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By Steve Mitchell in Golf on 12th Oct 2009 22:00
Featuring a patented SpeedLink system that is unique in the golf industry, John Deere's new QuickAdjust (QA) cutting cylinders provide rapid height of cut adjustment from either side of the units.
This new technology allows adjustments of one thousandth of an inch to be made in just a few seconds to both sides of the rear roller simultaneously, using only an electric drive 16mm (⅝in) wrench or socket. This effectively allows the reels on an entire fleet to be set in the time it previously took to adjust the height of cut on just one mower.
The 127mm (5in) diameter QA5 cutting unit replaces the previous 22M version, and is available in 46 or 56cm (18 or 22in) cutting widths. The 178mm (7in) diameter QA7 replaces all ESP (extra strength & precision) cutting units, and is available in widths of 56, 66 or 76cm (22, 26 or 30in).
Introduced as a result of the company's customer feedback programme, these cutting units set a new standard in engineering innovation. The Speed Link system connects both sides of the rear roller with worm gears located on each side of the roller housings. As well as providing much quicker height of cut adjustment than has previously been possible, the worm gears ensure that the adjustment remains in place.
QA5 units feature easier and faster bedknife to reel adjustment using a new notch system, while QA7 units utilise the same system for reel to bedknife adjustment. QA5 cutting units offer an additional innovative and patented feature to extend the use of worn reels. A reel eccentric on the bedknife shoe can reposition the bedknife in relation to the reel and increase the clearance at the rear of the bedknife; this allows users to maintain a lower height of cut as the reel wears down towards the end of its working life.
For equally quick and simple height of cut range adjustments, the front rollers also utilise a notch system, which ensures that the rollers are locked into place regardless of mowing conditions. Now attached to the cutting units with clips for easier removal and greater stability, the grassboxes transfer the weight of clippings to the lift arms of the mowers' traction units, so that cutting height remains unaffected.
The cutting units can be specified with optional greens or fairway tender tender conditioners (GTCs or FTCs). The conditioner blades rotate in the opposite direction to the reel, to stand the grass up prior to cutting, and because they are gear-driven they can be turned off when not in use. These and other attachments, including brushes, can also be fitted and removed more quickly and easily, in 10 to 15 minutes.
The turf conditioners feature 'T' handles on each side of the cutting units, to lower the blades for grooming or raise them to help with dispersal of grass clippings. Conditioners are now available for both the 56 and 66cm (22 and 26in) QA7 units.
This option on the 66cm (26in) size cutting units will offer greater productivity when fitted to the John Deere 2653B tees & surrounds mower. On this machine, the use of recycling conditioners means that grass clippings don't have to be boxed off when working on tees, saving greenkeepers time and money.
Website: www.johndeere.co.uk
