(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

New Holland 273 Bale Shape

1

1 Dollar

Member
Do you guys have any pointers on squaring up bales out of older New Holland balers? On my 273 I did 1200 bales of straw last year and I'd guess the first 500 were nice and square and solid but the rest were bananna bales and were lopsided to the pickup side of the baler. I have the feeder teeth adjusted to push as far into the chamber as possible. I could still adjust the tension as each side is currently set equal.

Thanks
 
I ran a 273 for several years in mixed grass hay and never had a bale shape issue, but as I've read, it has been for some. Couple of things I've noticed on some other balers is to make sure it has the small triangular deflector right above the opening to the bale chamber, it seems to be missing on a lot of balers. Mine also had three sets of feeder teeth, I've seen some with only two. Also, try to keep a good even windrow that keeps the feeder full. If in smaller windrows, try to run it so the windrow enters the feeder on the far side from the bale chamber. hope this helps a little.
 
you might want to look at the wedges in the bale chamber. probably missing one or need one or two on one side. just a thought
 
Just some more details: I've got a wedge on w
each side and I have "Bale Skiis" installed in the chamber. They're a poly plastic liner for the chamber. This chamber was very rusty when I got it 3 years ago.
 
A NH 273 doe not have much in the way of adjusting the feeding system to correct windrow issues. You need to drive different in thin hay to get square bales. Some times it will need the windrow close to the chamber and way out at others. The tension adjustment will only make a little difference.

Also how the windrow is raked will make a big difference in the baling job. If the windrow is not uniform then the bale shape will change. I mean the windrow can look even but does it have an equal amount of hay in each side??? Some times you have a triangle shaped windrow and that makes the bale be crooked.

The cut side of a square bale is always going to be a little tighter. The reason being is that the other side has the hay folded. The cut side is just that cut. So it is fuller.

Try driving different on the windrow and check how you have your hay rake in the windrow.
 
Check the hay dogs, on top of baler, too, these lock the last flake of hay, from moving back much, with each stroke. Sometimes a spring will be weak, or broken and cause this.
 
Maybe that's the problem, they should be adjusted to what the manual states. I know in thin windrows I've had lopsided bales before, had to speed the tractor up to the next gear.
 
In my experience banana bales are caused by the windrow, not the baler. If the windrow is too small and the baler is not kep full then you get banana bales.
 
Agree!!!.. I have a buddy who runs a 336 J.D. baler. He watches the size of windrows I put into my 273 and says.. "thats to big".. NOT the 273 loves alot of hay..I usually take two 9 ft swaths into one windrow.."grass".. bale at 2nd sometimes slow to 1st but helps alot.. if smaller amounts speed up.. Course you can put to much in to..
 
As always, do you have the manual? Have you gone through the troubleshooting guide for banana bales? 99% of the time it is a feed chamber issue.
I have baled thousands of bales with a 275 and have all kinds of windrows. I just drive down the field and bale the hay. No concern about thickness, or side to side nonsense.
Truths be told I spent perhaps 30 hours and $600 in parts, adjusting and tweaking that rascal before it morphed from scrap metal to the world's most reliable SSB. Lose a bale about every 400.
 
I've been going through the same thing with my 273. The left side of the bales were getting less hay. I used up all the adjustment on the feeder penetration and closed down the feeder box and still didn't correct it. One day half way through the field the bales suddenly got really bad. One of the first pair of fingers droped off. Going by the parts diagram most of the fingers were mixed up. I bought two new ones for the center pair and when I saw how long they were I realized how much the others were worn down. This year I put two new ones on the first pair and set the adjustment right in the middle. Formed nearly perfect bales and the hay is real light this year.
 
Right. Look at the parts manual. There are three different lengths of teeth and then all the different adjustments. It's pretty close to rocket science. Having flown a mach II profile to the edge of space , that was almost easier than setting up a ssb.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Tom in TN
More about my New Holland 273 baler
Replies
8
Views
509
Mike(NEOhio)
M
A
New Holland 10 10 bale wagon bale pickup issues
Replies
8
Views
443
Bud Sather in MT
B
M
NH311 bale counter trip chain
Replies
1
Views
459
DeltaRed
D
S
273 New Holland square baler timing
Replies
18
Views
2K
Shealray
S
7
New Holland Bailer
Replies
4
Views
787
Part Time Pete
P
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top