DRIVING IMPRESSION: In 2019, Krone presented the EasyCut F400 CV Fold, a front-mounted mower with a working width of over 4.0m. We grabbed the chance to try out the latest version.
The vast majority of front-mounted mowers operating within the UK and Ireland are 3.0m machines due to the transport width, though some buyers have dared to go for a 3.5m unit. So, you can understand why Krone wanted to push the boundaries and develop a 4.0m mower, listing the following reasons for its decision:
● Larger overall working widths when used in combination with a typical triple-mower outfit.
● Improved efficiency when operated as part of a zero-grazing regime.
● Though probably less relevant for our part of the world, it can work in steep Alpine regions where tractors can be fitted with dual wheels that often exceed the cutting width.
We caught up with the latest version of the EasyCut F400 Fold, supplied complete with merging augers instead of a conditioner to cut fresh grass. Compared with the already familiar F320 Krone has redesigned the headstock for the F400 so it can match the outputs of tractors of up to 500hp and the large triple combinations that it’s likely to be partnered with. One detail of this beefier design are the Cat III balls.
Raise independently
The integrated linkage has two hydraulic rams with accumulators allowing up to 1.0m of travel. The driver can see the pressure gauge (60 bar is the target) on the right-hand side from the cab. A single-acting spool is required for operating the raise/lower, while a doubleacting
service is needed for folding in and unfolding the two side units.
For uniform weight distribution and cutterbar suspension, Krone opted for a split driveline. The bed is powered from the left-hand side. Depending which is fitted, the conditioner or swath auger is driven from the right.
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