# Allett Kensington 20H Issues



## hitmonchau (Apr 1, 2020)

Hello,

I've had the Allett Kensington 20H for a couple months, the first month it was cutting alright but the last couple weeks I've had issues. One issue is the cut has a bit of a washboarding effect. I believe it may be due to too much reel to bedknife contact, slowing the reel and not getting enough cuts/inch. I've backed the reel off a bit, it is no longer cutting paper but cuts grass just fine so we'll see how that works out in the next couple of weeks.

The bigger issue is the reel is cutting much lower on the left side, as I'm behind it (or the motor side) than the other side. No matter which direction I mow, North, South, East, or West, I have an uneven cut resulting in brown bermuda stalks compared to the other side of green. I've been cutting between 3/4" and 1". I don't know exactly when this issue started to occur but I haven't had any damage and the lower strip is probably 5" of the 20" cutting width.

Anyone have any ideas?


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## jimbeckel (May 27, 2018)

Does it cut paper evenly across the whole reel, there are bedknife to reel adjustment screws on either side of the cartridge. I have the 17b Kensington and haven't had to many issues with the cut. The USA rep Roland Hall told me that he has one of his dealers setup to start doing reel sharpening and service. Might be worth a shot to call him and see if you can get the cartridge serviced, heck maybe @Reelrollers will start servicing and sharpening the Allett cartridge.


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## hsvtoolfool (Jul 23, 2018)

hitmonchau said:


> The bigger issue is the reel is cutting much lower on the left side, as I'm behind it (or the motor side) than the other side.


That is a HOC adjustment error. One side is set lower than the other side.

Do you have a height gauge so you can verify both sides of the front roller are exactly the same height? I used a 1" x 2" piece of scrap pine and put a small finish nail at 3/4" depth. This allows me to easily and quickly check both sides. I lay it across the drum and roller and the nail should barely touch the bedknife. I adjust each side separately then check across the width.

My old post applies to the Swardman Electra, but the photos may help you...

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=210042#p210042


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## hitmonchau (Apr 1, 2020)

hsvtoolfool said:


> hitmonchau said:
> 
> 
> > The bigger issue is the reel is cutting much lower on the left side, as I'm behind it (or the motor side) than the other side.
> ...


Thanks for the direction, I dropped off at the dealer today for them to look it over and when I get it back I'll check the height this way.


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## hitmonchau (Apr 1, 2020)

hsvtoolfool said:


> hitmonchau said:
> 
> 
> > The bigger issue is the reel is cutting much lower on the left side, as I'm behind it (or the motor side) than the other side.
> ...


Well, I got the mower back from the dealer and unfortunately they weren't able to find an issue. I mowed again and I'm having the same problem, hopefully the pictures make sense. As you look at the strip going away from the picture you can see a "browner" or scalp, about 5" on each one. I'm at a loss at this point.

I measured the height of cut from your post. I should be at 1.25" but the mower is cutting at .875". That is something that needs to be fixed but it is the same .875" across the bedknife so I don't believe that is the root cause.

I sent an email to the Allett people in the UK after asking them some questions on Twitter. They were responsive from the Twitter account so hopefully they get back to me.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

@hitmonchau, I dont know how I missed your post. But I AM HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH THE EXACT SAME MACHINE!!!

I didnt have the issue when I first got it back in March. It probably started happening around late May for me. I've been trying to diagnose the problem by taking things off, tightening bolts and screws, and anything else I could think of. However, I havent been able to find the fix.
I called Allett just today for the first time about this issue. The person I spoke with offered some suggestions, but I'd already tried those before I called. He said to get an accurate HOC measurement and call back.
I need to rig one of those homemade H.O.C. gauges to get a more precise measurement all the way across the bed knife.

It is an odd issue to have. Only thing that is a question mark is the little bit of "give" that the front roller has. But still, I don't think that's the issue.

Any luck with a solution since you last posted?


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## LawnDetail (Apr 15, 2020)

I know it's a different machine but I just started having the same issue with my Swardman. The left side is cutting 3/16 lower than the right.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

My neighbor (who's a machinist with a garage full of tools and gadgets) and I just spent about an hour trying to diagnose where the issue is on my Kensington 20.

