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OPERATION
PT5 09/10 Operation Section 4-21
© 2010 Alamo Group Inc.
OPERATION
8.3 Forward Speed
This is a matter of common sense and experience. It must be fast enough to maintain the correct oil flow, but
slow enough to enable the cutterbar to do its job properly.
8.4 Highway Working
If it is intended to cut roadside hedged or to work in the vicinity where the public have access, it is a statutory
requirement that suitable warning signs are placed at both ends of the work area. These signs should not be
more than 1/2 mile (0.8 km) apart. To further promote highway safety, the use of head lamps would be
beneficial. Hazard warning lamps should not be used since an oncoming vehicle could easily misjudge braking
distance in assuming the tractor approaching them is stationary.
8.5 Unclogging Cutterbar, Checks or Adjustments
Before leaving the tractor seat, select “Cutterbar -Off” and switch off tractor engine. Should the cutterbar
become clogged, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER clear any debris from the fingers or knife with your hands. Use a
stick from the hedge or other suitable tools.
Always keep fingers away from the knife as the crankshaft fly wheel, can move under
gravity and activate the knife even though the tractor engine is switched off.
8.6 Breakaway
The frame of the machine is carried by two pivotally mounted suspended links, of which, the one farthest away
from the work is always automatically fixed in position by the interlock bar. When encountering an obstruction
and the tractor continues to move forward, the free suspended link will pivot about its mounting bar and allow
the complete armhead and frame to move up and back until the obstruction is cleared or the tractor brought to
a halt. Bear in mind that the breakaway geometry gives limited movement and does not remove operator
responsibility for taking care when driving the tractor. Resetting of the breakaway is completely automatic with
the armhead returning to the work position under gravity.
Where both sides of a roadside hedge are to cut, always cut the field side first. The uncut roadside helps to
reduce the amount of debris being flung through the hedge into the road. Also by sloping the vertical cut to give
an “A” shape, debris is thrown down into the hedge bottom and the spread of material is reduced.
8.7 Swingover
Always make sure there are no overhead obstructions and keep in mind that the arms when fully extended are
about 14 feet high.
To “swing over” the reach ram must be fully in and the cutterbar angled towards the side to which you want to
swing. This will transfer some of the weight of the machine to the correct side of the pivot and assist the ram in
the swingover actions as it approaches top dead center and begins to run out of leverage.
Always if possible, carry out the “swingover” action on level ground. If swinging over on sloping ground is
absolutely unavoidable always carry out the maneuver with the tractor facing directly up the slope.
Never swingover when facing either across or down a slope.