The R400 and R500 Rotary Platforms provide a variety of conditioner options tailored to meet the needs of producers. Different crop types demand different conditioners to ensure optimal performance in window formation, cut quality, and drydown time.
Urethane conditioning rolls
Urethane conditioning rolls
- The urethane roll conditioner works well in legumes, especially alfalfa and most all-grass crops. In general, roll conditioners are better suited for thick- stemmed, cane-type, and taller grasses more than 1.5-m (5-ft) tall.
- Molded urethane rolls are formed by a cool molding process that does not distort or warp the steel core of the roll, ensuring the rolls are arrow straight and cylindrical, so they can be accurately spaced close together for uniform conditioning along the length of the roll.
- The intermittent, recessed-cleat design gives more crimping edges for greater pressure per square inch, which results in superior conditioning and faster crop drying.
An adjustable swath board is included with the urethane conditioner roll option.
Impeller
Free-swinging impeller - R400 only
Pre-loaded tine impeller - R500 only
The R400 and R500 Rotary Platforms are each equipped with unique impeller conditioners tailored for optimal performance. The R400 features a free-swinging impeller, while the R500 comes with a pre-loaded tine impeller, making both models ideal for conditioning grass crops and legumes such as alfalfa.
The R400 has V-shaped tines and the R500 has straight-shaped tines that create a scuffing action by pushing the crop against an adjustable conditioning hood. This action effectively removes the waxy surface of the stem, enabling faster moisture evaporation. However, it is important to note that these conditioners are not recommended for crops 1.5 m (5 ft) or taller.
The adjustable conditioner hood offers operators the flexibility to modify the distance between the hood and the impeller tines. A tighter clearance results in more aggressive conditioning, while a wider setting accommodates larger crop volumes and provides gentler conditioning for legumes. Additionally, the impeller rotor speed can also be adjusted only for the R400 by altering the drive belt routing. It is important to note that no conditioner speed adjustments are recommended for the R500.
The R400's free-swinging impeller tines are designed to protect the conditioner from damage when encountering rocks or other solid objects, reducing maintenance needs in challenging conditions. The force of the free-swinging impeller ensures that the tines effectively push on the crop.
On the other hand, the R500 features a pre-loaded tine impeller equipped with 162 individual tines, which can be replaced due to wear or breakage. It is crucial to operate the machine with all tines intact, as missing or broken tines can lead to imbalances and vibrations that may cause damage. The pre-loaded tine impeller not only pushes the tines outward but also allows them to apply greater force on the crop.
The impeller speeds for the R400 free-swinging impeller are:
- 870 rpm – ideal for grasses
- 630 rpm – suggested setting for legume crops
- Increased impeller speed in taller crops may help reduce wrapping of rolls
The recommended impeller speed for the R500 pre-loaded impeller is:
- 2350 rpm - minimum rpm required to maintain force of the pre-loaded tines on the crop
V-10 steel conditioning rolls
Close-up of V-10 steel conditioning rolls
- The V-10 steel conditioner rolls feature 10 angled flutes arranged in a chevron pattern, or V-pattern, along the length of the steel core.
- Steel rolls offer improved wear life over urethane rolls, particularly in adverse crop conditions.
Advantages of the V-10 conditioner roll over the previous straight-flute design include:
- Deep intermeshing angles for positive feeding and uniform conditioning throughout the entire length of the rolls
- More crimping edges for improved conditioning
- Improved feeding
- Improved windrow formation
An adjustable swath board is included with the V-10 steel conditioner roll option.
Tri-Lobe™ steel conditioning rolls
Tri-Lobe steel conditioning rolls
Close-up of Tri-Lobe steel conditioning rolls
Tri-Lobe steel conditioning rolls are only available on the R500 Platform.
- Tri-Lobe steel conditioning rolls have three intermeshing chevron lobes to crush the length of the stem for improved conditioning and faster drydown. The rolls are manufactured using a patented process.
- The steel material increases wear life, especially in abrasive crops or soil conditions. Durability is a distinct advantage compared to other crusher-style rolls made of rubber or urethane. The chevron design of the rolls gives positive feeding and improved crop flow.
- These rolls are well-suited for use in alfalfa where reduced curing time results in less bleaching of the crop. In heavy, thick-stemmed crops, such as sudan or sudex, the steel construction of the rolls does a very good job of breaking up the nodes on the stems to improve dry down.
Replaceable end shafts
- The shafts on the Tri-Lobe rolls are steel forgings that are then machined. These precision parts have minimal runout, which means that the rolls themselves rotate precisely around their axis.
- This precision enables the rolls to be adjusted to a minimum clearance for consistent conditioning along the length of the rolls.
- The machined, forged roll ends are bolted into the core of the Tri-Lobe steel roll. In the event a roll end is damaged, the entire roll does not need to be replaced. Each shaft can be replaced individually, resulting in lower repair costs.
- For serviceability, each roll end has two threaded holes so bolts can be used to pull the shafts from the steel core of the roll.
An adjustable swath board is included with Tri-Lobe conditioner option.