Stepping back and looking at the machine, we figure that there are only 3 things that affect the level of the cutting action: the rear drive drum, the front roller, and the bed knife. You guys agree with that?

We used a dial gauge mounted on a straight carbon fiber board. After double checking the measurements from several different points, we found that:
1. the machine/frame is even from side-to-side.
2. the bed knife is straight.

Thinking about things a bit, we considered that the only other moving part involved in cutting turf is the reel/cylinder. A closer look revealed that the left side of the reel itself sits CLOSER to the front roller than the right side (~16th of an inch.) To be clear, the removable cartridge itself is straight, but the reel WITHIN the cartridge is what is sitting closer to the front on one side.
This may explain why my mower cuts a bit shorter on the left side. If the reel sits further out, then that means that the reel has to be adjusted lower so that there is some contact between the reel and the bed knife in order to cut paper, only now that contact point is more on the front side of the bed knife instead of on top.

My neighbor fired up the machine and engaged the reel. As soon as it started to turn he pointed out that there was a subtle vibration--indicating that the reel spins "off center," which means that the reel is crooked.

Not sure where this leaves me now. Don't know if that particular issue is correctable or if a replacement is in order. I'll call Allett on Monday and see what they have to say.

Sorry for the long post. Just throwing all of this out there to see what you guys that are having the same issue think.


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## El Toro (Aug 17, 2019)

And you are positive that this isn't a difference in hoc adjustment between the left and right side.


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## hitmonchau (Apr 1, 2020)

Mine is back to the dealer, has been there for a week so I'll call Monday or Tuesday to see if they have found anything. I have my doubts, the service guy said they've had no training on the machine but they're pretty simple so who knows.

I talked to Roland Hall at Allett and he's aware of my issue, anyone else with the same problem might reach out too.

There might be something to the rear roller alignment causing issues. I noticed that during my recent mows I believe it's having a harder time propelling the mower resulting in me having to push more. Hopefully they get it figured out because I don't want a $2500 paperweight back!


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

@hitmonchau, sure sounds like you and I have the exact same stuff going on. I've been thinking that mine was feeling a little sluggish, too, but I wasn't quite sure. I never engage the drive simply because I prefer to push the mower, so I've noticed that sometimes it feels just a bit harder to push. I should bring that up when I call tomorrow.

How did you get in touch with Roland Hall himself. I've read in several posts where people mention speaking with him and how he's quick to reply to e-mails. I've sent probably around 4 emails since I bought my machine and haven't gotten one response.


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## hitmonchau (Apr 1, 2020)

I reached out via email and telephone, he called me back. I'd reach out on telephone and tell him you are having the same issue as the guy in Houston, maybe it will help. Reach him at 8032265036.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

Thanks, man. I appreciate it.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

I'm thinking of buying this machine. How are you guys liking it? Hoping the issues have been fixed!


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

JerseyGreens said:


> I'm thinking of buying this machine. How are you guys liking it? Hoping the issues have been fixed!


I like mine a lot...with the obvious exception being the lower cut on one side. Without getting to wordy, the folks at Allett are aware of my issue and recognize that there is one, but I haven't really pursued getting my issue resolved simply because I didn't want to be without a mower for an extended period of time. Now that the season is wrapping up for me, I plan to get all of this behind me.

I really like being able to mow AND scarify with the same machine.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

JayGo said:


> JerseyGreens said:
> 
> 
> > I'm thinking of buying this machine. How are you guys liking it? Hoping the issues have been fixed!
> ...


Do you have any idea what they are going to do to make this right?

Looks like the return period is 30 days.
Warranty is 1 year.

Curious as to how they are going to stand by their product.

Closest dealer to me is in Boston or 4 hours away...if I run into this issue I'd be looking at quite a long drive to have it diagnosed. Glad you like the machine otherwise!


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## hitmonchau (Apr 1, 2020)

I ended up being able to return the mower, I was thankful for that.

