ActiveMow – the new mower range: All Krone knowledge inclusive

The global mower markets currently absorb about 50,000 units every year, 50% of these being rear-mounted machines with work widths of less than 3.20m. This is the market at which the new Krone ActiveMow mowers are targeted, also setting new benchmarks for lateral mowers. All ActiveMow models feature the same level of specification as the high-end Krone mowers and the self-propelled high-capacity Big M, including a cutterbar with SmartCut effect, SafeCut cutterbar protection, a massive headstock and vertical storage as an option to minimise space requirement.

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The ActiveMow range lines up the following models: ActiveMow R 200 working at a 2.05m width, ActiveMow R 240 with a 2.44m work width, ActiveMow R 280 with 2.83m width, ActiveMow R 320 with a 3,22 m work width and ActiveMow R 360 working at 3,61m.

The fully welded cutterbar features the well-proven EasyCut modular design which allows replacing wear parts quickly and at low costs. Also, the permanently lubricated cutterbar suggests substantially lower costs and true operator comfort. Quick-changing knives are standard specification but they can also be replaced by optional bolt-on knives. The satellite driveline allows the mowers to produce swaths but also to spread the material across the working width. Material that is spread rather than swathed will dry faster whereas swaths allow the tractor to straddle the crop and avoid contamination.

Another ActiveMow stand-out feature is SmartCut, which optimizes disc overlaps. The discs turning outwards are set closer together to increase blade overlap and improve the quality of cut even further. At the same time, this design optimizes the crop flow, because it increases the space that is available for the material to flow through. ActiveMow further benefits from the frictional connections provided by gearboxes and drive shafts rather than belts. The maintenance-free overrun gear is integrated in the gearbox.

The solid headstock was adapted to match increasing tractor powers and higher work rates. Adjustable lower link pins set the overlaps of the side mowers with the front unit and relative to the tractor width. The advantage of this is that users can combine ActiveMow with any front mower and tractor brand. Furthermore, the headstock integrates a removable blade box where operators can store their blades and even sort them by sense of rotation.

The mower is suspended by springs which offer simple setting options and a quick response in all conditions. The suspension force is set on a pin-and-hole system.

Changeover into transport position is by folding the machine into the well-proven 100° angle and inclining the upright machine slightly towards the tractor. This position makes for an optimum weight distribution and an excellent rear view.

Swath boards, high-cutting skids and vertical park position as options

The ActiveMow mowers are available with optional swath boards (on either side), which are a boon in high-yielding crops where they help to form neat swaths. High-cutting skids are also available to give added protection to the cutterbar in stony conditions. Furthermore, Krone also offers new ActiveMow models with foldable stands for minimum storage space requirement.