Frequently Asked Questions about the Matador

1. How does my Matador work?
The pick-up lifts the hay onto a mold board which turns the hay over, completely inverting and moving the swath over, generally 3-4 feet.

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2. How far is the inverted swath moved over?
The hay swath is inverted and moved onto dry ground just beside its original location. How far is moves over depends largely on the size of the swath as it moves it approximately a swath width away.

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3. Does the Matador invert the hay swath completely?
Yes, if the hay swath is of optimal width and dryness and the machine is operated correctly, the hay swath will be inverted completely and consistently.

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4. When won’t the Matador turn the swath completely?
Sometimes in the following situations:

A. The hay swath is too wide and flat.

B. The back end of the inverter is too high. The Matador swath inverter should be level from front to back. Levelling should be done across the top of the frame.

C. Driving too slowly or running the pick-up too slow. The machine works best at a speed of 6-10 MPH, depending on field conditions. Also, the puck-up speed should match the ground speed.

D. The hay is not cured sufficiently. Best inverting is achieved at the 2/3 dry down stage.

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5. What speed should I be driving when inverting?
Depending on the field conditions and quantity of hay, usually 6-10 MPH is best, as it inverts the hay more consistently. Due to the low profile pick-up you should not see a lot of leaf loss even at those speeds.

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6. How is the Matador driven?
Hydraulically. This is a must for hay inverters and is often overlooked in other machines that are ground driven. When encountering heavy hay, the operator must slow down, which in turn slows down the pick-up. However, what is needed when encountering heavy hay is for the pick-up to maintain its speed. This is where the hydraulic feature is ideal.

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7. How fast should my pick-up speed be set?
Try matching pick-up speed to ground speed of machine as closely as possible. If you have the pick-up speed too slow, you will be driving over swath and this will pull material into the pick-up. If the pick-up speed is too fast, there will be undue leaf loss and hay will not be guided onto the mold board properly.

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8. How much faster does inverted hay dry?
From most of the comments we hear from our customers and our own experience, the hay inverted hay dries in approximately half the time.

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9. If it is not raining on my hay should I still invert?
Yes. The Matador should be used as part of your regular haying operations. It will save you quality every time, rain or shine. If drying conditions are ideal, you will shorten the curing time by a day or two and will improve quality and color.

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10. How soon should I be inverting after rain?
The best rule of thumb is to wait until the ground beside the swath is dry, so you will be turning the hay onto dry ground. Also wait until the swath is a good _ dry and turn it. This way it should be dry in a day or so.

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11. How does the Matador compare with the New Holland in handling heavy swaths?
The New Holland has hard time handling heavy hay as it seems to plug up really quickly due to the many changes in directions the hay must take. The Matador generally can handle any volume of hay as it has a straight through flow design.

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12. How does the Matador compare with New Holland’s machine in leaf loss?
The pickup on the Matador is only 19 inches high, so if it is used properly it is very gentle on leaves. When testing side by side we decreased the speed of the New Holland to 5 MPH due to leaf loss while maintaining 10 MPH speed on the Matador with the same amount of leaf loss or less. The Matador is hydraulically driven for more control.

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13. Will the Matador combine swaths like the New Holland?
No. The Matador was not designed to combine swaths. It was designed to invert 100% consistently.

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14. What are the advantages of the Matador as opposed to other inverters or rakes?
A: The Matador is essentially the only machine that truly inverts. Most other machines that are called inverters are not truly inverters in the sense that they do not really invert. In some cases the machines will pick up the swath and move it onto dry ground often mixing the wet and dry materials together.

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B: The Matador will not bunch hay, wrap it up, rope or skip. It leaves a uniform smooth swath which resembles a freshly cut swath. There is no twisting of hay, so the curing time is far faster than if the hay is bunched or roped.

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C: The speed of operation is also a great asset to the Matador. Generally speeds of 6-10 MPH are attainable and preferable to operation. Most other machines are a lot slower and in some cases, the process takes a lot of time.

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D: Less maintenance and moving parts. The Matador has only 2 moving parts: The pick-up and the 2 rollers behind the pick-up, which keep the hay moving onto the mold board.

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15. What are the maintenance requirements of the Matador?
The rugged sturdy frame will handle almost any abuse hay fields will dish out. Basic maintenance requirements on the Matador are the pick-up teeth that occasionally need replacement, depending on field conditions, and checking the roller drive chain for proper tension. Other than simple greasing, this machine is easy to maintain.

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16. Do I need a hydraulic lift kit for my Matador?
In most cases it's considered important. The hydraulic lift will be especially handy when inverting back and forth as it will prevent you from dragging the hay around. Since you will need to turn on your headland hay, the pick-up will be spreading that hay around. Therefore it’s best to lift up when turning. Other instances in which the lift kit is handy, is with mole hills, stones or rough fields. Lifting the pick-up will reduce damage to the pick-up and teeth. The lift kit also allows you to skip over swaths you don't want to invert.



17. Is the Matador easily transported?
A: Via truck, these machines can be disassembled and easily fit into the back of a full size truck box. The mold board and wheels are removed and set on end, with hitch up. 1 unit takes approximately 36-38 inches by 96 inches of room.

B: Via carriers, the Matador can be carted or packed onto a pallet in a very compact manner. The machine is assembled completely except for the tail piece, hitch and tires. It then sits on the end of the basic frame. All parts, tires, hitch, mold board and mold board frame are packed into any available space. The total package is approximately 6 feet high, 7 feet long and 3 feet wide.

C: The Matador is easily towed behind pickups for road travel. With proper tires and lighting, the Matador can safely be towed on public roads.

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18. How easily are the Matadors to assemble, if assembly is required?
In cases of transportation where assembly is required, it is simple and takes very little time. The basic assembly of the pick-up is all done at the factory. The only assembly required on a partially assembled machine is:

A: Installing 3 basic frame pieces for the mold board.

B: Installing the mold board.

C: Attaching the wheels.

D: Attaching the hitch and hydraulic hoses.
Total assembly requires 1 1/2 - 2 hrs. Complete instructions provided.

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19. What are the options on the Matador?
A: Hydraulic lift kit.

B: Cam track pick-up prevents wrapping when inverting long fine hay.

C: Slow speed kit, applicable only on '98 and '99 models.

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20. What type of crops can I invert with this machine?
Alfalfa or alfalfa/grass mix. All types of hay, grasses or green feed can be inverted. Also peas, lentils, trefoil and other crops have been successfully inverted with the matador.

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