Horizon, the dealer, seemed to be more willing than Allett to stand behind the mower. Horizon gave me a refund and still have to work it out with Allett.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

hitmonchau said:


> I ended up being able to return the mower, I was thankful for that.
> 
> Horizon, the dealer, seemed to be more willing than Allett to stand behind the mower. Horizon gave me a refund and still have to work it out with Allett.


Interesting so it's a known defect then. Wonder how many other of their units are doing this!


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

JayGo said:


> JerseyGreens said:
> 
> 
> > I'm thinking of buying this machine. How are you guys liking it? Hoping the issues have been fixed!
> ...


Interested to hear what they say/do to make things right with this issue...

Seriously considering this machine in fact they have one in stock right now. Someone upgraded to a C24 and their Kensington 20H just became available. The entire December container is sold so they offered me this one...

Decisions. Decisions.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

I'll keep you guys posted on how well Allett handles my situation. They are some friendly people and super informative, too, but I'll find out soon enough how they take care of their customers.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

JayGo said:


> I'll keep you guys posted on how well Allett handles my situation. They are some friendly people and super informative, too, but I'll find out soon enough how they take care of their customers.


Just sent PM.


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## Trader Jay (Dec 14, 2020)

So did they resolve the problem?


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

Trader Jay said:


> So did they resolve the problem?


Mine is currently in the shop? Allett now has an established John Deer dealer doing their warranty work. I took my mower in as soon as my lawn checked out. Been about a month. Waiting to hear from them.


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## Sethor (Jul 25, 2020)

I'm thinking its a weight distribution issue, looking at photos the Honda engine fitment is not centred as previous Kawasaki models. This is most likely the issue as this recent problem for a decades old design.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

Sethor said:


> I'm thinking its a weight distribution issue, looking at photos the Honda engine fitment is not centred as previous Kawasaki models. This is most likely the issue as this recent problem for a decades old design.


Interesting take on the issue.

I had mine for a few months before winter hit and I had no issues with the one side cutting different then the other.

Interested to hear what @JayGo uncovers after his is fixed. If it's a design issue then Allett has a lot of answering to do to make people whole.


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## ALLETTMOWERS (Oct 21, 2020)

Hi @Sethor 
This is an old photo you are posting with the off-centre engine- it was a prototype machine- you probably found the pic on our website? I am due to do a photoshoot with the new Kensington Honda machines now we have authorised them for worldwide sale- you will find the engine has been moved and the issue sorted
- Laura (Allett)


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

@Sethor - I can confirm this was fixed. See below - I bought this mower in 2020. Engine is centered.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

JerseyGreens said:


> @Sethor - I can confirm this was fixed. See below - I bought this mower in 2020. Engine is centered.


That's a good looking mower! :thumbup:


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## ALLETTMOWERS (Oct 21, 2020)

@Sethor Here is a recent pic to put your mind at ease


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

ALLETTMOWERS said:


> @Sethor Here is a recent pic to put your mind at ease


The mower in your picture is the 17". Has the engine been centered on the 20"?


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## jimbeckel (May 27, 2018)

Is there a dealer for Allett that we can send our reels in for sharpening yet?


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

jimbeckel said:


> Is there a dealer for Allett that we can send our reels in for sharpening yet?


This is the very topic I just discussed with Roland Hall a few days ago.

There is an option to send it in directly to Allett here in the U.S. to have them grind your reel. However, he feels strongly that any local shop that grinds reels should be able to do it. He says that there is nothing special about grinding an Allett reel and that any shop should be equipped to do it.
Hope this helps.


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## jimbeckel (May 27, 2018)

JayGo said:


> jimbeckel said:
> 
> 
> > Is there a dealer for Allett that we can send our reels in for sharpening yet?
> ...


Would I need to reach out to Roland directly to send it for grinding?


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

jimbeckel said:


> JayGo said:
> 
> 
> > jimbeckel said:
> ...


I think that's the procedure. I didn't end up getting too far into that process since Allett just today worked out something with a shop in my area. I'm still going to look for a golf course closer to my home, though.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

I'm looking for someone in Jersey to sharpen mine. Called one spot that said they've never sharpened an Allett and would need to take a look at it first.

