Self-propelled universal mower (KSU-1)

is one of the five largest global companies producing agricultural machinery. The company includes 13 enterprises, and production is based in 5 countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Canada and the USA.

Rostselmash products are popular all over the world, as the company provides excellent equipment in terms of price and quality. According to the latest data, Rostselmash occupies more than 70% of the market for the production and sale of agricultural machinery in Russia.

The company produces 24 types of equipment, which is represented by a wide range of models. Combines and mowers are especially popular among farmers.

In this article you will learn about the universal self-propelled mower KSU-1. The development and production of a universal mower began in 2009, along with the production of a new TORUM class 7 grain harvester.

KSU-1: equipment and advantages

The KSU-1 self-propelled mower is rightfully considered universal, as it is excellent for combined grain harvesting and forage crop preparation. The mower can simply mow crops, but also place them in windrows, chop and flatten forage plants. All this can be done by installing the necessary adapter. This model is perfect for those farms that not only grow a variety of crops, but also engage in livestock farming and feed procurement.

But why is KSU-1 better than other mowers? This question can only be answered by familiarizing yourself in more detail with the equipment of this universal machine.

The mower is equipped with an MMZ D-260 engine, the power of which reaches 155 hp. with a working volume of more than 7 liters. The main advantage of this engine is its unpretentiousness in the quality of the fuel used. Quite economical when working with loads and adapters. Fuel consumption does not exceed 3 l/ha.

Since 2014, a pneumatic system has been installed on the KSU-1, which provides greater autonomy for the mower. The pneumatic system consists of a compressor with automatic pressure maintenance of 4-8 bar and a 100-liter receiver. There are also quick-release couplings for connection, which greatly facilitates maintenance of the equipment. In addition, it is worth noting that the pneumatic system provides a supply of air for 5 minutes of operation after the engine is turned off.

To improve ease of maintenance and operation, a new hydraulic system with a single 50-liter tank was installed. The variable displacement pump guarantees economical power consumption, which reduces fuel consumption.

Adapters can be attached to the mower without additional parts thanks to the universal attachment system. The main advantage of the mounted universal system is the copying of the field topography in the transverse and longitudinal directions of those adapters that the company offers. Connecting any adapter takes no more than 15 minutes.

The mower is equipped with a steerable rear axle, which has a swing angle around the workpiece of ±8°. The bridge has increased stability and balancing, which helps the vehicle achieve high maneuverability. In addition, the rear axle is equipped with hydraulic cylinders and a steering linkage. The new design of the latter allows you to turn the mower on the spot, and move back and forth without losing control.

It is worth mentioning the chassis drive, which is made in the form of motor wheels. And the design of the bridges (steered and portal) provides a mandatory transport clearance of 1 meter, which helps the mower to easily overcome windrows, ditches and bumps. This is especially important when entering and leaving the field.

Cabin KSU-1

The cabin of the self-propelled universal mower deserves special attention. The Comfort Cab class cabin is equipped with an adjustable steering column and seat. For the convenience of the operator, a refrigeration chamber, an audio preparation system, an air conditioner, and a heating system are installed. To protect from the sun, a special curtain is installed in the cabin, which does not allow direct sunlight to pass through. The cabin has good sound insulation and excellent panoramic visibility, which simplifies the operator's response during operation.

To control the work process, next to the operator’s seat there is a control panel and an anatomically adjusted joystick with quick response buttons. A monitor with a modern Adviser system is also installed.

The Adviser system is responsible for recording fuel consumption, collecting and processing information about the operating systems of the mower, calculating indicators of work performed, informing about the condition of the mower, service warnings and much more. Thanks to this system, the operator can not only control the mower, but also all working systems, including adapters, directly from the cab.

Improvements

In 2022, Rostselmash engineers upgraded the universal self-propelled mower. The new configuration features an electronic engine control system. At the same time, a new YaMZ engine with a power of up to 180 hp is installed, and fuel consumption is 7% less.

The front linkage has been strengthened for the Draper Flow 900 adapter. The mechanism increases reliability using additional equipment using reinforced levers with thick walls and springs. The hydraulic system has also been improved, as the steering pump is connected to a new variable displacement pump. In addition, the tracing of hoses and pipelines was improved.

