Mower-Conditioner Operation

Symptom Problem Solution

Excessive noise and vibration

Mower-conditioner incorrectly attached to tractor.

Attach mower-conditioner correctly (see "Attaching and Detaching" Section).

Roll conditioner; Rolls too close.

Adjust roll spacing (see "Adjusting Roll Spacing" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Excessive build-up on rolls.

Clean rolls.

Loose hardware.

Check tightness of hardware.

Impeller conditioner; Impeller tines missing or broken.

Replace missing or broken tines.

Operating tongue in transport position

Optional driveline with CV at platform gearbox must be used if machine is operated in transport.

Tractor driveline not running level.

Adjust hitch height to level driveline. (See "Adjusting Equal Angle Hitch in "Preparing the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Damaged leaves and broken stems

Roll conditioner; Roll pressure too high.

Adjust roll pressure (see "Adjusting roll pressure" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Roll conditioner; Rolls too close.

Adjust roll spacing. (See "Adjusting roll spacing" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section)

Impeller conditioner; Excessive impeller rotor speed.

Reduce rotor speed (see "Changing Impeller Rotor Speed" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Impeller conditioner; Conditioning hood too close to rotor.

Reposition conditioning hood (see "Adjusting Conditioning Intensity" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

OUO6085,00002AE -19-01DEC04-1/6


Symptom Problem Solution

Rolls plugging (Roll conditioner)

Foreign objects between rolls.

Disengage tractor PTO and stop engine. When all moving parts have completely stopped, remove foreign objects.

Roll pressure too high.

Adjust roll pressure (see "Adjusting roll pressure" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Roll conditioner; Rolls too close.

Adjust roll spacing. (See "Adjusting roll spacing" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section)

Cutting height too low.

Raise cutterbar.

Operating in very heavy crop.

Reduce ground speed or cut less than full width of cutterbar.

Incorrect PTO speed.

Correct PTO speed.

Operating in very long crop.

Increase roll spacing (see "Adjusting Roll Spacing" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Cutterbar plugging

Wet ground conditions causing plugging.

Increase cutting height by reducing platform angle (see "Adjusting Cutting Height" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Adjust side gauge shoes (see "Adjusting Cutting Height" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Adjust float springs (see "Adjusting Platform Float" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Impeller conditioner hood set too low

Raise conditioner hood

Bent or broken knives.

Replace knives (see "Removing Knives" and "Installing Knives" in "Service" Section).

OUO6085,00002AE -19-01DEC04-2/6


Symptom Problem Solution

Ragged cut

Incorrect platform float spring adjustment (header too light).

Adjust float springs (see "Adjusting Platform Float" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Incorrect cutterbar angle.

Change cutterbar angle (tilt down) (see "Adjusting Cutting Height" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Slow impeller rotor speed.

Increase rotor speed (see "Changing Impeller Rotor Speed" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Dull knives.

Reverse or replace knives (see "Removing Knives" and "Installing Knives" in "Service" Section).

Knives incorrectly installed.

Install knives correctly (see "Installing Knives" in "Service" Section).

Excessive ground speed.

Reduce ground speed.

Incorrect cutting height.

Adjust side gauge shoes (see "Adjusting Cutting Height" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Change cutterbar angle (see "Adjusting Cutting Height" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Down or lodged crop.

Tilt cutterbar down (see "Adjusting Cutting Height" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Disk driver hub sheared. Disk not driven at full speed.

Replace disk driver (see procedure in "Service" Section).

Crop accelerators damaged or worn.

Replace accelerators (see "Replacing Crop Accelerators" in "Service" Section).

Lower crop shield damaged.

Repair or replace shield.

OUO6085,00002AE -19-01DEC04-3/6


Symptom Problem Solution

Frequent breakage or bending of knives

Cutterbar set too low.

Raise cutterbar or adjust side gauge shoes (see "Adjusting Cutting Height" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Incorrect platform float spring adjustment (cutterbar too heavy).

Adjust float springs (decrease weight) (see "Adjusting Platform Float" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Incorrect knife mounting.

Check knife bolts and nuts (see "Checking Knife Bolt Wear" and "Checking Knife Lock Nut Wear" in "Service" Section).

Check knives. Make sure knives rotate freely on bolts (see "Checking Knife Wear" and "Installing Knives" in "Service" Section).

Poorly formed or bunchy windrows

Incorrect PTO speed.

Correct PTO speed.

Ground speed too slow.

Increase ground speed.

Crop accelerators damaged or worn.

Replace accelerators (see "Replacing Crop Accelerators" in "Service" Section).

Slow impeller rotor speed.

Increase rotor speed (see "Changing Impeller Rotor Speed" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Conditioning hood too far away from rotor.

Reposition conditioning hood (see "Adjusting Conditioning Intensity" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

OUO6085,00002AE -19-01DEC04-4/6


Symptom Problem Solution

Strips of uncut material left on field

Broken or excessively worn knives.

Replace knives (see "Removing Knives" and "Installing Knives" in "Service" Section).

Mud and/or foreign objects on cutterbar.

Disengage tractor PTO and stop engine. When all moving parts have completely stopped, remove mud and/or foreign objects.

Incorrect platform float spring adjustment.

Adjust float springs (see "Adjusting Platform Float" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Strips of uncut material passing between disks.

Improper platform weight (see "Adjusting Platform Float" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Turn or replace knives before end is worn to halfway point (see "Removing Knives" and "Installing Knives" in "Service" Section).

Check knife wear (see "Checking Knife Wear" in "Service" Section).

Disk driver hub sheared. Disk not driven at full speed.

Replace disk driver (see procedure in "Service" Section).

Crop accelerators damaged or worn.

Replace accelerators (see "Replacing Crop Accelerators" in "Service" Section).

V-Belt breakage

Incorrect belt tension.

Replace belt and adjust belt tension (see "Replacing Main Drive Belt", "Adjusting Main Drive Belt Tension", "Replacing Impeller Drive Belt" and "Adjusting Impeller Drive Belt Tension" in "Service" Section).

OUO6085,00002AE -19-01DEC04-5/6


Symptom Problem Solution

Crop wrapping on impeller

Impeller running too slow.

Operate impeller in high speed (see "Changing Impeller Rotor Speed" in "Operating the Mower-Conditioner" Section).

Operate tractor at PTO speed

Ground speed too slow.

Increase ground speed.

Machine will not raise off left-hand side lock channel.

Right-hand lift cylinder fully extended (not on lock channel) but left-hand side cylinder not moving.

Rephase cylinders (see "Bleeding Platform Lift Circuit" in "Service" Section).

Tongue swing too slow

Tractor outlet not on full flow

Adjust flow control on tractor outlet until tongue swings from one side to the other in 3-4 seconds

Header drop-time too slow

Incorrect tractor outlet for single-acting cylinder system.

Check tractor operator's manual - use correct outlet (see "Connecting Mower-Conditioner to Tractor Hydraulic System" in "Attaching and Detaching" Section).

Excessive back pressure at tractor outlet.

Adjust flow control on tractor outlet to get 1 to 2 second drop-time.

OUO6085,00002AE -19-01DEC04-6/6