ProCore® 864 and 1298 Aerator

ProCore 864

Use the following list as a reference:

• 30 PTO horsepower minimum when used in light to normal conditions (sandy to sandy/loam soils with average compaction)

• 35 PTO horsepower minimum when used in normal to heavy conditions (heavy loam, clay, and rocky soils with above average compaction)

• Category I or II 3-point hitch, rated to lift at least a 714 kg (1575 lb) implement

• 540 rpm tractor PTO

• Adequate front-end weight (ballast)

• Correct tire pressure

  Caution

  Do not exceed the maximum or minimum tractor tire inflation pressures as recommended by tire manufacturer.

ProCore 1298

Use the following list as a reference:

• 45 PTO horsepower minimum when used in light to normal conditions (sandy to sandy/loam soils with average compaction)

• 50 PTO horsepower minimum when used in normal to heavy conditions (heavy loam, clay, and rocky soils with above average compaction)

• Category II 3 point hitch, rated to lift at least a 1043 kg (2300 lb) implement

• 540 rpm tractor PTO

• Adequate front-end weight (ballast)

• Correct tire pressure

  Caution

  Do not exceed the maximum or minimum tractor tire inflation pressures as recommended by tire manufacturer.

Tractor Components (Figure 4)

Figure 4

1. Lower link arm
2. Upper link arm
3. PTO shaft
4. Sway link

Ballast Requirements

Parts needed for this procedure:

1. Ensure that the aerator is positioned on a flat, level surface for installation.

2. Back the tractor squarely up to the aerator until the lower link arms are aligned with the hitch pins.

3. Make sure that the PTO is disengaged.

4. Engage the parking brake, shut off the engine, and remove the key from the ignition. Wait for the engine and all moving parts to stop before leaving the operator's seat on the tractor.

   Note: For maximum ground clearance, the hitch pins should be secured in the lower mounting holes (Figure 5). To determine when to use the upper mounting holes, refer to setup procedure Connecting the PTO Shaft.

   

   Figure 5

   1. Top hole
   2. Bottom hole

5. Insert the right and left lower link arms onto the hitch pins (Figure 6).

   

   Figure 6

   1. Lower link
   2. Lynch pin

6. Secure the lower link arms to the hitch pins with the lynch pins (Figure 6).

Parts needed for this procedure:

Note: The front of the aerator must be vertical while operating for best aeration hole quality (Figure 7). Adjust the upper link to control this angle. Refer to Operating Tips for additional information.

Figure 7

1. Connect the upper link to the lower hole in the bracket and secure it with the link pin and the lynch pin (Figure 8).

   

   Figure 8

   1. Upper link
   2. Link pin
   3. Lynch pin
   4. Locknut

2. Grease the threaded steel upper link tubes.

3. Rotate the upper link to tighten the link. Adjust it until the front of the aerator frame is 90 degrees from horizontal (Figure 8).

4. Tighten the locknut to secure the upper link into position.

Parts needed for this procedure:

Important: Refer to the PTO shaft owner’s manual for additional operating and safety information.

Important: If necessary, install the short driveshaft, Part No. 115-2839 (sold separately). In most cases, the short driveshaft is not needed.

Refer to Figure 9 and determine the position of the PTO output shaft on the tractor, relative to the position of the lower trailing arms. This distance is designated the “M” dimension. The standard driveshaft included with your aerator fits a tractor “M” dimension down to 48.89 cm (19.25 inches). If the “M” dimension is smaller, we offer an optional shorter PTO driveshaft assembly (Part No. 115-2839), which fits a tractor “M” dimension down to 39.37 cm (15.50 inches).

It may be helpful to place a straightedge across the ends of the trailing arms to determine the distance between them and the end of the PTO output shaft end. Consult your tractor operator’s manual for potential length adjustment capability in the tractor trailing arm design. Contact your authorized Toro distributor if you need any assistance to perform this measurement and to order the driveshaft (Part No. 115-2839), should it be required.

Figure 9

1. “M” dimension
2. Lower trailing arms
3. Tractor PTO output shaft

1. On the ProCore 864 only, remove the lower PTO shield (Figure 10).

   

   Figure 10

   1. Lower PTO shield (ProCore 864 only)
   2. Tinnerman nut
   3. Screw

2. Connect the PTO shaft to the gearbox input shaft with a 1/2 x 3.00 inch bolt and a 1/2 inch nut (Figure 11).

   

   Figure 11

   1. Gearbox input shaft
   2. Nut
   3. PTO shaft coupler
   4. Bolt
   5. PTO shaft

3. Connect the PTO shaft to the tractor rear PTO shaft.

   

   Figure 12

   1. Tractor output shaft
   2. PTO shaft coupler
   3. PTO shaft

4. Slide the PTO shaft forward as far as the tractor allows.

5. Pull back on the locking collar to secure the PTO shaft in place. Slide the PTO shaft back and forth to make sure that it is properly locked.

