if it cannot be explained over the phone.
Regards, Duncan
I'll agree with the backup.
I ring up and describe the part I need - often with a dodgy description - and the correct part appears in the post in a couple of days.
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
the lloyds palladin is the best wicket cutter available, mr mitchell quite frankly is talking garbage. he may not realise all the counties and test match ground throughout the world use this machine. take chalky's advice and set it up as he has explained. you will then be delighted with the results and easiness of adjustments.
My Palladin was a nightmare to set up first half of season plenty of play in one side of reel bearing which knackered shaver blade, had bearings replaced regrind and new shaver blade £122 can cut any height now wouldnt change it.
Check the bearings
Well we're all different. I have had two palladins for more than ten years for hand hand cutting of tees. Universaly my staff tell me they are the worst machine they have ever used. As for what my mechanic says about them, I don't know where to start! The gearing is so wrong on them with the engine running at such low revs the bores glaze up and they smoke like a pig. The cylinders are such small diameter they have difficulty throwing wet grass into the box. The OPS switches are so flimsy they fall apart. Spares are a ridiculous price as well. £ 300 for a grass box! John Deere or Toro are miles superior in every way.
Chris
You will never see a statue in honour of a committee.
I have Toro red blood in my vains, the Flex 21" is THE best greens mower next to and only just below the Palladin.
I have not had the pleasure of having a Palladin in the stable for 16 years and things will have moved on, one assumes for the better, I would be very surprised if that were not the case.
Their low reving engine is so quiet it's very "golfer friendly" and not at all obtrusive on the course.
Chris, I think the cylinder is the same diameter as a flex 21" but I could be wrong, if they are the same size then perhaps the engine is indeed too slow and an increase in revs may be in order to improve grass throw into the box. I assume your two Palladins are Honda powered, a tried and tested engine range used in many machines and found in all parts of the world and all temprature ranges. If they are glazed over and smoking you may like to check the spec of the engine oil you are using. A change of oil is not going to stop them smoking, too late for that I think, but after boring and the necessary change of piston and rings things may well be better.
I am not going to criticise another manufacturer on this forum but IMO John Deere have a way to go yet, a good range but not a full range.
To compare JD with Lloyds is like comparing a Fiat with a Rolls Royce, good machinery but a different class.
Hi Mark and others
I have just picked up on this thread, I think many people are giving you the right infomation, your Paladin sounds like its just in need of a bit of servicing.
If you would like to speak with me please give me a ring 07831 132395 quite happy to just discuss your probelm first hand advise you what best to do to improve. we always happy to give a bit of free techincial advise.
If you do need our servicing we can discuss that if you wish, work can always get done to suit a budget.
The Paladin is rated by our customers as the best on the market we are consantly improving our machines and updating, customers can sometimes judge the machine based on an older Paladin in bad need of servicing which can be a little unfair on the product.
Many thank to all the praise for our products
Clive Nottingham - Lloyds & Co Letchworth Ltd
Hi Clive,
thanks for your reply,
I have had my paladin looked at and it has been noticed that i have a small "kink" on the bottom blade. I am just awaiting delivery of the new part, then when replaced this may resolve some of my problems.
I would then like to take you up on your offer and give you a ring.
Many thanks
Mark
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