With spring upon us, thoughts turn towards shutting up paddocks for conservation and maybe the purchase of new machinery to get the job done. The latest 28 Series disc mowers from Kverneland offer several features that the manufacturer says make a real difference to cutting performance and the cost of ownership.
At the heart of the machine, KV's own cutter-bar takes the form of two C-shaped steel profiles that are brought together with a single welded seam. This creates a torsional-rigid cutter-bar with massive strenght, no leaks, a high oil capacity, no maintenance and an extended service life. The unique round cutting discs also ensure there are no "pinch" points for stones or matted crop, while quick change blades make it easy to ensure cutting quality.
Available in 3.2m
(8-disc), 3.6m (9-disc)
and 4.0m (10-disc) set
ups, the 2832, 2836 and
2840 models feature a
heavy-duty headstock
and frame, using a centre
pivot layout to support
the mowing element.
Ground adaption and suspension
is taken care of
by HD coil spring system
that responds quickly to
changing conditions and
is easy to adjust.
Offering a shaft-drive
layout, overload protection
is taken care of by a
slip clutch and a breakaway
device is incorporated
into the lower link
position, meaning that
if an obstacle is encountered,
the mower unit can
break back, then reset
after the obstruction is
cleared.
Requiring only one
single-acting hydraulic
connection, the mower
folds vertically up to 125
degrees from horizontal,
pulling the cutter-bar
inside the line of the tractor’s
offside rear fender
for transport, while also
increasing stability at road
transport speeds.
Product manager
for distributor Power
Farming Group, Shane
Cox, says “the 28 Series
machines are very heavyduty
machines, so are ideally
suited to larger scale
farms or in contracting
operations”.
Likewise, for those
wishing to push moisture
out of mown crops, the
Kverneland Proline 8500
Series tedders take on
many of the same attributes.
Available in 5.5 or 7.6
metre working widths,
the 8555 and 8576 models
are 4 or 6-rotor machines,
featuring a heavy-duty
box section main beam,
to which permanent
oil-bath gearboxes
are bolted, thereby
eliminating and stress
loadings passed through
the machine. Internally,
the rotor gearboxes
feature pinion shafts that
are supported by twin
bearing assemblies, said
to eliminate distortion
extreme loadings, while
ensuring that gear
engagement remains
constant, so extending
the service life of the
machine.
Each rotor assembly is
equipped with seven flat
steel tine arms, which in
turn carry Super-C tines,
with equal-length arms to
promote even spread over
the full working width.
Each tine, manufactured
from 10mm diameter,
shot-peened spring steel,
is fitted with twin 80mm
diameter coil springs, so
are suited to heavy crop
conditions.
Tine angle can be
adjusted to offer aggressive
angles depending
on crop, while a border
spreading function
reduces spreading width
to keep material under
control on headlands or
alongside drains.
During folding to a
2.95m transport width,
maintenance free rollers
ensure correct alignment
of the wing sections,
while double universal
joints help reduce shocks
or torsional loading being
transmitted through the
driveline.