Operator's Manual

AeratingHardGround
Ifthegroundistoormtoobtainthedesiredcoringdepth,
thecoringheadcangetintoa“bouncing”rhythm.Thisis
duetothetinesattemptingtopenetratethehardpan.This
conditioncanbecorrectedbyattemptingoneormoreof
thefollowing:
•Bestresultsareobtainedafterarainorwhenturfhas
beenwateredthepreviousday.
•Reducethenumberoftinesperstomperarm.Attempt
tomaintainasymmetricaltinecongurationtoevenly
loadthestomperarms.
•Reduceaeratorpenetration(depthsetting)iftheground
ishardpacked.Cleanupthecores,watertheturf,and
aerateagainatadeeperpenetration.
Aerationofsoiltypesbuiltontopofhardsubsoils(i.e.
sand/soilcapplacedoverrockyground)cancauseundesired
holequality.Thisiscausedwhentheaerationdepthisgreater
thanthesoilcapandthesubsoilistoohardtopenetrate.
Whenthetinescontactthissubsoiltheaeratormayliftand
causethetopoftheholestobecomeelongated.Reducethe
aerationdepthsufcientlytoavoidpenetrationintothehard
subsoil.
UsingNeedleTines
Longslendertinesusedineitheraneedletineheadormini
tineheadcanleavethefrontorrearoftheholetufted
orslightlydeformed.Holequalityforthisconguration
generallyimprovesifthecoringheadspeedisreduced10to
15%fromfulloperatingspeed.ForPTOpoweredaerators
reducedtheenginespeeduntilthePTOspeedisaround460
to490rpm.Theforwardspacingisnoteffectedbyreducing
theenginespeed.Thepushedholecanalsobeaffectedbythe
positionoftherotalinkdamperassembly.RefertoAdjusting
theRotalinkAssembly(page21).
AvoidingRootZoneLifting
Usingthemini-tineheadsinconjunctionwithlargercoring
tinesorlargediametersolidtinescaninducesignicantstress
ontherootzoneoftheturf.Thisstresscanfracturetheroot
zoneandcausealiftingactiontotheturf.Ifthisdamage
occurstryoneormoreofthefollowing:
•Reducethetinedensity(removesomeofthetines).
•Decreasethecoringdepth(suggestedin1/2inch
increments).
•Increasetheforwardholespacing(changethetractor
transmissionuponegear).
•Decreasethetinediameter(solidorcoring).
AdjustingtheRotalink
Assembly
Themountingheightoftherotalinkdamperassemblyaffects
thereactiveforceappliedtothestomperarmandground
engagementduringaeration.Intheeventofthefrontofthe
holebeingpushed(elongatedordimpled),a“stiffer”position
canhelpresistthispushandimproveholequality.Inthe
eventofthebackoftheholebeingpushed(elongatedor
dimpled)a“softer”positioncanimprovetheholequality.
Toadjusttherotalinkassembly,proceedasfollows:
1.Removethe2locknuts(1/2inch)securingtherotalink
damperassemblytotheundersideofthecoringhead
frame(Figure25).
2.Lowerthedamperassemblytoexposethespacers
(Figure25).
3.Move1or2spacerspersidefromthedamperassembly
tothetopofthecoringheadframe.Eachspaceris
equivalentto1/2inch.Thelowerbumperspacermust
remainonthedamperassembly.
Figure25
1.Rotalinkdamperassembly4.Dwasher
2.Lowerbumperspacer5.Locknut
3.Spacer(s)
4.Assemblethedamperassemblytothecoringhead
frameagain.EnsurethattheDwasherisinstalled
againstthecoringheadframeasshowninFigure25.
Securethe2locknuts.
Toseetheeffectsofthisadjustment,adjustonly3to
4assembliestocomparetheoriginalpositionandthe
newpositiononatrialpass.Whensatisfactoryresults
areachieved,movetheremainingassembliestothe
sameheightasthedesiredarms.
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