6. On CE models only, connect the shield safety chains from the power shaft sections to the welded clips on the link arms. Make sure that the chains remain slack when the aerator is raised or lowered.

   Caution

   To help prevent bodily injury, keep all PTO shields in place. On CE models, connect the shield chains to link arms to prevent shields from rotating during operation.

7. On the ProCore 864, install the lower PTO shield to the aerator.

8. Verify that the telescoping tube has a minimum of 76 mm (3 inches) overlap when the aerator is raised to the maximum height.

   To check the overlap, measure the distance between the end shields, as shown in figure Figure 13. This dimension must not exceed 406 mm (16 inches). If so, move the lower lift pins to the upper set of holes prior to operation.

   

   Figure 13

   1. 406 mm (16 inches)

The ProCore 864 is designed to be offset from the tractor center line. The PTO shaft is offset 40 mm (1.57 inches) to the left of center and the aerator is offset 145 mm (5.70 inches) to the right of the center line. Adjust the sway links as required.

The ProCore 1298 is designed to be centered with the tractor center line. Adjust the sway links as required.

Adjust the sway links on the lower draft arms of the 3 point hitch to minimize side-to-side sway to a maximum of 25 mm (1 inch) on each side (Figure 14).

Figure 14

1. Sway link

Adjust the lower links inboard until they contact the aerator mounting plates. This will reduce the stress on the pins. If the tractor has sway chains instead of sway links, it is recommended that washers be installed between the lower link arm and lynch pin to reduce the over hung load on the lift pins.

Note: Refer to the tractor operator's manual for additional installation and adjustment procedures.

1. Park the tractor and the aerator on a level, firm surface.

2. Place a level on top of the aerator frame to check for level side-to-side (Figure 15).

   

   Figure 15

   1. Level

3. Turn the adjustable link body (if provided) to raise or lower the link arm until the aerator is leveled side-to-side.

   Note: Refer to the tractor operator's manual for additional adjustment procedures.

Adjust the roller scraper so that there is a gap of approximately a 1 to 2 mm (0.06 to 0.09 inch) between the scraper and the roller.

1. Loosen the fasteners securing each end of scraper to roller scraper tab (Figure 16).

   

   Figure 16

   1. Roller scraper
   2. Nut

2. Slide the roller scraper in or out until the required position is attained, and tighten the fasteners.

3. On the ProCore 864 only, you can adjust the stop bolt on the center support to attain the proper gap.

A wide selection of tines and tine heads are available for the aerator. Choose the tine type, size, and spacings required for the job. Install the tine head and tines per the Installation Instructions supplied with each tine kit. Refer to Figure 21 and Figure 22 for the accessories.

Important: Never operate the aerator without the tine heads installed. The arms may move excessively and damage the aerator frame.

Parts needed for this procedure:

A wide selection of turf guards are available for the aerator. Use the appropriate turf guards for the selected tine heads.

1. Loosen the nuts securing the turf guard clamps to the turf guard tool bar (Figure 17).

   

   Figure 17

   1. Turf guard
   2. Turf guard clamp

2. Slide the appropriate turf guard under the turf guard clamp.

3. Adjust the turf guards, left to right, to maintain equal distance to the tines within each slot.

4. Tighten the nuts securing the turf guard.

5. Mount the remaining turf guards and secure the turf guard clamps.

   Important: From the rear of the machine, check that the tines line up with the center of the gaps in the turf guards.

Parts needed for this procedure:

Note: The CE Completion Kit, Part No. 110-4693 is required to complete this step.

1. On the ProCore 864 model, install a lock bracket over the left and right rear lower hood and upper hood latches with a tap bolt (4 total); refer to Figure 18.

   

   Figure 18

   1. Tap bolt
   2. Lock bracket
   3. Internal lock washer
   4. Rear cover

2. On the ProCore 1298 model, install a lock bracket over all the rear lower hood latches and the outside upper hood latch on both the right and the left rear covers with a tap bolt (3 per coring head, 6 total); refer to Figure 18).

3. Using a pliers or adjustable wrench, thread an internal lock washer onto each bolt (1 to 2 threads) to secure the latch (Figure 18).

