Revamped Claas Disco mowers hit all the right notes
Farmers considering replacing equipment for the next silage season may be interested in Claas’ launch of a refreshed line-up of their Disco mower range.
Nine models have been replaced, including the Disco Inline and Disco
50, with completely new machines which feature two particular innovations designed to improve performance.
The first improvement is the geometry of the hitch which aligns the main spring to suspend the cutting unit at its centre of gravity, although still attached by the tractor end of the mower.
This, according to Claas, combined with a frame supporting the whole width of the cutter bar, mimics the effect of centrally mounted mowers, ensuring even contact pressure across the cutter bar — resulting in a consistent cutting height.
The second feature is the migration of the company’s Max Cut mower bed down to the entry-level end of the range, with three new mowers ranging from 2.2m to 3m boasting this component.
The shape of the casting ensures that the blades are projected as forward as possible with a high degree of overlap between them as they emerge from above the bed and into the crop, which leads to a more thorough and even cut, Claas claim.
Two of the new Disco models are available with conditioners and are equipped to the same level as the Disco Contour series, which allows them to follow undulations more evenly despite not being centrally hitched. They are the 3.0m and 3.4m variants with a folding angle of 105˚ for safe transport.
Other notable points include the ability to operate on slopes of up to 45˚, a 95˚ folding angle thanks to a double drive gearbox and a belt drive system which can be adjusted without tools.
This tends to determine the success of cheaper models in Ireland. Fresh first-cut crops tend to be heavy on machinery here, and shafts rather than belts tend to dominate the market.
Lightweight and lowhorsepower requirements are noble ideals but not always practical.
Good move: