Graden Contour With Sand Injection Verticutter Scarifier
Graden Contour With Sand Injection Verticutter Scarifier
Graden Contour With Sand Injection Verticutter Scarifier
VERTICUTTER / SCARIFIER
Owner’s Manual
Table of Contents
1. Specifications
1.1 Specifications
1.2 Statement of Machine Use
1.3 Serial Number Plate
2. To the Owner
2.1 Preliminary Instructions
2.2 Warning Symbols
2.3 Servicing the Verticutter
3. Safety Information
3.1 General rules
3.2 Training
3.3 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
3.4 Preparation
3.5 Operational Safety
3.6 Maintenance Safety
3.7 Transport Safety
4. Controls
4.1 Motion Control Handles
4.2 Reverse Lever
4.3 Blade Engage Handle
4.4 Lifting/Lowering Handle
4.5 Choke Lever
4.6 Throttle Lever
4.7 Ignition Switch
4.8 Neutral Lever
4.9 Cutting Depth Control
4.10 Speed Limiter
4.11 Sand Gauge
4.12 Safety Interlocks
5. Operating Instructions
5.1 Preliminary Checks
5.2 Start Up
5.3 Driving (traversing) the Verticutter
5.4 Verticutting
5.5 Sand Injection Verticutting
5.6 Shut Down
5.7 Clean Down
Table of Contents (cont’d)
6. Maintenance Operations
6.1 Adjustments and Settings
6.1.1 Injection Tube Adjustment
6.1.2 Rotor Relay Belts
6.1.3 Rotor Belts
6.1.4 Transmission Drive Belt
6.1.5 Auger Drive Belt
6.2 Replacements
6.2.1 Blade Replacement
6.2.2 Belt Replacement
6.2.2.1 Rotor Belts
6.2.2.2 Rotor Relay Belts
6.2.2.3 Transmission Drive Belt
6.2.2.4 Auger Drive Belt
6.3 Engine Maintenance
6.4 Battery Maintenance
6.5 Maintenance Schedule
7. Warranty
8. Parts Diagrams
9. Wiring Diagram
It is not for use on turf areas where rocks and other hard foreign bodies may
be present. The use of this machine in turf profiles of this nature will likely
cause premature wear or shattering of the blade tips and could result in rocks
being projected at dangerous speeds, resulting in potential injury to the
operator or damage to the machinery.
This machine is not for use in anything other than the soil profiles typically to
be found on the sporting fields mentioned above. Any use of this machine in
any other type of surface or for any other purpose may void the warranty.
Please contact Graden Industries if you are unsure about your application
complying with the intended use of this machine.
Keep this manual at hand as a ready reference for anybody using the
Graden Contour Sand Injection Verticutter
The designed and tested safety features of this machine are dependent on
it being operated within the limitations described in this manual
WARNING
This signal denotes a potential equipment hazard:
failing to follow the instructions or procedures may
result in equipment malfunction or damage.
DANGER
This signal denotes a serious personal safety hazard:
failing to follow the instructions or procedures may
result in serious, or even fatal, injury.
2.3 Servicing the Graden Contour Sand Injection Verticutter
The Graden Contour Sand Injection Verticutter has been carefully engineered
and manufactured to provide safe, dependable and effective service.
Use only genuine Graden parts; substitute parts will void the warranty and
may not meet the safety and performance standards required for safe and
effective operation of the Verticutter.
Please record the model and serial numbers of the Verticutter in the space
provided below and quote this information when ordering parts or
communicating with Graden Industries or its’ approved representatives.
It has been compiled from extensive field experience and engineering data.
Numbers in brackets are listed in this manual; they refer to the part
numbers shown on the diagrams and are listed to assist in part
identification
When viewed from the right side the blades rotate anti-clockwise (counter
rotating to the forward rotation of the front drive wheels)
DANGER
Keep hands and feet away from rotating parts of
the Verticutter, especially the Tungsten Carbide
tipped blades.
Only people who are very familiar with the rules of safe operation should
be allowed to use this machine
Only use the machine during daylight or in good artificial light
Some illustrations in this manual may show the Verticutter with safety
guards removed, this is not a normal situation!
DANGER
Never operate the Verticutter with any of
the covers or safety guards removed or not
properly secured.
3.2 Training
WARNING
Read this manual completely before
beginning how to learn to use the Verticutter.
Know your controls and how to stop the machine and shut down the
engine quickly in an emergency
WARNING
Stay alert for holes, ditches or obstacles that
might obstruct the unit or cause it to tip over.