The engineers also decided to hide the rear air intake with a ventilated hood, but the function of opening it remained unchanged. Fixed panels have been removed between the rear air intake and the side hoods. And to improve engine ventilation, new holes were added.

KSU-1 has new headlights that have sealed connectors to prevent the ingress of dust and moisture. And the direction of the light flux can be changed depending on the working conditions.

Well, of course, the design of the mower has been improved.

Now let's move on to the technical characteristics of the KSU-1 self-propelled mower, which are presented in the table.

Let us immediately note that KSU-1 is presented in two configurations with mechanical and without mechanical drive of mowers. At the same time, both the old KSU-1 model and with improvements are available from distributors.

In the table we present technical data for KSU-1 without improvements.

Specifications

It is important to know that for KSU-1 without a mechanical drive, only two adapters are suitable: conveyor roller mowers with a single hydraulic connector of 7 and 9 meters.

Three more adapters are suitable for KSU-1: mower-conditioner, rotary front mower and mounted mower-chopper.

Self-propelled universal mower (KSU-1)

Designed for mowing and windrowing cereals, legumes and cereal crops; mowing, flattening and chopping forage grasses.

Powerful, maneuverable and versatile, this mower is suitable for farms that actively use the separate method of harvesting and are engaged in livestock farming.

Motor installation.

The self-propelled mower is equipped with a 7.12 liter engine with a rotation speed of 2200 rpm and a power of 157 hp. Reliable, economical and unpretentious, they have proven themselves in agricultural machinery.

Pneumatic system.

To increase the autonomy of the machine, since 2014, power vehicles have been equipped with a pneumatic system as standard. It consists of a 100-liter receiver and a compressor with automatic pressure maintenance from 4 to 8 bar, convenient pneumatic tools and a quick-release coupling for connection, which reduces the complexity of servicing the mower.

The air reserve in the system with the engine turned off is enough for 5 minutes - quite enough for routine maintenance.

Mounted universal system.

Provides assembly of all adapters with a self-propelled universal mower without the use of additional or replaceable parts.

In this case, connecting the working unit will not take even 15 minutes.

Hydraulics.

A single hydraulic tank (50 l) and a single hydraulic control unit simplify the design and increase ease of maintenance. The presence of a variable displacement pump ensures a more economical use of power taken from the engine, thereby increasing its fuel efficiency.

Adapter drive.

The operation of the roller conveyor header DF 900 and DF 700 is ensured by a hydraulic drive, since its use does not involve peak loads. This allows you to adjust the operating parameters of the unit (conveyor speed, roll location and reel rotation speed) from the operator’s workplace.

The drive of the adapters - mower-conditioner GH 500c, front rotary mower DM 350c, mounted mower-chopper JS 270 - is carried out through the PTO mounted on the power unit.

Adviser system.

The mower uses a modern on-board computer aimed at convenient use and maintenance of the equipment. Among the system functions the following can be noted:

• collecting and processing information about the state of systems and components of the machine, displaying these parameters on the screen;
• counting, storing and displaying quality indicators of KSU operation (hours worked, distance traveled, area harvested);
• informing about the need for repairs or routine maintenance;
• accounting of consumed fuel.

Chassis drive.

The KSU-1 chassis drive uses wheel motors, which ensures smooth adjustment of the machine speed. The portal design of the drive and steering axles with a harvesting clearance of 1000 mm provides the necessary transport clearance, allowing the mower to move freely over windrows of any height and width.

Copy system.

The KSU-1 self-propelled mower is equipped with a system that ensures that all offered headers follow the terrain in the longitudinal and transverse directions. At the same time, all connecting places on the adapters are unified to ensure maximum convenience and minimize aggregation time. All measures taken together made it possible to achieve increased efficiency in the use of adapters.

Steered rear axle.

A balanced-type steered bridge with a swing angle around the embedment of ±8° has increased stability and provides better maneuvering capabilities, especially when crossing ditches and exiting the field onto the highway. The original design of the steering linkage allows you to turn virtually on the spot, provides movement both forward and backward while maintaining reliable control.