The positive of a cartridge is that it's easy to deliver to someone and the bedknife is built into the cartridge so they can sharpen the reel and bedknife in one shot.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

In case anyone is interested in how the "Allett reel cutting lower on one side" issue played out for me....

Allett had me take my mower into the service shop they're going to use for warranty work in the Austin area (AustinTurf & Tractor). They're a JD dealer, but they're a full-service shop for JD, Toro, Jacobsen, etc...
I was one of the first Allett users to take my mower in, so they were unfamiliar with the machine.

But as for my particular issue where my reel was cutting lower on one corner, they said (while not super common) that they'd seen my issue before with other mowers from other manufacturers.

He said that he was confident the issue was the reel needing to be ground. He did inspect the machine/frame/reel for alignment from side to side. No issue there.

He schooled me a bit with some info. Apparently, because of the helix form factor of a reel, that the metal tends to "cone," which means the reel reshapes--narrower on one side, wider on the opposite side. Of course, none of this is visible to the naked eye. He said that home owner models were more prone to this because the reels on those models are usually made of weaker steel. Makes sense to me.

Anyhoo, now that there's more green on my lawn, I can say that my mower is cutting evenly all the way across. Before, I'd have one very thin line of yellow scalping on the left side of each pass. But now that the lawn is green, I don't have that yellowing anymore. Also, the reel is a lot quieter now that it's even all the way across.

Hope this helps anyone with this issue.

These pics are from this morning.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

Thanks for the detailed response @JayG30 - I assume you love your Allett again!

I'll keep an eye out for this on mine. 
I assume Allett took care of the expense under warranty?


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

@JerseyGreens, it was not covered under warranty, and I guess I understand why. The reel would've needed to be ground anyway, so....

Now if coning is a yearly thing with this reel, then I'll probably take issue with that. But we shall see.
The guy at the shop said it was odd that it coned within the first year of use.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

JayGo said:


> @JerseyGreens, it was not covered under warranty, and I guess I understand why. The reel would've needed to be ground anyway, so....
> 
> Now if coning is a yearly thing with this reel, then I'll probably take issue with that. But we shall see.
> The guy at the shop said it was odd that it coned within the first year of use.


Interesting. A reel shouldn't have to be ground within the first two years...I would have pushed for it to be covered by Roland. Just my two cents.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

JerseyGreens said:


> Interesting. A reel shouldn't have to be ground within the first two years...I would have pushed for it to be covered by Roland. Just my two cents.


2 years?! 🤣 I wish. I mow somewhere between 80 and 100 times in a season. The golf course in my community grinds every month.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

JayGo said:


> JerseyGreens said:
> 
> 
> > Interesting. A reel shouldn't have to be ground within the first two years...I would have pushed for it to be covered by Roland. Just my two cents.
> ...


Ah yes. I get spoiled in the Northeast.

Did they sharpen the bedknife as well? It's pretty meaty and I don't think it should be replaced every sharpen.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

@JerseyGreens, yeah , Bermuda is a beast. I'm planning on working PGR into my program this year for the fist time, so we'll see if I like it.
As for the bed knife, they just touched it up. He said it was fine.


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## DFWLawnNut (Jul 7, 2020)

I need to send both of my reels off for work after my daughter decided to put some rocks in the yard I was unaware of. They both still cut fine but make a lot of racket. Learning curves!


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

DFWLawnNut said:


> I need to send both of my reels off for work after my daughter decided to put some rocks in the yard I was unaware of. They both still cut fine but make a lot of racket. Learning curves!


Ah man. What's your HOC? I'm nervous to go under 0.75inches for this reason.

Where are you sending your reel off to get fixed up? I'm hoping Allett comes out with a sharpening service for us!


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

Also have you guys checked out the multiple Swardman issues threads? Some of the stuff is unreal...

I'm glad we went with the Kensington...


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## DFWLawnNut (Jul 7, 2020)

JerseyGreens said:


> DFWLawnNut said:
> 
> 
> > I need to send both of my reels off for work after my daughter decided to put some rocks in the yard I was unaware of. They both still cut fine but make a lot of racket. Learning curves!
> ...