DANGER
Never wear sandals, sneakers or have
bare feet when operating the Verticutter.
3.4 Preparation
Ensure all safety warnings and decals are in place and legible
Ensure that the blades are in a serviceable condition and that the rotor
shaft mounting bolts are secure
Always disengage the blades and raise them when crossing gravel,
walkways, roads, etc. or indeed any ground which you do not wish to
verticut
DANGER
Always disengage the rotor blades and stop the
engine in any of the following situations :
DANGER
Raise blades clear of turf, disengage blades and
turn off engine before carrying out any
maintenance or servicing.
Verify that all warning labels and decals are present, visible and legible
Periodically check that all bolts, fasteners and catches are secure and in
safe operating condition
After any maintenance or servicing, ensure that all guards and safety
devices are correctly installed and secure before operating the Verticutter
DANGER
Frequently check the rotor blades. Verify that all
the tips are in good condition.
Always ensure the blades have been disengaged and the rotor housing
raised before loading or unloading the machine onto/from a trailer or
other transportation device.
Ensure the engine has been turned off at the ignition switch.
Ensure the machine is securely tied down during transport.
WARNING
Ensure the blades have been disengaged
and the rotor housing lifted into the raised
position before loading or unloading the unit
onto a trailer, or serious damage to
equipment could occur.
4. Controls
Please refer to the illustrations. All directions are given with reference to
standing behind the handles and facing in the direction of forward travel.
DANGER
NEVER REVERSE THE MACHINE UP AGAINST
A SOLID OBSTACLE, LIKE A WALL OR
FENCE. DOING SO COULD CAUSE SERIOUS
INJURY AS YOU MAY BECOME TRAPPED
BETWEEN THE MACHINE AND THE
OBSTACLE
DANGER
Do not operate the Verticutter until you
have completely read this manual.
5.2 Start Up
1. Check that blades are disengaged - push blade engage handle all
the way forward.
2. Check that blades are in raised position - pull lift/lower handle
towards you and ensure that it locks into position
3. Put neutral lever (left side of machine) into the NEUTRAL position.
4. Engage the choke lever, set the throttle lever.
5. Turn ignition switch around to the START position. Release key when
engine starts. Key will return to the RUN position automatically.
6. Push the choke lever in.
7. From the operating position, move the throttle lever to the desired
setting.
5.3 Driving (Traversing) the Verticutter
1. Put the neutral lever (left side of machine) to the DRIVE position.
2. Use the motion control handles to move in the desired direction.
Push the handle downwards to move forward ; to reverse use the
reverse lever. Maximum reverse speed is considerably slower than
maximum forward speed.
3. Speed is controlled by the pressure applied to the motion control
handles. The further the handles are pushed down, the faster the
forward speed.
4. To turn push the handles left or right. If you do this at high speed you
may lose control of the unit. So until you are familiar with the
controls and the ‘feel’ of the machine whilst turning, it is important
that you reduce your speed when starting a turn, just like you would
when driving a car around a corner. If you feel the unit is ‘getting
away’ from you then release the levers and they will return to the
neutral position automatically and the machine will come to a stop
very quickly.
5.4 Verticutting
1. Select the depth of cut via the height adjustment knob on the left
hand side of the rotor housing. Normal range of cut (with standard
210mm blades) is 0mm to 45 mm deep. One revolution of the knob
is approximately equivalent to 1mm change in the cutting depth.
Clockwise rotation of the knob means a shallower cut; anti-
clockwise means a deeper cut. It is recommended to do a test run
if you are unsure of the cutting depth. Measure it and adjust the
setting accordingly.
2. Increase engine speed to maximum rpm ; maximum engine speed
results in a high blade tip speed and a cleaner cut.
3. Engage the blades by slowly pulling the blade engagement handle
toward you. It will lock in the engagement position.
4. Lower the blades into the turf by slowly pushing the lifting/lowering
lever forward. Allow the weight of the Rotor Housing to take the
blades into the turf.
5. Now push down on the Motion Handles until you are travelling at the
desired speed.
6. Steer the machine in a straight line while the blades are cutting.
Trying to change direction while the blades are in the turf may lead
to a furrowing/scalping action and can put undue stress on the
blades.
7. At the end of a pass;
- raise the blades by pulling the lift/lower lever towards you
- steer the Verticutter around to make your next run
- repeat from Step 4 onwards
For extra safety, disengage the blades before lifting them out of the ground.
This will stop the blades rotating quicker. When travelling from area to area
disengage the blades and raise them.
