Knotter problem update

Erik OK

Member
I have gone over the baler manual and the knotter service manual and made every adjustment per the book so I think anyway. Now the problem is the right side knotter is missing every single knot, no loop on either end of the twine. The ends are kinda ragged looking, just put new twine knives on yesterday. I adjusted needles, twine disc timing, twine fingers, twine holder, twine box tension per the manual instructions but still no knot on right, left side ties perfect every time and I have tried to set the right side up the exact same. The book shows failed knots but not one with no loop on either end, I'm using 9000 poly twine, thinking about trying some sisal to see if it makes any difference, anyone have any other suggestions? May have to break down and take it to the dealer and have it checked out, I was able to bale about 20 bales in 6 hours of messing around with it today, becoming very frustrating.
 
On my baler, I had the arm that runs off the cam on the knotter shaft, actuates the twine fingers, twisted and bent. Even straightened in a press wasn't enough, Mechanic actually twisted rod back in shape. Once he reset needles very close to twine diaks, he reset the twine fingers. They should be parrallel to bale chamber at rest, a full 90 degrees at full actuation. Twine fingers should barely clear underside of needle as the point passes needle when actuated. Sounds to me as though twines are not in position to get picked and wrapped around the billhook shoulder as it rotates. This would be a function of the twine fingers.
 
Eirk,

I'm sorry you're still having troubles with your knotter. They can really be irritating when they're not working properly.

One procedure that I've found to be helpful is to trip the knotter clutch and have someone SLOWLY turn the flywheel while you watch the knotter (especially the billhook and stripper arm) as you go through the cycle to see why the knot isn't forming properly.

I do everything by myself so I don't have anyone to turn the flywheel, so I trip the clutch, turn the flywheel until the knotter starts to turn, and then jam a plastic wedge between the flywheel and the frame of the baler to hold the flywheel in position. I can then examine the knotter to see what it is doing.

I wish that I were anywhere near Oklahoma to try to help you.

Tom in TN

PS. Did you view the youtube of the New Holland knotter training film?
 
Look at the bill hook and make sure it's turn'in.I've only saw this once but the pin that holds the pinion to the bill hook shaft might be broke.Just a thought.
 

Have you cleaned most of the hay out yet and rolled it over by hand to see exactly what it is doing and not doing?
 
Since it sounds like you're nearing the end of your rope with this thing, what's to lose by completely disassembling the knotters to make sure there's no sheared pins or woodruff keys anywhere? On my old 68, I had a sheared woodruff key on the the right side knotter that would make it work in kind of a random fashion. Drove me nuts for a while.

Sounds like you've tried about everything else. You've checked your hay dog springs and all right? If the flakes aren't being held properly in the chamber and are springing back, that'll prevent proper knotting too.
 
Kinda sounds like the twine is getting broken if it's got ragged ends. Best thing to do is get a helper to roll the baler over by hand and trip it through a tie cycle and you watch to see where things go haywire... Sometimes if the knots don't slip the billhook the string will get broken when the plunger pushes the bale out... Then you've also got to watch closely for bent billhooks...

Rod
 
Call the dealer and make arrangements for the mech to come to your hayfield . He will have it up and running in less than an hour. Best money you ever spent. Get a friend to drive the tractor while you watch and learn from the mechanic. Give him a tip!
 
Sounds like a twine finger problem. Make sure the side that is not tying has the twine finger adjusted exactly as the one that is tying. You might have to bend the rod some to get them the same. I had to make two new brackets that the fingers rotate on. I also had one of the holes in a twine finger washed out to where it couldn't be in adjustment all thru the complete cycle. Easy fix but took me a few head scratches and many more re reads of the manual to get it thru my head.
 
I hate to say this but did you put the knife on backwards? You know we are all getting old and sometimes crazy things happen to the best of us.
 

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