Comfort and functionality.

The KSU-1 workstation fully meets modern ergonomic requirements. The Comfort Cab is equipped as standard with an adjustable seat and steering column, air conditioning, heater, refrigerator, sunshade and audio system. Control is carried out using a remote control located to the right of the operator’s chair and an anatomically adjusted joystick with operational buttons. Parameters relevant for the current process are automatically displayed on the monitor of the Adviser on-board system, which greatly facilitates control over the operation of components and assemblies, and panoramic glazing provides all-round visibility.

Adapters.

Roller conveyor headers DF 900 (9.0 m) and DF 700 (7.0 m).

Designed for harvesting cereals, cereal crops, green grasses with placing the cut mass in a right-handed, central, left-handed or double-pass windrow.

The drive of all working parts is hydraulically powered and controlled from the operator’s workplace. Productivity DF 900 - 10.5 ha/h, DF 700 - 8 ha/h at a travel speed of 12 km/h.

Mower-conditioner GH 500R (5.0 m).

A mower-conditioner with a segment-finger cutting device is designed for mowing, with or without flattening, seeded and natural grasses and laying them in a windrow. The productivity of the unit is 5.8 ha/h at a speed of 12 km/h.

Front rotary mower DM 350c (3.5 m).

It is used for mowing high-yielding and laid-down grasses (yield over 150 c/ha) with simultaneous fluffing of the mown mass and placing it in a windrow. Designed for work in all agricultural zones on fields with leveled terrain and a slope of no more than 8°. Working on rocky terrain is not permitted. Productivity - 6.0 ha/h at a speed of 18 km/h. On request, a conditioner can be supplied with the mower.

Mounted mower-chopper JS 270 (2.7 m).

It is used for mowing, chopping and loading into a nearby vehicle natural, seeded grasses and other forage crops with a height of no more than 2 m, except for raised bed crops.
They are used for green feeding of animals and for laying haylage. Productivity - up to 40 t/h. Adapters and aggregation capabilities

Adapters for KSU-1

In this article we will try to consider all the adapters for the KSU-1 universal mower and their technical characteristics.

Conveyor roller mowers DF series (7 and 9 meters)

Designed to work even in the most severe climatic conditions. Designed for mowing cereals and grain crops; in addition, it easily copes with mowing green grass and forming windrows. Control occurs from the operator's cabin. Note that the height of the cutting device can vary - 60, 80, 100, 140 and 180 mm. This mower can follow the field topography in the longitudinal direction by 1.5 meters, and in the transverse direction by 2.5 degrees. The reel rotation speed can be adjusted from 0 to 55 rpm. And the reel itself has a universal characteristic and has spring fingers.

The transport trolley is also suitable for these mowers, as well as for the VECTOR and ACROS series combines. The installation time for such a cart is about 15 minutes.

GH 500R Series Mower Conditioner

It has a segment-finger cutting device, which is designed not only for mowing and flattening grass, but also for forming windrows. The flattening apparatus can be removed and then the weight of the unit is just over 1.5 tons. The width of the windrow is up to 1.5 meters. The mower has a four-bladed rake reel with a rotation speed of 77 rpm.

Front rotary mower DM 350c

Working width 3.5 meters. It is used for mowing high-yielding grasses that produce a yield of more than 150 centners per hectare. Can fluff up grass and collect windrows. The mower can operate on fields with a slope of no more than 8 degrees, but the mower cannot be used on rocky soil.

Mounted mower-chopper JS 270

Working width 2.7 meters. It is a unique adapter in its class and is designed for mowing not only seeded grass, but also natural growth. In addition, the mower not only mows, but easily crushes forage crops. The mower can also load already chopped crops into a nearby vehicle. The dimensions in transport condition are slightly different from the dimensions of the mower in working condition and are 2830 mm, 5010 mm and 2348 mm (length, width, height).

When purchasing this equipment, Rostselmash offers warranty and post-warranty service at branded service centers. The equipment warranty is provided for 2 years or 600-2000 operating hours, depending on the type of equipment.