Pull-Type Mower Conditioners/Windrowers Upcoming Auctions

About Pull-Type Mower Conditioners & Windrowers

Mower conditioners and windrowers fall into three main subcategories: pull-type, self-propelled, and mounted. All are used for haymaking and harvesting small grains, differing only in that pull-type models (sometimes referred to as “side-pull,” “center-pivot,” or “tow-behind” models) are towed behind tractors, whereas mounted mower conditioners and windrowers are attached directly to a tractor’s front or rear three-point hitch. Self-propelled models are dedicated machines that operate under their own power.

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New Holland H7230 Discbine Pull-Type Mower Conditioner

Mower Conditioners vs. Windrowers

Although mower conditioners and windrowers serve a similar purpose, there are slight differences. For example, a mower conditioner uses a sickle, disc, or drum mower to cut the grain or hay. It then conditions (crimps or crushes) the crop with a flail, intermeshing rubber rollers, steel rollers, or high-contact rolls to speed up the drying process. Rubber rolls are ideal for legume crops, while long-lasting steel rolls excel at conditioning grass hay.

Windrowers are similar to mower conditioners but use an auger, a rotary disc header, or a sickle cutter bar and draper to mow the grain or hay. Also referred to as “swathers,” windrowers then form the crop into windrows, not only to reduce drying time, but also to make it easier for harvesters and balers to come in and finish the job. Ideally, the stems of the crop all face the same way in the windrow in order to make harvesting and baling more efficient. Swathers or windrowers may have a working width of up to 16.3 feet (5 meters) or so.

Notable Features

Like many equipment types, the features and technology you’ll find on a given pull-type mower conditioner or windrower varies by manufacturer, model year, and price. For example, John Deere’s 956 center-pivot model uses Deere’s patented modular-design cutterbar with individual, diagonal-cut modules.

Hesston by Massey Ferguson’s 16-ft MF1316S uses a RazorEdge cutterbar with spur gear design and counter-rotating discs to reduce uncut crops (streaking). The MF1316S and numerous other models also offer quick-change knives.

MacDon’s R116 can switch from field operation mode to a 9-ft (2.7-m) transport width in just 30 seconds. The R116 also supports interchangeable steel and polyurethane inter-meshing rolls, finger conditioner, and no-conditioner options.

Protective features such as roll pins, New Holland’s ShockPro disc hubs, and John Deere’s cutterbar shear hubs attempt to limit damage to the machine if it hits a rock, branch, or other obstacle. Meanwhile, KUHN’s “lubed for life” Optidisc cutterbar eliminates the need for oil changes.

Find The Right Pull-Type Mower Conditioner Or Windrower

TractorHouse.com is your leading source for new and used pull-type mower conditioners and windrowers for sale. Prices range from under $3,000 up to $60,000 or more. Popular manufacturers include Case IH, John Deere (sometimes using “MoCo” as an abbreviation for mower conditioner), KUHN, MacDon, Massey Ferguson, and New Holland.