Parts needed for this procedure:

1. Raise the aerator 7.6 to 15.2 cm (3 to 6 inches) off the ground.

2. Remove the nuts and the lock washers securing the storage stands to the aerator (Figure 19).

   

   Figure 19

   1. Storage stand
   2. Lock washer
   3. Nut

3. Remove the storage stands.

4. Insert the lynch pins (included in loose parts) into the stand pins for storage (Figure 19).

5. Use the storage stands whenever the aerator is removed from the tractor.

Rotate the depth adjuster input shaft clockwise to reduce the aeration depth or counterclockwise to increase the aeration depth (Figure 20).

Figure 20

1. Depth adjuster input shaft
2. Locking plate
3. Depth indicator decal
4. Depth alignment mark

Note: 17 revolutions of the depth adjuster equals approximately 6.4 mm (1/4 inch) depth change.

A selection of Toro approved attachments and accessories is available for use with the machine to enhance and expand its capabilities. Contact your Authorized Service Dealer or authorized Toro distributor or go to www.Toro.com for a list of all approved attachments and accessories.

To ensure optimum performance and continued safety certification of the machine, use only genuine Toro replacement parts and accessories. Replacement parts and accessories made by other manufacturers could be dangerous, and such use could void the product warranty.

Figure 21

Figure 22

Note: If available, a hoist can be used to lift the rear of the ProCore Aerator. Use the eyelets in the coring head bearing housings as hoist attachment points (Figure 27)

Figure 27

1. Lifting eyelets

The main working bearings of the aerator are sealed for life and require no maintenance or lubrication. This drastically reduces the maintenance required and eliminates the risk of grease or oil being dropped onto the turf.

There are grease fittings that must be lubricated with an SAE multi-purpose, high-temperature grease with high-pressure (EP) performance or SAE multi-purpose lithium-based grease.

The lubrication points are:

PTO shaft (3) (Figure 28)

Figure 28

Roller bearings (ProCore 864: 2; ProCore 1298: 4) (Figure 29)

Figure 29

Drive shaft bearings (ProCore 864:1; ProCore 1298: 2) (Figure 30)

Figure 30

Important: Bearings rarely fail from defects in materials or workmanship. The most common reason for failure is moisture and contamination working its way past the protective seals. Bearings that are greased will rely upon regular maintenance to purge harmful debris from the bearing area. Sealed bearings rely on an initial fill of special grease and a robust integral seal to keep contaminants and moisture out of the rolling elements.

The sealed bearings require no lubrication or short term maintenance. This minimizes routine service required and reduces the potential of turf damage due to grease contamination. These sealed bearing packages will provide good performance and life under normal use, but periodic inspections of bearing condition and seal integrity should be conducted to avoid downtime. These bearings should be inspected seasonally and replaced if damaged or worn. Bearings should operate smoothly with no detrimental characteristics such as high heat, noise, looseness, or rust weeping.

Due to the operating conditions these bearing/seal packages are subject to (i.e. sand, turf chemicals, water, impacts, etc.) they are considered normal wear items. Bearings that fail due to other than defects in materials or workmanship are typically not covered under warranty.

Note: Bearing life can be negatively affected by improper washing procedures. Do not wash the unit when it is still hot and avoid directing high-pressure or high-volume spray at the bearings.It is common for new bearings to purge some grease out of the seals on a new machine. This purged grease will turn black in color due to collection of debris and not due to excessive heat. It is good practice to wipe this excess grease from the seals after the initial 8 hours. There may always appear to be a wet area around the seal lip. This is generally not detrimental to bearing life, but keeps the seal lip lubricated.Coring head bearing replacement is suggested at intervals of 500 hours. A bearing service kit which covers the complete coring head is available from your distributor.

The gearbox is filled with 80W-90 gear oil or equivalent. Allow the gearbox to cool before checking the lubrication.

1. Clean debris from the fill plug and check the plug to avoid contamination.

2. Remove the check plug from the gearbox (Figure 31).

   

   Figure 31

   1. Fill plug
   2. Check plug (rear of gearbox)
   3. Drain plug

3. Make sure that the oil level is up to the bottom of the check plug hole in gearbox (Figure 31).

4. If the oil level is low, remove the fill plug from the gearbox and add oil as required.

5. Install the plugs.

The gearbox is filled with 80W-90 gear oil or equivalent.

1. Clean debris from the fill plug and the drain cap to avoid contamination (Figure 31).

2. Remove the fill plug to relieve air draw.

3. Position a drain pan under the drain tube and remove the drain cap.

   Note: The high viscosity of cool oil extends the drain time (approximately 30 minutes).

