Operator's Manual

AeratingHardGround
Ifthegroundistoormtoobtainthedesiredcoring
depth,thecoringheadcangetintoa“bouncing”
rhythm.Thisisduetothetinesattemptingtopenetrate
thehardpan.Thisconditioncanbecorrectedby
attemptingoneormoreofthefollowing:
•Bestresultsareobtainedafterarainorwhenturf
hasbeenwateredthepreviousday.
•Reducethenumberoftinesperstomper
arm.Attempttomaintainasymmetricaltine
congurationtoevenlyloadthestomperarms.
•Reduceaeratorpenetration(depthsetting)ifthe
groundishardpacked.Cleanupthecores,water
theturf,andaerateagainatadeeperpenetration.
Aerationofsoiltypesbuiltontopofhardsubsoils
(i.e.sand/soilcapplacedoverrockyground)can
causeundesiredholequality.Thisiscausedwhen
theaerationdepthisgreaterthanthesoilcapand
thesubsoilistoohardtopenetrate.Whenthetines
contactthissubsoiltheaeratormayliftandcausethe
topoftheholestobecomeelongated.Reducethe
aerationdepthsufcientlytoavoidpenetrationinto
thehardsubsoil.
UsingNeedleTines
Longslendertinesusedineitheraneedletinehead
orminitineheadcanleavethefrontorrearofthe
holetuftedorslightlydeformed.Holequalityforthis
congurationgenerallyimprovesifthecoringhead
speedisreduced10to15%fromfulloperatingspeed.
ForPTOpoweredaeratorsreducedtheenginespeed
untilthePTOspeedisaround460to490rpm.The
forwardspacingisnoteffectedbyreducingtheengine
speed.Thepushedholecanalsobeaffectedbythe
positionoftherotalinkdamperassembly.Referto
AdjustingtheRotalinkAssembly(page24).
AvoidingRootZoneLifting
Usingthemini-tineheadsinconjunctionwithlarger
coringtinesorlargediametersolidtinescaninduce
signicantstressontherootzoneoftheturf.This
stresscanfracturetherootzoneandcausealifting
actiontotheturf.Ifthisdamageoccurstryoneor
moreofthefollowing:
•Reducethetinedensity(removesomeofthe
tines).
•Decreasethecoringdepth(suggestedin1/2inch
increments).
•Increasetheforwardholespacing(changethe
tractortransmissionuponegear).
•Decreasethetinediameter(solidorcoring).
AdjustingtheRotalink
Assembly
Themountingheightoftherotalinkdamperassembly
affectsthereactiveforceappliedtothestomperarm
andgroundengagementduringaeration.Intheevent
ofthefrontoftheholebeingpushed(elongatedor
dimpled),a“stiffer”positioncanhelpresistthispush
andimproveholequality.Intheeventoftheback
oftheholebeingpushed(elongatedordimpled)a
“softer”positioncanimprovetheholequality.
Toadjusttherotalinkassembly,proceedasfollows:
1.Removethe2locknuts(1/2inch)securingthe
rotalinkdamperassemblytotheundersideof
thecoringheadframe(Figure26).
2.Lowerthedamperassemblytoexposethe
spacers(Figure26).
3.Move1or2spacerspersidefromthedamper
assemblytothetopofthecoringheadframe.
Eachspacerisequivalentto1/2inch.Thelower
bumperspacermustremainonthedamper
assembly.
g007335
Figure26
1.Rotalinkdamperassembly4.Dwasher
2.Lowerbumperspacer5.Locknut
3.Spacer(s)
4.Assemblethedamperassemblytothecoring
headframeagain.EnsurethattheDwasher
isinstalledagainstthecoringheadframeas
showninFigure26.Securethe2locknuts.
Toseetheeffectsofthisadjustment,adjust
only3to4assembliestocomparetheoriginal
positionandthenewpositiononatrialpass.
Whensatisfactoryresultsareachieved,move
theremainingassembliestothesameheightas
thedesiredarms.
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