John Berends Implements Pty Ltd Grow-Master 2000 User manual

John Berends
Implements Pty Ltd
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERS
OPERATOR’SMANUAL
PARTSLIST
Grow-Master Aerator
PRODUCT NO.
0175 Grow-Master 2000 (6’7”)
0176 Grow-Master 2400 (7’11”)
0177 Grow-Master 2800 (9’3”)
0178 Grow-Master 3200 (10’6”)
130 FRANKSTON-DANDENONG RD, DANDENONG SOUTH, VIC. 3175 AUSTRALIA
(ABN 79 007 035 369)
PHONE [phone] FAX NO. [phone]
[e-mail] www.johnberendsimplements.com.au

TABLEOFCONTENTS
PageNo.
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS..................................................................................... 3
INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………….…………….5
SAFETY FEATURES............................................................................................. 6
ASSEMBLY............................................................................................................ 7
OPERATION.......................................................................................................... 8
MAINTENANCE..................................................................................................... 8
SPARE PARTS...................................................................................................... 9

3
SAFETY
Farm machinery is dangerous if operated incorrectly so please read this manual in its entirety
prior to operating the machine.
No operator, however experienced in farm machinery operation, should attempt to use
any machine they have not been competently trained to use. Your local Department of
Agriculture can help you with training, as can most Occupational Health and Safety offices,
Agricultural schools and colleges and farm equipment dealerships.
All instructions relating to tractor safety as per the tractor operators manual should be
followed. When making any machine adjustments, stop the tractor engine first and wait for all
moving parts to stop. Maintain the tractor to ensure it remains safe to use. Do not operate
faulty or damaged equipment.
Extreme caution should be taken when fitting equipment to the tractor’s three point
linkage. Avoid standing between the implement and the tractor when coupling machinery.
All machines should be mounted and retained correctly. All guards must be kept in
place and correctly maintained. P.T.O. shafts must be correctly attached and secured to both
the tractor and the machine. Decals must be visible and legible at all times. Keep well clear of
all moving parts.
Keep all people and animals at a safe distance from all moving parts. Children must not
be allowed to operate this equipment and all passengers must have the same level of
protection as the operator.
Wear protective clothing where appropriate.
Never operate when tired (not alert) or in poorly lit areas and stay alert for humps and
other hidden hazards. Remove all timber, rocks and foreign objects prior to operation.
Avoid operating the machine in wet conditions.
Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on hills. Avoid sudden movement,
sudden breaking, high speeds, rough terrain and steep slopes.

4
If machine starts to vibrate, stop tractor, turn off engine and investigate.
After striking a foreign object or if there are doubts about the performance of the
machine, stop the tractor as described and check if machine is making excessive noise.
Extreme caution must be taken when working in public areas (roadsides etc). It is
recommended that flaps and chains are fitted to slashers when operating in public areas.
These are available as optional extras. Rear flaps are compulsory in public areas.
Watch overhead clearance and beware of underground pipes and cables.
Where fitted, hydraulic hoses and fittings must be maintained so as to prevent damage.
Do not modify this equipment in anyway, or use it for any other purpose than it was
designed to do.
Never work under unsupported machines or adjust unsupported machines. Do not
enter the danger zone where a load being carried by a machine could fall on you, for example
a round bale from a bale fork, a log from a carryall or material from a rear end loader.
These instructions should be used in conjunction with any local regulations regarding safety ie
OHS.
Maintenance is essential for safe operation. Ensure maintenance is carried out
regularly by people qualified to do so. This is of particular importance on P.T.O.
drive machines where driven parts can fly off at high speed if wearing parts are
not properly maintained.
FAILURETOFOLLOWTHESEINSTRUCTIONSAND
PROCEDURESMAYRESULTINEQUIPMENT
MALFUNCTION,ORDAMAGE,SERIOUSINJURYOR
EVENDEATH.

