# Disc Mower.



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Considering a new 3 point disc mower this coming week. I have investigated Kuhn / Kuhn Deere, Krone and a couple of others that I dismissed because I didn't think they fit my needs for one reason or another or that I felt like there was no real service for the dismissed models in my immediate area.

I cannot use a cart for the mower due to the restraints of very tight turns and back ups on these upland hills....some very tight areas of operation in some instances.

I am looking at a 9 foot mower. Right now I would say that Kuhn has a slight lead but Krone is right there....I actually like the Krone roll pin safety on the discs very much.

I don't use a disc mower a lot, but it is a necessity for these hills. It is the only way I can safely mow them and hay them.

I just don't feel comfortable buying a used mower....and I justify new by hopefully keeping them for a very long time. This will be my last Dmower if I don't have misfortune.

Regards, Mike


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Of the ones I've used.....Kuhn, NH, Vicon, Claas....the Claas is in a league of its own. I would imagine the Krone is much like that....not to say that the others ain't good, they never let me down, but the Claas is a good un....excellent cut.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

I came within a hair of buying a Krone EC280 (might have been an EC320) a couple years ago. I just couldn't get around not having conditioning. I preferred the EC models to the AM models. At the time, I looked at everyone's disc mower, except Kuhn which doesn't have much of a dealer presence here - so it was JD/Frontier, NH, MF/Hesston, Krone and a few drum mowers.

The Krone I looked at had some features that were particularly desirable. Roll pin shear hubs, quick change blades and the ability to store in the folded-up position (saving barn space). I also recall that some of these 3pt mounted disc mowers can be a real challenge to hook-up; I don't recall the specifics, but it seemed like some other makes had some of the weight on the lift arms that could make it difficult to mount - not an issue (as I recall) with the Krone. I also liked that the Krone, when breaking away on hitting an object, would swing up too. I think also one would set the Krone into position (3pt) and raise it up when going over previously cut grass with the mower hydraulics vs moving the 3pt hitch. Another thing I like about the Krone cutterbar is the gear bed is driven from a module behind the left most hat. When you have the first disc/hat with a driveshaft coming down through it, how do you change the shear protection with all that in the way? I believe on a New Holland you don't as there is no shear protection? With the Krone, you remove the hat from either end and change the shear roll pins - looks simple enough. I should think all discs and hats should have shear protection, who knows where an obsticle could strike the cutterbar. The roll pins are cheap to replace, The whole mower looked very heavy built, all gear drive/no belts and well thought out.

I know nothing about the Kuhn, except their shear protection scheme is an expensive fix. You have to replace the disc gear module, all of it, not part of it. Not only expensive, but how does one change it out (you have to pull it out of the cutterbar exposing the bar oil inside) in the field without getting dirt and debris into the cutterbar oil. The other thing I truly hate about Kuhn is their complete unwillingness to publish free downloadable manuals and parts lists in PDF format. All of this is available on Krone's website - a read I would recommend prior to buying.

I'm still in the learning curve with my Krone mower conditioner, but it is very heavy built and surprisingly the cutterbar is quite at full RPMs. I assume one could install high shoes on Krone's 3pt mounted mowers as it looks like the same cutterbar as is on my Krone mower conditioner.

Now if you are daring, you might go out on a limb and try the EC280cv with the steel tine conditioners. That mower could potentially do all of your hay mowing and a pull behind disc mower conditioner may no longer be needed. Perhaps a trade or sale might take the sting out of buying a new Krone. One machine in the shed vs two taking up space and dual maintenance. I am most impressed by the drydown of the steel hook tines conditioning effect on my Krone. Switching from high to low speed conditioning is a simple 180 degree turn of a handle on the gearbox.

I believe in Europe, mounted disc mowers are the norm vs pull behind types; it just hasn't caught on in the US.

Here is a pretty thorough video regarding the Krone 3pt Disc mowers.






Good luck,
Bill


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## Troy Farmer (Jul 31, 2011)

Krone. You will not be disappointed.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I like my Krone disc cutter.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

leeave96 said:


> I came within a hair of buying a Krone EC280 (might have been an EC320) a couple years ago. I just couldn't get around not having conditioning. I preferred the EC models to the AM models. At the time, I looked at everyone's disc mower, except Kuhn which doesn't have much of a dealer presence here - so it was JD/Frontier, NH, MF/Hesston, Krone and a few drum mowers.
> 
> The Krone I looked at had some features that were particularly desirable. Roll pin shear hubs, quick change blades and the ability to store in the folded-up position (saving barn space). I also recall that some of these 3pt mounted disc mowers can be a real challenge to hook-up; I don't recall the specifics, but it seemed like some other makes had some of the weight on the lift arms that could make it difficult to mount - not an issue (as I recall) with the Krone. I also liked that the Krone, when breaking away on hitting an object, would swing up too. I think also one would set the Krone into position (3pt) and raise it up when going over previously cut grass with the mower hydraulics vs moving the 3pt hitch. Another thing I like about the Krone cutterbar is the gear bed is driven from a module behind the left most hat. When you have the first disc/hat with a driveshaft coming down through it, how do you change the shear protection with all that in the way? I believe on a New Holland you don't as there is no shear protection? With the Krone, you remove the hat from either end and change the shear roll pins - looks simple enough. I should think all discs and hats should have shear protection, who knows where an obsticle could strike the cutterbar. The roll pins are cheap to replace, The whole mower looked very heavy built, all gear drive/no belts and well thought out.
> 
> ...


