DRIVING IMPRESSION: Looking to expand its product portfolio, McHale has developed a range of mower conditioners and dived in at the deep end with a front mounted and rear butterfly combination. Designated the Pro Glide family, arguably the biggest news on the all-new line-up is its suspension system.
Entering a new machinery segment is no easy feat. After all, there’s no point coming along with another ‘me too’ product if you want to stand out from the established crowd. With this in mind McHale has jumped in at the very top end of the contractor and large-farm grass cutting sector with a triple mower conditioner combination and a major focus on suspension and contour-following ability.
Dubbed Pro Glide, McHale’s initial line-up will include the R3100, a 3.1m rear-mounted mower, the F3100 front-mounted unit and a B9000 rear butterfly. The reason for going with these working widths is simple: they match the appetite of the company’s balers. That said, there are plans to add other mower widths over the coming years.
The Pro Glide project has been on the go for the past four years, with various beds being tested and the most robust unit being chosen. McHale will not be drawn on where this bed comes from, other than to say it has worked with a specialist cutterbar producer for four years to develop a bed that is designed for its main markets.
The rear butterfly unit comprises two 3.1m beds but, rather than have all of the suspension happening around the supporting frame arms and a simple central pin pivot as most other makes do, McHale has opted to position the suspension mechanism above the middle of the bed. Each suspension unit has a pair of springs working with a tie rod and hydraulic ram. The ram is simply linked to the raise/lower circuit, so, when lifted out of work, each of the mowers is held firm against the stops rather than flopping about disconcertingly on the headland turn
