EXTRA 324F Alpin, the mountain mower

The new front mower is called EXTRA 324F Alpin, launched by Vicon during the 2019 edition of Agritechnica. The machine - as its name suggests - is a work tool designed for use on steep slopes such as those on mountains. These terrains require the equipment to be as stable as possible, both uphill and downhill. For this reason the designers of the Norwegian company have positioned the mower’s centre of gravity in a position close to that of the tractor, with load and weight reduced to a minimum; the angle of transverse inclination of 28° (thanks to the particular constructive solution used for the transmission) further enhances the operating flexibility of the application. The low profile of the mower has been designed to meet the special needs of mountain agriculture. “The compact tractors, those that are used on mountain terrain - the manufacturer explains with a note - have a lower driving position that under certain conditions can make the view of the working area problematic, especially when a tool is connected”. The solution chosen by Vicon to solve this problem was to adopt a lower profile for its mower, thus improving the operator’s field of vision also on the right and left sides. As far as the cutting system is concerned, Vicon has focused on six triangular discs with opposing rotation, working in pairs, which improve the flow and transport of the product along the entire cutting bar. This is a very beneficial constructive solution, especially for mowing downhill when the forage tends to accumulate in front of the machine. Although it has been designed for specialized mountain tractors, Extra 324F Alpin also offers top level performance with “standard” tractors, and is compatible with both clockwise and counter-clockwise 540 or 1000 rpm power take-offs.