A new 4.20m wide rear-mounted mower, the Disco 4400 Contour, has been added to the CLAAS Disco range. It features central pivoting and Active Float, plus an innovative vector folding system.
Rear-mounted mowers with large working widths used in front-rear combinations can be an effective alternative to triple combinations, depending on the application. CLAAS has responded to customer demand for a rear mower with a working width of more than 4.0m with the launch of the new DISCO 4400 CONTOUR. The mower features innovative diagonal 120 degree folding for safe, vertical road transport at a height of less than
4.00m and a space-saving storage position combined with powerful performance.
Mower bed for single or double swaths
With its 4.2m working width, the new Disco 4400 Contour becomes the flagship model in the Disco range. As with other mowers in the Disco range it features the well proven Max Cut mower bed for which there is a double swath laying option. This is achieved by placing two swath drums on the 4th and 5th disc (from the inside) to create one narrower and one wider single swath. This is especially useful on wet or soft ground as it avoids driving on the forage.
The mower bed on the Disco 4400 is pivot-mounted at its centre of gravity. An adjustable spiral spring ensures that the mower bed comes down evenly during lowering while two vibration dampers stabilise it as it is raised. Two pivot points on the arm at right angles to the direction of travel ensure optimum ground contour following on uneven ground and when mowing banks.
Active Float suspension, tried and tested over many years, allows the ground pressure of the mower bed to be adjusted from the cab by spool valve while on the move. A gauge on the headstock shows the current set pressure. In parked position a mechanical latch disables the suspension system so that pressure is maintained in the circuit. Alternatively, the pressure can be reduced so that the mechanical lock is not required.
The Disco 4400 Contour is equipped with the unique hydraulic non-stop collision protection as standard. In the event of a collision, the mower bar swings back and over the obstacle thanks to a rotating pin inclined at an angle of 15 degrees. Oil from the collision protection system is forced into the suspension ram to further depressurise the mower bed. This provides effective protection from serious damage. Once past the obstacle, the mower bed automatically swings back to its working position due to the oil pressure.
New 120° vector folding
A unique feature of the Disco 4400 Contour is its vector folding system which allows the mower to be folded vertically to 120 degrees for transport. The unique part is that the mower can then be folded backwards slightly using the hydraulic break back ram, which then allows the mower when folded for transport to lean backwards slightly to reduce the transport height. So, despite having a working width of 4.20m, the mower unit achieves a transport height of less than 4.0m for road travel. At the same time, it is positioned diagonally behind the tractor and supported by the headstock, thereby shifting the centre of gravity to the tractor’s longitudinal axle.
Compared with mowers that pivot to the rear, this solution reduces the load on the tractor front axle by around 50% having a positive impact on the steering behaviour. Furthermore, in transport position the Disco 4400 Contour hardly swings back at all and so does not endanger other road users when turning or negotiating tight bends and makes it easier to get into the field gate from a narrow road.