All true...

Cutterbar protection:

Krone-- roll pin-- probably about a buck.

NH- Mow-Max shear hub... about $40 bucks or so and about 20 minutes to replace.

Kuhn-- Protecta-Drive snap-off shaft (shaft between gear and turtle hub milled down to about the diameter of a dime-- when it hits something, it snaps off and tosses the turtle out the back... about $247 for a new assembly-- no individual parts sold-- only assemblies of the hub, double-ball bearing, gear, shaft, and turtle mounting hub plate. Must open the top of the bar in extracting the old bearing hub and gear, then reinstall the turtle on top of the shaft hub-- about a 30 minute job.

Math seems simple enough to me, and why I wouldn't buy a Kuhn...

Later! OL J R


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## Dan_GA (Dec 29, 2015)

I have only used a Krone AM243 and a Kuhn GMD313TG. I love my trailed mower and wouldn't cut without one anymore. I liked my Krone for a 3pt, until it lost the bar oil while cutting and roasted a bearing somewhere, seizing up the one piece cutterbar that I can't get into. I like the Kuhn because I have the ability to separate the bar. Can't do that with a 1 piece design. For that reason, I'd recommend a moduled cutterbar like Vermeer and a few others use.


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## krone.1 (Jul 28, 2013)

Dan_GA said:


> " I liked my Krone for a 3pt, until it lost the bar oil while cutting and roasted a bearing somewhere, seizing up the one piece cutterbar that I can't get into"


......you shoulda had Krone.1 as a BFF back then....


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## Dan_GA (Dec 29, 2015)

krone.1 said:


> ......you shoulda had Krone.1 as a BFF back then....


I'm still Krone loyal when I can be if that helps... lol... just pulled the trigger on a new Krone tedder today. I still have the 243. I intend to figure out how to get into the cutterbar, even if I have to use the "blue wrench" to do it, and find the cause of the seizure sooner or later. Will keep it to use it as a backup or 2nd cutter on another tractor if you have some insight.


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## krone.1 (Jul 28, 2013)

I can walk you through it for sure. Maybe I should post it on here for future reference? It's not bad at all.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Bear with the typing.

Krone, do not have to get off tractor to raise shield in order to raise cutter bar. No belts to slip when cutting Bahia. 3 pt. hitch is level, not one side higher than the other. Easy to hook up to.

Still hard for me to grease the rear drive shaft universal by myself. I cut a bigger notch in mine, that helped.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Tim/South said:


> Bear with the typing.
> 
> Krone, do not have to get off tractor to raise shield in order to raise cutter bar. No belts to slip when cutting Bahia. 3 pt. hitch is level, not one side higher than the other. Easy to hook up to.
> 
> Still hard for me to grease the rear drive shaft universal by myself. I cut a bigger notch in mine, that helped.


Really good to see you back man. I wish we were closer in distance so that I could lend you a hand.

Regards, Mike


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Yup, glad to hear from you Tim, and a valid point about the hookup.....that's worth a LOT in my book. 
Hope everyday is a better day than the one previous......


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Last Saturday about two hours after I posted the original post about mower shopping, I was contacted by a individual that said that they might well be able to save me a substantial amount of money on a "carryover" Krone disc mower and asked if I would be interested. I said absolutely and they said they would get back with me Monday which they did. I was like a kid at Christmas waiting for Monday. I was informed that there were a couple of different model carry over units in my general area and that I could have either model and the price I was given made me reply yes immediately.

Today I went to the Deere dealer that had these units and I purchased a Easy Cut 280 with the quick change blades and "Safe Cut" discs. I cannot thank the individual enough that arranged this deal for me. I have a terrific mower at a substantial savings. I am very grateful. Everything worked about the purchase just as he stated.

One thing that was very humorous to me was reading your posts proclaiming the virtues of Krone....and I was grinning inside the whole time hoping that this situation materialized.

And a shout out to the Deere dealer here in East Tennessee.....they were great and terrifically accommodating about the deal. It has been a good day, I have the cutter mounted on my favorite hill navigator and plan on giving her a whirl tomorrow mid-morning.

Just thought you would like to know.

Regards, Mike


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Enjoy


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## reede (May 17, 2010)

Hill navigator....is that one of those tractors where the tires on one side are smaller than the tires on the other side?    Kind of like the cows up there with 2 legs shorter on one side?


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Very nice!

I'm sure you've got it covered, but in addition to checking the fluids prior to using, be sure to "vent" the friction clutch. It's an easy job.

Bill


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Congrats on the new purchase Mike!

Hayden


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## Dan_GA (Dec 29, 2015)

Congrats!! I wish I could get weather to cut.


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## Troy Farmer (Jul 31, 2011)

Congratulations Vol! Nothing like new iron in the yard.


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## Ranger518 (Aug 6, 2016)

Congratulations it should last you a long time I here they are great mowers.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Congratulations. Very nice looking cutter. I think I'd like the rear drive shaft on your new cutter better than the rear driveshaft on my Krone AM283


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Mowed about 10 acres of tough hillsides with a lot of undulations. I didn't tear anything up so I did Ok. It took some getting use to because of how different it lifts from my old Fella cutter. But I did catch on pretty quick. It picks up from the mid-cutter area and doesn't have quite the range the end lift had but I got along well enough. Did not have to even think about what I was doing towards the end of the afternoon.

Regards, Mike


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Good Deal.


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