5.5 Sand Injection Verticutting
1. If you wish to sand inject whilst Verticutting, you will need to fill the
hopper with kiln-dried sand before starting the pass. It is advisable
not to attempt to sand inject in wet weather, as even the smallest
amount of rain will make the dried sand block up the injection tubes,
resulting in uneven and inconsistent sand levels in the grooves.
2. You will need to experiment to get your cutting depth, speed gauge
setting and sand gauge setting in synchronization with each other.
The ideal result is that the grooves are filling to the top with sand, not
being left shallow or heaping up over the top of the groove.
3. Once you have the setting right for your depth of cut, it is a good
idea to note the settings you have for future reference. A set of
guidelines has been drawn up in the table below. They are only
guidelines and you may find in your own circumstances that you
need to adjust the settings for your conditions and preferences.
* At these deeper settings, you will find that as the machine continues along the pass, the
accumulated debris being removed by the blades actually starts slowing the machine
down, so it will probably be necessary for you to adjust the Speed Limiter during the pass
to increase your forward speed. This will avoid sand heaping up out of the groove due to
the slowing down of the machine.
4. As you engage the blades for your pass, the distributor tray for the
sand will automatically open and the sand will start pouring into the
grooves. You should immediately pull the levers down to the speed
limit you have set to ensure consistent depth.
5. When you reach the end of your pass immediately raise the rotor
housing and the sand will be automatically shut off.
6. Check the sand level in the hopper after every pass and top up as
required. On long passes you may need to top up the sand on the
go, as it is important to never run out of sand.
7. Line up the machine for the next pass and repeat from step 4
onwards until you have completed your job.
5.6 Shut Down
1. Disengage blades.
2. Raise blades out of turf.
3. Traverse machine to storage/maintenance area.
4. Turn engine speed to idle, allow to run for 30 seconds.
5. Turn ignition switch to OFF.
6. Clear rotor blades of any debris.
7. Check transmission, ensuring it is cleaned of all dirt and debris that
may hinder cooling.
8. Generally clean the Verticutter, making sure that there is no
accumulated debris, particularly around the engine.
9. The hopper should be emptied and thoroughly cleaned after use.
1. Remove all grass clippings, sand and dirt and other debris from the
outside of the machine, this is best done with an air hose.
2. Raise the rotor housing and lift the back of the machine to access
the inside of the rotor housing, then remove all accumulated debris
underneath the housing, from the blades, the auger and the
injection tubes.
3. Check around the transmission for any build up of dirt and remove
immediately, to avoid overheating of the transmission due to
inefficient cooling.
WARNING
Never use high-pressure water units to clean
the Contour Sand Injection Verticutter. Using
this type of device around bearings and engine
seals can compromise their integrity and lead
to premature failure of these components.
WARNING
It is highly recommended that the machine is
stored in clean and dry conditions. Failure to do
so could detrimentally affect the performance
of the machine when next used.
6. Maintenance Operations
The performance of certain maintenance, adjustment or repair operations will
be determined by the owner’s facilities.
If the Verticutter is tilted forward (i.e pivoting over the front axle) there is a risk
that engine oil can enter the cylinder head of the engine and transmission oil
can leak from the breather located on top of the transmission. Either
occurrence can result in expensive repairs to the machine. So it is not
recommended unless absolutely necessary.
WARNING
Under no circumstances tilt the Verticutter
forward to carry out under-deck maintenance.
6.2 Replacements
Note: Most of the stretch that the belts experience takes place in the first few
hours under load conditions after they have been first installed. After fitting
new belts it is advisable that the tension be checked regularly in the first few
hours of operation. This is especially important for the rotor belts.
Every 6 Months
Check all belts for wear and tension; replace if necessary
Note : Transmission fitted to this machine is a sealed hydrostatic unit
which should not require attention.
Every 12 Months
Repeat 6 monthly maintenance schedule
Replace all belts unless they appear to be in good condition and will last
another 12 months
Engine Maintenance
Maintain according to the manufacturer’s schedule (see accompanying
engine manual)
WARNING
Never use high-pressure water units to clean
the Contour Sand Injection Verticutter. Using
this type of device around bearings and engine
seals can compromise their integrity and lead
to premature failure of these components.
Graden Industries Pty. Ltd.
26-28 Scammel Street, Campbellfield
Victoria, AUSTRALIA 3061
Phone : (03) 9305 3400
Fax : (03) 9305 3995
International Phone : +61 3 9305 3400
Email : [email protected]
Website : www.gradenturf.com