5
INTRODUCTION:
This manual was developed specifically for the machine you have purchased. The information within is
to assist you in preparing, operating and maintaining your machine. Please read and understand the
contents of the manual completely before attempting to operate your machine, paying special attention
to all safety details. With our policy of continuous improvement, products and specifications may change
without notice and without incurring the obligation to install such changes on any unit previously
delivered.
Aerators
The Grow-Master Aerator is designed for reducing compaction in pasture, aerating the soil, cultivation of
the top soil and generally rejuvenating tired pastures. The two rotors can be adjusted to give various
degrees of cut by repositioning the two bolts at the outside end of each rotor.
MACHINE SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL 2000 2400 2800 3200
No. Tines 40 48 56 64
Working width 2000mm 2400mm 2800mm 3200mm
Overall width 2130mm 2530mm 2930mm 3330mm
Weight 458kg 516kg 574kg 626kg
WARRANTY
John Berends Implements P/L warrants each new product sold to be free from defects in material and
workmanship, under normal use and service, as outlined in the operators manual, for a period of 12
months.
This warranty is void if any damage to the machine has been caused by misuse or non genuine parts
have been used or any repairs have been made by any persons other than authorised dealer service
personnel.
The manufacturer/dealer is not obligated to any transportation charges incurred in the repair or
replacement of parts.
This warranty does not exclude any condition or warranty implied by the Trade Practices Act 1974 or any
other legislation which implies any condition which cannot be excluded.
Copyright 1998 This Safety Manual is copyright and no part may be reproduced without
the written permission of John Berends Implements.

6
Safety Features
1. SERIAL NUMBER DECAL
2. WARNING DECAL
3. BERENDS DECAL
4. CAUTION DECAL
3
1
2
4

7
ASSEMBLY
The Grow-master aerators are completely assembled prior to delivery. When connecting to the
tractor, the four support legs should be in place so that the machine is standing unaided on the
ground. Always have the machine standing on flat and stable ground (preferably concrete)
when not connected to the tractor.
Line the lower linkage arms between the lower linkage plates of the aerator, slide the linkage
pins through the holes and secure with linch pins. Attach the top link to the machine. The lower
linkage arms must be level with each other. The tractor top link may need to be adjusted to
ensure the machine is parallel to the ground when working. It may be necessary to remove the
tractor drawbar to prevent interference with the aerator.
Once the machine is securely connected to the tractor, lift it slowly off the ground. Ensure that
all safety procedures are followed as per our safety instructions. Remove the pins from the
stands and slide the legs up and out of the way. Secure the legs in the lowest hole position
with the pin.
CAUTION:
At no stage should the machine be used to transport people. Never allow passenger to ride on
the aerator.
OPERATION
Once all safety procedures have been followed, start the tractor and raise the aerator off the
ground.
The best time to aerate is when the soil has some moisture in it yet is dry enough for normal
tillage practices. Do not operate in water logged soils. It is best to aerate in a perpendicular
direction to normal traffic. For example, if the tractor is usually operated in a north-south
direction during other applications, then travel east-west with the aerator. Alternatively, you can
operate in both directions in a criss-cross fashion.
Adding Ballast
Depending on the soil conditions, the job required and the horse power of the tractor, it may be
necessary to add ballast (weight) on top of the machine. The frame has been designed to
carry additional weight.
Always secure any additional ballast so that it can not fall off under any conditions. Allow for
steep and undulating terrain.
CAUTION:
Do not over-load the frame with ballast. Always refer to the tractor specifications to determine
the lifting capabilities of the tractor. Take into account the distance from the machine to the
tractor, the speed of the operation and the nature of the terrain. Front counter weights may be
required.
Rotor Angle
CAUTION:
Be careful when making rotor adjustments as the tines are sharp. If altering rotor whilst the
stands are connected ensure that the rotor is adequately supported before making any

