The Optidisc® Cutterbar: A Clean and Consistent Cut

Lubed-For-Life Optidisc® Cutterbar

The Optidisc® cutterbar provides a flat, streamlined profile so that soil and crop residue do not accumulate and material flows smoothly, even in heavy, difficult crop conditions. Optidisc cutterbars are designed and tested with a zero oil change interval. The highly-polished gears and synthetic gear oil ensure that this system does not require any regular internal maintenance, eliminating the need for cutterbar oil changes throughout the life of the machine.

Differential Disc Spacing

The innovative design of the Optidisc cutterbar offers exclusive differential disc spacing.

1- Less Distance for a Clean Cut: Narrower spacing at diverging discs provides greater knife overlap, which results in a clean cut, even when the grass is short or light.

2- More Distance for Easy Crop Passage: Wider spacing (2) at converging discs provides more space for the crop to pass. Cut crop is quickly carried away from the cutting area, greatly improving the cut quality.

Discs

The new style discs incorporate flat angled leading edges to lift the crop off of the cutterbar and promote fast movement of the crop through the machine to be laid in an even swath. On the underside of the disc, there are welded-on scrapers. These scrapers keep the cutterbar clean of mud, dirt and debris when mowing in wet or dusty conditions.

Protectadrive® Disc Bearing Stations

// Protectadrive® Safety - Every minute saved during the hay season is precious. Ultimate protection, from the externally removable Protectadrive disc bearing stations, provides maximum reliability and quick service. In the event of an impact between a disc and an obstacle, the shaft holding the disc can shear just above the bearing. This is thanks to its carefully dimensioned shear groove. As a result, the gear teeth are protected.

// Extra Rigidity Where it Counts - Disc bearing stations are attached by bolts that pass through the entire cutterbar. This is an exceptionally strong and secure attachment with no risk of mount being torn out of the cutterbar in case of shocks. The disc drive pinion is held precisely in place, all resulting in excellent reliability and reduced maintenance costs.

// Gear-to-Gear Power Transmission - Gear-to-gear power transmission, a staple of all KUHN disc mowers, allows for maximum power to be transferred through all gears in the cutterbar. Unlike other gear cutterbars, equal sized gears throughout reduces torque on the gear teeth and leads to unsurpassed reliability and longevity.

Pro-Active Lift®

This maintenance-free system allows the machine to quickly adapt to abrupt changes in terrain or when an obstruction is encountered in the field. The cutting head is able to move up and back simultaneously, dissipating the force of any impact and providing space to clear the obstacle. This unique design reduces scalping to preserve crop stubble and helps protect the machine from potential damage. A slotted linkage on each side provide guidance for the header and eliminates the need to run the hydraulics in the float position.

Constant Float Suspension

The header is suspended on each side by a long, large-diameter spring that provides a constant range of flotation. The floating head lifts up and back, and can oscillate from side-to-side, to closely follow the ground contours and conform to irregular terrain. This reduces the amount of missed crop in the field and helps keep dirt out of the harvested crop.

Superior Maneuverability

The heavy-duty Gyrodine® gearbox is designed to withstand the most severe pull-through force from the hitch to the machine. The swivel design allows in excess of a 90° turn while keeping the PTO driveline straight. This design also allows extremely tight turns for clean, square corners while minimizing PTO vibration and wear.

Hitch Options to Meet Your Needs

To best meet your needs, choose between a Cat 2/3N quick hitch compatible 2-point hitch and a simple drawbar hitch for your KUHN 50 TL Series mower.

The Cat. 2/3N quick-hitch compatible 2-point hitch provides a fully controlled connection and allows easy adjustment to maintain a level PTO. It also provides more ground clearance for previously mowed crops to pass through. Connecting arms pivot during hookup for easy alignment. All connecting hitches must meet current ASABE specifications.

The drawbar hitch is easy to hook up and the heavy-duty build provides dependability and long life. The built-in swivel allows movement in three dimensions to easily adapt to uneven field conditions.

Simple Design and Easy Service

Direct Drive Design

The direct design provides easy access for servicing and fully eliminates belts. Reliability is greatly improved when working in longer, tough or lodged crops. Unlike competitive models that require daily greasing, the driveshaft to the cutterbar uses maintenance-free U-joints. These joints reduce overall maintenance and eliminate excessive wear from improper maintenance.

Convenient Height Adjustment

The height change adjustments are fast and simple, and do not require tools. Cutting height is set using a special turnbuckle that adjusts easily with only modest effort. A convenient gauge on the turnbuckle shows the cutting height for precise field adjustments.