Bobcat has launched two new upgraded 183 cm 72 inch and 229 cm 90 inch mower attachments for the company's skid-steer, compact tracked and all wheel steer loaders. The new 183 cm mower is approved on Bobcat carriers from the S100 skid steer loader upwards and the new 229 cm mower can be used with all Bobcat compact loaders from the S150 and beyond. Both new mowers are designed for standard flow operation and are recommended for rough cut applications such as at roadsides, the roughs on golf courses and large open and waste areas.
The new mowers offer a number of advances over the models they replace. The shut off travel has been improved by almost 50 percent, greatly decreasing the frequency of unwanted shut off occurrences while operating, especially in rough or uneven mowing conditions. A blade rotation indicator has been added on the left spindle to provide easy recognition of spindle rotation. There is easier service access and the mowers have more durable spindles and pulley and deck improvements.
The new mowers have a 5 cm deeper deck and a smooth bottom deck. All the deck bracing is located on the top of the deck to allow for a smooth deck bottom improving air and material flow. The deeper deck also helps to improve the cut. The two-bolt blade retention ensures the blades are much easier to remove. The blades are attached by two off-centre bolts as opposed to one centre mounted bolt, reducing the torque created on these bolts from the blade rotation.
An anti-scalping wheel has been added as a standard feature. This wheel will, when riding over a bump, lift the deck up so that the blades do not scalp the top of the bump. The new mowers come standard with a rear discharge. Optional kits for mulching and side discharge will be available in the near future.
The mowers are mounted in front of the carrier allowing grass to be cut before it is driven over. This also improves the visibility of the work area. The er wheels on the mowers can be raised or lowered to adjust the cutting height and, in combination with the unique attachment frame, allows the mowers to oscillate independently of the loader, providing a floating deck to better follow uneven terrain. The floating deck provides a more even cut over rolling terrain when compared to a rigid mounted three-point hitch mower. In addition, a safety shut-off is incorporated into the attachment frame and turns off blade rotation if the mower exceeds 22 cm of vertical travel.
The mowers will direct grass clippings out and down, dispersing the clippings under the carrier, without throwing them on structures. This feature is very useful for operators when mowing next to buildings, trees, fences and streets. The mowers have three industry standard cutting blades that provide lift to help elevate grass and provide better mulching capability. Unlike competitive mowers, the Bobcat mower attachments avoid downtime by not using shear pins that are prone to breakages.