8
adjustments. If it is connected to the tractor, gently lower the aerator so that the tines are
resting on the ground. Put the tractor in park and switch it off before doing any work.
It is advisable that the rotor angle be changed whilst connected to the tractor as the rotor is
heavy and can be difficult to reposition whilst off the ground.
There are a number of different angle settings for the two rotors. The adjustments are made in
the hanger bracket at the outer end of each machine. The lowest angle position (as supplied
from the manufacturer) is when the hanger are positioned as far forward (towards the tractor)
as possible. This will equate to approximately 2.5° angle on the tines and will result in the least
aggressive setting. You would use this position where you want to minimise the cultivation
effect of the tines and use them mainly as a aerator only. Every new hole position (away from
this point) equates to approximately 2.5°of additional angle. The most aggressive angle is
approximately 10°and is used where cultivation is required.
When making any alteration to the rotor angles, ensure the nyloc nuts are adequately
tightened. If regular alterations are made, it may be necessary to replace the nylocs nuts with
new ones or use a spring washer. Nyloc nuts lose their effectiveness at remaining tight when
they are continually adjusted.
Speed
When travelling, ensure the ground speed is proportionate to the weight of the machine and
the tractor used. The optimum operating speed is between 7-10kph. It is advised not to use it
above 12kph as this can cause excessive wear to the tines. Ground speed may need to be
lower on uneven ground to prevent the aerator bouncing around. When travelling, with the
aerator raised off the ground, lift the machine as high as possible on the linkage. This will
reduce the unit bouncing up and down excessively on the linkage. When doing this ensure any
ballast attached to the machine is secure and can not come off.
Turning
Turning with the aerator engaged in the ground is not advisable unless the optional towing kit
is fitted. This will place undue stress on the tines and may cause breakage. Be careful when
turning on steep slopes, particularly with ballast added, as the machine may become unstable
Stopping
Lower the aerator, stop the tractor engine (removing the ignition key) and apply the park brake.
If removing from the tractor, ensure that the four stands are in position and that it is sitting on
flat and stable ground.

9
MAINTENANCE
When doing any type of maintenance on this machine, always follow the safety steps
described in this manual. Use only authorised genuine parts for replacement.
The aerator must be adequately supported under its body (Make certain it cannot move/fall).
Use the four stands supplied, to do this.
Bolts & Nuts
Keep all bolts tight, in particular rotor mounting bolts.
Rotors
When installing/removing rotors, it may be easier to have the aerator inverted and to use a
hoist to position the rotor.
Rotor Bearings
These are a greasable bearing with a grease nipple situated on each housing. The bearings
are best greased when in the 2.5°settings (first position). The other three more aggressive
settings are unlikely to take the grease effectively due to the location of the grease inlets when
angled. It is suggested that if the rotors are mostly left in either of these two positions, that they
be moved back to 2.5°for greasing purposes.
Bearings are easily replaced by twisting them into the bearing housing with the grub screw end
of the bearing facing the outside of the machine.
Do not over grease the bearings as this will push the seals out. A couple of pumps with a
grease gun every 50 hours should be sufficient.
Place some grease on the stub axles prior to fitting the bearings to ensure they come off easily
at a later date.
Tines
Ensure tines are not excessively worn and keep all bolts/nuts tight. Check them after the first
days use as they may initially loosen as the tines are first engaged in the ground.

10
SPARE PARTS
ORDER SPARE PARTS THROUGH YOUR ORIGINAL SUPPLIER OR YOUR LOCAL
JOHN BERENDS IMPLEMENTS DEALER.
Always quote the machine serial number or product number, spare part number and its
part name as stated in the operator’s manual.
Grow-master Aerator
Key No. Part No. Quantity Description
1 1930 4 Rotor housing
2 1628 4 Rotor bearing
3 3938 16 Rotor mounting bolts/nuts
4 3939 ar 8” Aerator tine – right hand (RH)
5 3940 ar 8” Aerator tine – left hand (LH)
6 3941 ar Tine mounting bolts/nut assembly
1
2
3
4
5 6