Needle to Plunger to Bale Chamber Timing Question

Got a new knotter chain on my NH68, per the manual set the crank between it's timing marks, lined up the dots on the knotter, installed the new chain to hold it fast there - the baler is in time - almost.

The manual calls for the tips of the needles to come flush/into the chamber just as the tips of the triangular angles in the front of the plunger travel past the needles by some 1/4-3/4ish inches. This not happening. The plunger goes way past the needles before they come in to the chamber. The manual is somewhat vague on this adjustment - I think. As the needles make their return trip to the home position and the plunger returns to the rear, the plunger stop - stops it and the needles are just flush with the bottom of the bale chamber, but need to rotate about 2ish inches to the home position. So it looks like the needles are coming-in to the chamber early and leaving late - so I need to adjust this.

It looks like I've got two places to adjust - downstream of the knotter timing dots lined-up. I can adjust the bottom of the yoke rod, but in doing so, I am in danger (I think) of pulling the needles and yoke into the bottom of the bale chamber. The other adjustment, if possible is to loosen the yoke rod lever (rotated by the knotter rod) and bring the yoke and needles up to the bottom of the bale chamber.

How should I proceed?

I think once I get this resolved and go through the knotter/needle relationship - making sure everything there is as per the manual, I'm ready to string up the baler and give it a try.

Any advice you could share would be much appreciated.

Thanks!
Bill

Before I set the plunger to TDC I always grab the needle yoke and pull up on it.That way I know it's in the home position.A worn brake or linkage will let it slip.Good luck.

Definitely set the needle yoke to the home position when I set
the knotter timing.

Thanks!
Bill

Looking at some other manuals than the one for my NH68 with perhaps a bit more info. The lever I'm pointing to in the picture is driven by a half moon key - so there is no adjustment on it.

The two other manuals I have are for a NH268 and a NH316. They look sufficiently similar to my NH68 to be of reference.

According to these manuals (and I'll need to read them another 10+ times to be sure), I might need to adjust either the needle yoke rod or the knotter stop or both.

Still studying!

Bill

I have not worked with a 68 but I believe most NH balers are similar in timing. You definitely need to have the needles in full home when timing.As far as the needle lift arm there is an adjustment for how far up the needles travel. I believe it is determined by distance from needle yoke to bottom of bale case when needles are in top position. That being said, on my NH 282 baler the needles enter the bale case behind the front of the plunger, 1 inch or so. It seems to work good that way and I have no trouble with plunger hitting the safety stop when it is adjusted correctly. My knotter timing is set about 1 tooth late, again the baler works well that way. There is slack and wear in old knotter components. Another adjustment that is critical is the knotter stop adjustment on the lh side of the knotter. If that is not set correctly your needles will go too far and pass home position.

All that has to be done is move chain either forward/backward on twister/knotter drive sprocket till does as manuel says.

As shawn says,move the knotter drive chain one tooth one way or the other....BTDT

I'll 3rd what shaun wallace stated. Don't change needle lift yoke adjustment when trying to time needles to PH timing.

If you've tried about every other possibility and still can't get the timing right, it is possible that the woodruff key on the knotter drive shaft, either on the chain or needle side, has sheared and shifted the whole shebang.

BTDT.

Also looks like you've got a pretty good groove worn in the needle hole. You might want to think about building that up with a little weld and rounding it back out with a die grinder.

Just for grins I went out to my 68 with a measuring tape. With the plunger arm vertical between the timing marks, the knotter dots line up dead straight across. The tine arm pivot is about 1/2" to the right of being centered between the notches. Tripping the knotter and turning the flywheel by hand, the points of the needles are flush with the bottom of the chamber when the bottom points of the plunger are 5 1/2" beyond them.

I've never broken a needle, and the machine never missed in 3,500 bales this spring using 7000 twine.

The needles are definitely in the home position when I set the timing.

Will look at the knotter stop position next time I'm out near the baler.

Thanks!
Bill

I'll take a look-see at this - thanks everyone for
your comments!

Bill

That sounds pretty much where my baler is set. When finished the knot cycle, the needles are just flush with the inside of the bale chamber, out of the way and retreating, as the plunger comes back to the rear. I suppose I could adjust the plunger stop a bit and I'd be good. I'm just not comfortable with the needles being so far back against the plunger from the get-go, maybe it's going to reside there anyway.

Thanks for your comments!

Bill

If I remember the needles on my 67 come in at about the same as yours, and it works good so I"m not changing a thing. Jim