Cyclone Spreader Settings Chart

Cyclone is one of the most widely used spreader brands. They primarily produce lawn spreaders and seeders for lawn dressing and mechanized farming.

In this article, we will be giving a standard spreader settings chart for their flagship spreaders; the PTO models S-3 & S-1. Although they’re primarily regarded as cyclone seeders, they can equally be used to spread other soil materials.

cyclone spreader settings

Cyclone Spreader Settings Chart

While the settings by material listed below are the standard recommendations for spreading each underlying material, the specific settings you end up implementing on your cyclone spreader for your turf will depend on a variety of factors.

Ideally, you want to start with a low-end setting on a testing ground that’s no more than ¼ of the entire land/turf, then evaluate the results to get what’s best for you. This chart will primarily use only 100lbs per acre unless in special cases where the spreading range needs to be adjusted in special cases. You can adjust accordingly if your land area is less than an acre.

Material PTO Speed (MPH) Ground Speed (MPH) lbs. per acre Gauge Setting Mounting Height Spreading Disk to Ground Spreader Mounting Angle to Tractor Spreader Width (Ft.)
Large Heavy Pellets 540 6 100 10.5 36’’ 28
Small Pellets and Granules 1000 3.8 100 7.5 38’’ 16
Mixed Size Granules and Some Fines 540 4 100 5.5  36’’ ↑or ↖ 16
Medium Pellets like Nitrogen 540 3.8 100 9 36’’ 30
Medium Mixed Size Granules 540 3.8 100 10.5 36’’ 35
Small Light Weight Granules 540 3.8 100 7.5 All Heights 14
Aldrin 20% Mesh 540 2.3 7.5 1.75 All Heights 10
Heptachlor 540 3 7.5 1.75 All Heights 12
Servin (Granular) (Sand Carrier) 540 4 87 4.25 All Heights 12
Servin Franular Atteclay Carrier) 1000 4 87 4.25 All Heights 12
Simatine 540 2.3 125 5 All Heights 10
Lespedeza Korean Unshelled  540 3.8 20 4.75 All Heights 26
Meadow L’oxtail 540 3.8 12 5.75 All Heights 8
Millet 540 3.8 10 3.5 All Heights 32
Oats 540 3.8 32 9.5 All Heights 28
Panicgrass Blue 540 3.8 5 1.75 All Heights 22
Rape 1000 3.8 5 3.25 All Heights 40
Ryegrass  540 3.8 25 6 All Heights 18
Rye (Grais)  540 3.8 50 10 All Heights 40
Sudan Grass Sorghum 1000 8 10 4.5 All Heights 40
Vetch   1000 6 20 6.75 All Heights 40
Wheat 10 6 55 11.5 All Heights 40
Alfalfa 540 2.3 10 2.5 36’’ 24
Birdsfeet Trefoil  540 2.3 4 1.5 35’’ 24
Barley 540 3.8 45 10.25 All Heights 36
Bluegrass Kentucky 540 3.8 20 4 All Heights 10
Bromegrass  1000 3 4 3 All Heights 10
Clover 1000 6 4 1.75 All Heights 30
Fescue, Kentucky 1 1000 3.8 10 5.25 All Heights 15
Ladino 1000 6 2 1 All Heights 24
Lespedeza, Sericea  540 3.8 20 3.5 All Heights 29

While these are standard Cyclone spreader settings for certain generic products, whatever you end up using as your settings may be entirely different due to a number of reasons such as the age of the spreader and topography of the turf.

At any rate, whatever settings you implement should be close to what’s given above.

Things to Note Before using a Cyclone Spreader (PTO Models S-1 and S-3),

Although we always encourage you to be flexible with the spreader settings, certain things don’t change. These guidelines don’t change and should be followed if you want a proper finishing of your spread and if you want your spreader to last longer.

You can determine spread width by

  • Whirling spreading disk’s speed
  • Mounting heights (for some materials
  • Volume density of granular material, size of the seed, and size of fertilizer

Not all materials have the same spreading characteristics as seen in the settings chart – The arrow indicates the proper mounting angle (if required) for individual materials. For equal spread on both sides of the spreader, point it in the direction of the arrow as indicated in the chart.

PTO spreader angles – are always for counter-clockwise rotation of the PTO and spreading disk. For Farmall Cub Tractors with clockwise rotation, PTO and spreading disk should be set to reverse arrow directions

Spreader calibration checks – first, check the lever settings; #2½ should show exactly 1/8’’ with an equal opening. Also, adjust the allen screw on the “arm” connecting the feed plate to the control lever.

Distance from the center of spreading disk to the edge of the feed flow spout – should be exactly 2-15/64’’. Adjustments may be made by loosening the four bracket bolts, adjusting the bracket, and tightening bolts.