Magazine - John Deere’s New 220 E-Cut Walk-behind Greens Mower

By Rene Lubbers in Industry News on 22nd Mar 2010 10:40

John Deere’s new 220 E-Cut walk-behind greens mower combines hybrid electric drive with a contour hugging Quick Adjust (QA) cutting unit, and is designed to provide a top quality finish on golf greens, tennis courts, bowling greens and other fine turf areas.

The 220E model joins the existing C Series range and features a standard 11-blade, 127 mm (5 in) diameter reel with a cutting width of 56 cm (22 in) and simple bed-knife-to-reel adjustment. Cutting height is quickly and easily adjustable across a wider range down to 2 mm using the patented Speed Link system.

The 220 E-Cut employs the same type of innovative hybrid drive technology first seen on the John Deere 2500E triplex greens mower in 2005. Utilising the 2500’s ball-joint yoke design and an electric drive motor eliminates the need for a mechanical drive link to the cutting unit. The independent contouring head therefore hugs the slightest undulations of the green, making it easier to achieve the perfect cut in any conditions.

These features give the 220 E-Cut mower the largest range of movement in the industry, with the cutting head capable of up to 133 mm (5¼ in) of travel fore and aft and 32 mm (1¼ in) side to side. The electric reel makes adjustment of the clip frequency particularly straightforward, by simply turning a dial to set the desired clip rate. On-board back-lapping is another standard feature that makes servicing the cutting unit simple and convenient.

The hybrid design also reduces weight on the cutting head and allows the mower to be run at lower engine revs, making it even quieter as well as more manoeuvrable. A weight transfer system linked to the drive roller means that as the standard grass box fills, minimal weight is added to cutting head, which produces a more consistent height of cut across the green.

Controls and operation are the same as on the rest of the C Series models, with the 2.9 kW (4 hp) air cooled Honda petrol engine designed to meet the latest emissions and environmental regulations.

The mower is equipped as standard with an operator presence system, which features a quick release mechanism to disengage traction. An optional gear-driven greens tender conditioner (GTC) counter-rotates to stand the grass up before cutting, for an even better finish. Alternatively, a 60 mm (2⅜ in) rotary nylon brush attachment can be specified, which also counter-rotates with the reel.

Additional options include detachable transport wheels, to make it easier to move the mower around when it’s not in work; a pull-back clutch that allows the mower to be reversed while the reels are engaged; and a choice of grooved, smooth or spiral rollers.

For more information on the E-Cut walk-behind greens mowers, visit our Web site at www.JohnDeere.com.au or FREECALL 1800 800 981 AU or 0800 303 100 NZ to contact your local John Deere dealer.

Read more articles in Industry News, by Rene Lubbers or from March 2010.