Kuhn unveils 14.5m mower for high HP harvesters
With most forage harvester manufacturers offering machines touching 1000hp, the logistics puzzle has always been ‘dropping” grass and pulling into a swath big enough to feed the “beast”.
The Kuhn FC 2860, FC 3160 and 3560 TL machines offer mowing widths of 2.67, 3.1 and 3.5m respectively, and the choice of roller or tine-based crop conditioning units.
Why the need for offset or centre-pull drawbars? Without doubt centre-pull machines have the potential for up to 10% more output in large areas because they can operate on either side of the tractor, just like a reversible plough.
By contrast, offset drawbar machines can only work to the right side of the tractor, but cost less.
The new units offer the same key features as the centre-pull units, with Gyrodine swivel headstocks taking care of any PTO problems, even in tight turns, and the Optidisc cutterbar using irregularly spaced discs to achieve crop flow and clean cutting.
A gear-driven conditioner driveline is protected by the Posiguard safety system in the case of foreign objects, and offers the choice of two speeds for best conditioning effect.
The conditioner is also fitted as standard with adjustable swath doors for different following machines, but also has the ability to spread to the machine's full width if required. This is said to promote faster wilting and in most cases can avert at least one following tedder pass.
The machine has extra-large tyres for lower ground pressure and to reduce sward damage, particularly on damp ground.
