CLAAS upgrades baler range

CLAAS has unveiled two new VARIANT 400 round baler models with multiple upgrades that, according to the company, make them "more powerful, reliable and easier to use".

The VARIANT 485 produces 0.9–1.8 x 1.2 m bales, while the VARIANT 470 produces 0.9–1.55 x 1.2 m bales. Both  models are available with ROTO FEED or ROTO CUT cutterbar options.

A key upgrade is the new star rotor structure that turns through 360 degrees instead of the current 180 degrees.

“With 14 knives, the rotor achieves 6000 cuts per minute, ensuring material is evenly distributed into the bale chamber and helping to create uniformly-shaped bales," says CLAAS Greenline Group Product Manager, Luke Wheeler.

"This is a particular advantage when baling narrow swaths."

A dual roller crop press developed for JAGUAR forage harvesters and QUADRANT square balers, is now also available for the pick-up.

"The dual roller crop press is suspended and can be mechanically switched between four different settings without the use of tools,” Wheeler says.

"It allows the intake to be quickly adjusted to suit different operating conditions and ensures a more uniform and faster crop flow, allowing higher operating speeds."

The PRO specification features an extra-large 2.35 m pick-up width with hydro-pneumatic suspension. Two oscillating castor guide wheels that steer the pick-up along the ground have been reinforced and can now be folded when using the extra large pick-up to reduce the transport width.

The 400 series features edge-to-edge net wrapping as standard, as well as an improved netting and twine intake.

"A new plate assists with the insertion of netting or twine into the baling chamber, which means that you can be sure that the tying process will start properly under all conditions," Wheeler says.

A new spiral roller ensures netting stretches from one corner of the bale to the other during the tying process.

VARIANT 400 balers can be specified with a wider 1.3 m netting trough that lays the netting over the edges of the bale.

Other improvements include a reinforced front frame for low-wear belt guidance and the addition of a wide lubricating brush that coats all chains with oil, regardless of the bale count.

New models are also available with a central lubrication system.

The new CLAAS VARIANT 485 RC and 470 round balers are expected to arrive in Australia and New Zealand in 2017.