Hi everybody, I’m Scott Geier with John Deere,
and today, we’re going to talk about the basics of setting up and operating a mower conditioner.
There are several pieces of equipment that can be used for cutting hay.
But when it comes to cutting larger fields typically found in livestock and dairy operations,
the two most commonly used tools are a disc mower or a mower conditioner.
Both use similar types of cutterbars to cut the hay, but the mower conditioner does so much more.
Whereas a disc mower and other hay cutting tools just cut the hay,
a mower conditioner cuts the hay, then conditions the cut hay by running it through a conditioning
system that cracks or crimps the stalks to promote moisture evaporation and faster
drying. The conditioned hay is then pushed out the back of the MoCo through forming vanes. The
forming vanes and shields can be adjusted to shape how the hay coming out lies in the field.
Today we’ll be using a John Deere 5125M Utility Tractor and a John Deere C350
Center Pivot Mower Conditioner, or MoCo. And we’ll be reviewing the basics of hookup,
adjustment, and operation. Remember, for all the details about your tractor and mower conditioner,
always read your Operator’s Manual and follow all operating and safety instructions.
Okay. Let’s get started.
First, follow your Operator’s Manual instructions
for attaching your MoCo to your tractor based on the hitch system you’re using.
Then make sure the top of your drawbar is 13 – 20 inches above the ground surface.
Somewhere in that height range the MoCo PTO shaft will run level
and do a good job of cutting the hay at the height you want.
And make sure the distance from the top of the drawbar to the
tractor’s PTO shaft centerline is 6 – 12 inches.
Finally, measure the distance from the end of the tractor’s PTO shaft to the drawbar
pin hole centerline. MoCo PTO is either 540 or 1000 rpm. The distance should be
14-inches for 540 or 16-inches for 1000 rpm. Then attach the PTO, secure the safety chain,
attach the hydraulic hoses, remove the jack stand and store it on the MoCo’s tongue.
Next, get back in the tractor cab and set the depth stop on the 3-point control.
This allows the operator to return the MoCo to
the same operating position every time the machine is raised using the 3-point hitch.
Time to set up the MoCo in three basic steps. Once you’ve completed these steps in the correct order,
and assuming the conditions in which you’re working don’t really change,
only minor adjustments will likely be all that’s needed in the future.
First, adjust the cutting height by adjusting the gauge shoes.
Start by releasing the swing lock. Then swing the MoCo out into operating position.
Next, make sure the lock cylinders are locked
by moving the locking lever to the horizontal position.
Step 1, remove the locking pins to raise or lower the gauge shoe on one side,
then replace the locking pins to set the gauge shoe at the desired height.
Then make the same adjustment to the gauge shoe on the other side of the machine.
Step 2, adjust the cutterbar tilt using the turnbuckle to angle the cutterbar up or down.
There may be instances, like mowing downed hay, when you might want to set the cutterbar at a
different angle. But typically, you want a nice, flat cutting angle for your cutterbar.
Step 3, adjust the float, which keeps the machine’s weight off the cutterbar and on the
float springs, allowing the MoCo to follow the contour of the field. Lengthening or shortening
the large float springs on each side of the machine adjusts the ground pressure. Too much
pressure and the MoCo will have a tendency to scrape the ground in places or leave gauge shoe
tracks in the field. Too little pressure and the machine will have a tendency to bounce up and down
resulting in an uneven cut. And remember, the side of the MoCo with the gearbox will be heavier
than the other side. So the spring adjustments will need to be slightly different on each side.
Make those adjustments in that order – gauge shoes, tilt, and float – and you’re almost
ready to go. The last important adjustments are to the windrow forming shields, which
set the width of the windrow – and to the swath board, which controls the height of the windrow.
To adjust the distance between the windrow forming shields, just loosen the two handles,
adjust the shields, and re-tighten the handles. Because we’ll be raking our hay,
we set the forming shields almost as wide as possible to make a wide windrow.
To adjust the swath board, move the adjustment handle forward to lower the swath board,
or backward to raise it. We lowered the swath board to
produce a shorter windrow and maintain its width.
Now comes the third and final step for MoCo operation – and
the reason we’re all here – cutting hay.
Once in the field, set the MoCo up to operate off-center from the tractor. This way, the MoCo
will cut the standing hay while the tractor moves over the swath of previously cut hay.
We’re using a center pivot MoCo. So we began
by running the tractor along the outer-most edge of the hay field.
After completing that pass, we moved the MoCo to the opposite side of the tractor,
on the outside edge of the field, and began the next pass with the MoCo cutting back swath.
In this fashion, the operator continues working in a pattern that becomes smaller and smaller with
each completed pass until the field is cut. The tractor doesn’t run on top of uncut hay. And all
the cut hay will lay in the same direction making the baling process more efficient.
After cutting just a few good yards of hay,
stop and exit the tractor after following all safety procedures. Examine a big handful of hay
that’s been cut and decide if you need to adjust the conditioning intensity. If so,
turn the conditioning crank clockwise to increase the conditioning effect, or counterclockwise to
decrease the conditioning effect. You can follow the adjustment change on the conditioning gauge.
Let the cut hay lay in the field until the next day, or when it is dry enough to rake and bale.
Next up – Round Baler Basics.
But first – don’t forget to always read the Operator’s Manual before storing or
operating any piece of equipment, and follow all operating and safety instructions.
And remember, if you’re looking for equipment that’s built to get
the job done season after season, year after year,
you’ll find it – and all kinds of advice on how to use it – every day at your John Deere dealer.