Farmers and contractors keen to knock down more grass per pass now have the option of a 4.2m-wide rear-mounted Disco mower, which Claas has developed due to customer demand for an alternative to a set of triples.

The 4400 Contour uses the firm’s standard mower bed and can be specced with extra drums on the fourth and fifth discs to form two separate swaths that saves the tractor driving over the forage on the tedding pass.

See also: Driver’s view: Early 2000s Krone Big M mower still going strong

The bed is pivot-mounted at its centre of gravity, with an adjustable spiral spring designed to keep it balanced during lowering, and a pair of vibration dampers stabilising it as it is raised.

Two pivot points on the arm allow the bed to follow ground contours and work on banks.

Standard Active Float suspension puts ground pressure adjustment on a spool valve and a gauge on the headstock displays the set pressure.

Hydraulic collision protection sees the mower bar swing back and over any obstacles on a rotating pin set on a 15deg angle.

At the same time, oil from the system is forced into the suspension ram to depressurise the mower bed and, once past the obstacle, it should automatically swing back into its working position.

The break-back ram is also used to fold the mower backwards slightly when in its transport position. This, combined with a diagonal 120deg fold, helps keep height within 4m.