Most of the yard Im at around .75" Ive moved some areas up to just under an inch due to needing a reset on the area and not wanting to do it lol. I also have one area thats at .675" that I really want to do .5" but need to work on leveling it first. The whole lawn needs a leveling service done on it but I cant find anyone local who will do it.

No clue where to send it. The austin turf place thats local here in DFW wanted way too much for fixing/grinding the reel. I 
could just buy a new reel for a couple hundred more than they quoted me. I need to contact Roland and see what I can do.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

DFWLawnNut said:


> JerseyGreens said:
> 
> 
> > DFWLawnNut said:
> ...


Keep us posted! Whenever I ask Roland this question he tells me to take a 6 pack of beer to my local golf course and find the guy who takes care of the reels.

Then I ask him if he's ever met anyone kind and outgoing from New Jersey before haha.


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## DFWLawnNut (Jul 7, 2020)

JerseyGreens said:


> Also have you guys checked out the multiple Swardman issues threads? Some of the stuff is unreal...
> 
> I'm glad we went with the Kensington...


I havent, but that was also one of the reasons I went with Allett was because they've been around for awhile. Swardmans are really nice looking and I prefer their hoc adjustment, but I couldnt justify the price on a machine that hasnt been around as long. Even Ryan Knorr's Swardman is having issues, at least the reel is from something.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

DFWLawnNut said:


> JerseyGreens said:
> 
> 
> > Also have you guys checked out the multiple Swardman issues threads? Some of the stuff is unreal...
> ...


I follow Allett on social media and to see their owner documenting through video a lawn Reno confirmed I made the right choice. They actually love what they do.

It was a blessing in disguise for me...I had an Electra on order that got cancelled because of quality control issues. I'm happy Lee was being honest with me at that point. I called Roland and the rest is history.


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## potatochip (May 28, 2020)

JerseyGreens said:


> DFWLawnNut said:
> 
> 
> > JerseyGreens said:
> ...


Yeah, I have had a similar interaction with Roland. Seems like a real nice guy, but I got a strong feeling that he wants nothing to do with having Allett users mail in reels for sharpening. This was one of the main reasons I went with Allett. I have tried for years to talk with local golf courses and have gotten nowhere. If they made the mail in process for reel sharpening easier it would really be awesome...


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

@potatochip - for sure. I've gotten lucky with just backlapping and keeping it sharp thus far.

I also found someone who is willing to sharpen it when that day comes - just took some calling around to find the place.


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## bulldog5 (Aug 18, 2020)

do you guys have issues with your 10blade reel cutting paper? I've been through 3 reels so far from warranty, none of them will cut paper until you crank the bedknfie clearance close, reel is too tight. Roland says it doesn't need to cut paper to cut grass. I completely disagree because it's white tipping my bermuda.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

He really said it doesn't need to cut paper?
But even the Allett videos use the paper test to check sharpness.


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## SunnyBermuda (Oct 16, 2019)

Some paper may be too thin, in my opinion.

Here is a short video where I cover how I check my reel to bedknife. The link should jump straight to the section.

You want the reel to be .002" (.05mm) from the bedknife. I like to use a thin business card to do my test. You could also grab a couple strands of grass from the yard.

https://youtu.be/5NtClQvotHE?t=955


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## ccomp83 (May 27, 2020)

@JayGo i saw your comment on the Kensington 20 mowing differently on the left than the right side. Mine just started doing this about 2 months ago and i can seem to get it to go away. i have both the 6 blade and 10 blade reels and it seems to be doing it worse on the 6 than the 10 but its doing it on both.

when you sent it to Austin Turf & Tractor did you mail it in or drive it down there? i live in North Fort Worth. If you shipped it, did Allett Cover the cost of this or any repairs you needed?

I have only had my machine for 1.5 years and it was doing great until the last 2 months and its driving me insane lol.

Appreciate any help in advance!


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

@ccomp83, I'll send you a PM.


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## pauljeter (Aug 24, 2020)

JayGo said:


> @ccomp83, I'll send you a PM.


I know this is an old thread, but I’m having the same issue. @JayGo can you send me the info as well? I’m in the DFW area.


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