Aercore™ 800 Aerator

The Aercore™ 800 is designed around simplicity, and that definitely applies to the ground-following system. In fact, it doesn’t need a ground-following system at all.

By locating the coring head precisely between the tires, the tining action perfectly follows the ground that is in contact with the rear tires. No complex linkages are required to enable the coring head to follow the contour. This also promotes consistency of hole depth across undulations.

Why do you mow greens with a narrower-width cutting unit? The answer is to eliminate opportunities for scalping, improving overall turf health and providing excellent cut quality. The narrower the cutting unit, the less risk there is of scalping the turf in an undulation.

The same principle applies during aeration. During aerification, you are looking to impact the top 3 in. to 4 in. (7.6 cm to 10.2 cm) of the soil profile. A narrow aerator is going to follow undulations much better than a wider one, keeping a more consistent depth throughout the aeration practice. A consistent depth means more compaction relief at the full depth of aeration and even more accurate topdressing applications.

The verticutter utilizes carbide-tipped blades and may be operated to a maximum depth of 1-3/4 in. (44.5 mm) in any of the Aercore 800’s four operating gears. Soil conditions will determine whether or not maximum depth can be achieved. A 31.5-in. (80-cm) width matches the aeration width of the Aercore 800. The standard blade spacing from the factory is 1 in. (25.4 mm), but it can be increased or decreased using spacers in increments of 1/4 in. (6.4 mm).

For golf courses that aerate and verticut as part of the same practice, the Aercore 800 equipped with the verticutter attachment allows both aerating and verticutting operations to be performed at exactly the same time. The simultaneous operation yields time and labor savings compared to traditional methods.

The Aercore™ 800 utilizes a 25-hp (18.6-kW) gas engine. The increased horsepower allows the engine to turn at a much-slower rpm on entry and exit when the throttle-back solenoid is turned on. The throttle-back solenoid slows the engine down on both entry and exit to eliminate tufting of the turf as the coring head lifts and lowers.

The Aercore 800 also offers an optional verticutter attachment to provide an industry-exclusive aerating and verticutting combination. This tandem offers a productive and versatile option that no other competitor can do.

The 25-hp (18.6-kW) engine allows the verticutter alone to operate at a depth of up to 1.75 in. (4.4 cm). Also, the increased horsepower allows the aerator and verticutter to be run simultaneously to impact even more surface area and further reduce compaction as part of the aeration process. Course conditions will dictate how deep the verticutter can be run in combination with a maximum aeration depth.

Hydraulic leaks are a superintendent’s worst nightmare. Not only do they have the potential to damage significant amounts of finely manicured turf, but in many cases, if the fluid is not biodegradable, the turf area must be dug up and replaced. Not to mention the dissatisfaction of the golfers who must play on unsightly turf that has been damaged by a hydraulic leak.

For that reason, the Aercore™ 800 Aerator features a mechanical transmission as opposed to a hydraulic traction drive system. A mechanical transmission eliminates hydraulic leak opportunities, providing confidence the aeration process will run smoothly.

A mechanical transmission ensures hole spacing will be consistent and precise across every aeration pass. The gear selector is conveniently located within the operator’s reach for easy speed and spacing selections.

The Aercore™ 800 was designed to be turf friendly. From adjustable turf guard pressure, to the Flexi-Link design, to the hydraulic-free mechanical transmission, the Aercore 800 is a market leader in turf friendliness. But the design goes much further than just its key product features. The Aercore 800, including its innovative components, weighs only 1367 lb (620 kg), very lightweight for a very productive aerator.

Even when you add the industry-exclusive verticutter attachment to the Aercore 800, it only weighs 1442 lb (654 kg), still nearly 150 lb (68 kg) lighter than the most-productive competitor.

Not only does the Aercore 800 offer a lightweight design, it also has a very low operating tire pressure to further spread out the footprint of the machine and minimize turf compaction. The Aercore 800 utilizes a tire pressure of 9 psi (62.1 kPa), where the closest competitor in its class in terms of productivity uses 12 psi (82.7 kPa) of tire pressure.

Not on the Aercore 800. The Aercore 800 system goes beyond hydraulic — it also has an electrical component. Basically, this system features an electric motor that turns a hydraulic pump to engage a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering the coring head.

If the machine runs out of gas or there is an engine failure during aerification, raise the coring head out of the ground by simply leaving the key switch in the run position and pressing the lift switch. Or simply release the operator-presence bail and the head automatically raises out of the ground. No need to break out the tools and start removing tine holders and turning hydraulic dump valves to remove the machine from the green.

Standard drive tire core deflectors eliminate running over pulled cores from the previous aerification pass. The deflectors lift and lower with the coring head and push aside any cores that may lie in the path of the drive tires. They also float freely to follow even the most undulating greens.

By preventing the tires from running over pulled cores, the drive tire core deflectors improve the green cleanup process after aerification.

The Aercore™ 800 and its optional verticutter attachment feature a belt-driven design, providing quiet and smooth operation that does not require any lubrication. Belts require very minimal maintenance compared to traditional chain drive systems.

Chains require lubrication to keep them running efficiently, and no golf course wants to have the opportunity of dropping excess grease on golf course playing surfaces. Belt drive systems only require proper belt tension and regular cleaning to limit debris buildup. To further enhance serviceability, the Aercore 800 features sealed bearings throughout the entire coring head system. This simplifies maintenance and, once again, ensures excess grease is not dropped onto playing surfaces.

The Aercore™ 800 utilizes a pin and spacer system to establish aeration depth. This provides a simple system that is both easy to use and requires no tools for adjustment.

Once adjusted, the depth adjustment rests on the Aercore 800 frame when the coring head is lowered. By resting the depth adjuster against the frame, this ensures the depth of the hole is consistent across the surface being aerated. There are no electronic sensors or linkages to rely on when establishing the depth on the Aercore 800.