4. After oil is completely drained, install the drain cap.

5. Fill the gearbox with 1650 ml (56 fl oz) of high quality 80W-90 gear lube.

6. Install the fill plug.

7. Check the oil level.

After the initial 8 hours of use, check the coring head fasteners to ensure that proper torque is maintained. Fastener torque requirements are listed on the reference service decal below and located on the coring head.

Figure 32

1. Read the Operator's Manual.
2. Wrench size
3. Bolt size
4. Torque

The drive belt(s) on the ProCore Aerators have been designed to be very durable. However, the normal exposure to UV radiation, ozone or incidental exposure to chemicals can deteriorate the rubber compounding over time and lead to premature wear or material loss (i.e. chunking).

Annual belt inspection is highly recommended for signs of wear, excessive cushion cracks, or large embedded debris with replacement when needed.

Make sure that the belt is properly tensioned to ensure correct operation of the machine and to prevent unnecessary wear.

1. Check for proper belt tension by compressing idler spring to a length of 146 mm (5-3/4 inches); refer to Figure 33.

   

   Figure 33

   1. Spring length
   2. Stored energy hazard—read the Operator's Manual.
   3. Entanglement hazard, belt—stay away from moving parts.

2. Adjust the belt tension as follows:

   1. Remove the rear coring head cover (Figure 34).

      

      Figure 34

      1. Rear coring head cover
      2. Pulley shield

   2. Remove the pulley shield mounting bolts and remove the shield (Figure 34).

   3. Loosen the locknut securing the spring retainer (Figure 35).

      

      Figure 35

      1. Spring retainer
      2. 146 mm (5-3/4 inches)

   4. Adjust the spring retainer to attain required compressed spring length (Figure 35).

   5. Tighten the locknut against the spring retainer to lock the adjustment.

   6. Install the pulley shield and the coring head cover.

Note: You do not need to remove the outside stomper arm to replace the drive belt.

The coring head side shields should be adjusted so that the bottom rides between 25 to 38 mm (1 to 1-1/2 inches) from the turf while aerating.

1. Loosen the bolts and nuts securing the side shield to frame (Figure 40).

   

   Figure 40

   1. Side shield

2. Adjust the shield up or down and tighten the nuts.

All turf guards (Figure 41) should be replaced if broken or worn to less than 1/4 inch thickness. Broken turf guards can catch and tear turf, creating undesirable damage.

Figure 41

1. Turf guard

The unitized coring head design of the ProCore aerators provides industry-leading smooth operation while taking out the guesswork of timing.

ProCore 864 (Figure 42)

Each pair of crank arms joined through a bearing housing are timed 180 degrees apart (i.e. arm positions 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8). The adjacent pairs are all set with the same timing whereas the later pair lags by 120 degrees. The same pair of coupling castings are used between all adjacent pairs (i.e. coupling positions 2-3, 4-5, 6-7). To further reduce operating vibration, 2 counter weights are added at the #1 position on the pulley and the #8 position.

Note: The numbers cast into the crank arms will not align with the raised indicator mark on the bearing housings for the ProCore 864.

Figure 42

ProCore 1298 (Figure 43)

This unit is comprised of 2 independent coring heads with 6 arms each. The timing of either coring head is not dependent on the adjacent coring head. The timing marks are easily identified by the numbers cast into the crank arm castings and the raised locator on the bearing housings. The #1 arm always starts with the drive pulley.

Figure 43

Important: Refer to the PTO shaft owner’s manual for additional operating and safety information.

1. Park the vehicle on a level surface, not on a slope.

2. Disengage the PTO and engage the parking brake.

3. Shut off the engine and remove the key from the ignition switch.

4. Before leaving the operator's seat, wait for the engine and all moving parts to stop.

5. Install the storage stands and secure them to the aerator with the lynch pins (Figure 44).

   

   Figure 44

   1. Lynch pins
   2. Storage stand

   Note: The aerator can be stored on the original shipping pallet.

6. Slowly lower the aerator until the storage stands contact the ground.

7. Loosen the locking nut and rotate the upper adjusting link to release the tension between the aerator and the tractor.

8. Remove the lynch pin and the top link pin securing the center link to the bracket. Retain the lynch pin and the top link pin with the aerator.

9. Disconnect the safety shield chains from the tractor PTO (CE only).

10. Pull back on the lock collar to disconnect the power shaft from the tractor PTO shaft.

11. Slide the PTO shaft back and remove it from the tractor.

12. Connect the PTO tether to the PTO shield to prevent the PTO shaft from contacting the ground (Figure 45).

    

    Figure 45

    1. PTO tether

13. Remove the lynch pins and slide the lower link arms off the hitch pins. Retain the lynch pins with the aerator.