Farmer Friendly Haybine?????

Reading some posts on haybines - Hesston, New Holland and Deere. Some of these things sound a bit scary when bought used. Wobble boxes, delaminating rollers, etc.

What is a good - farmer friendly fix it yourself haybine? Any particular models you would recommend?

I know of a NH 474 for sale, but from some online reading, it sounds like they had some wobble box trouble? NH 472 sounds great - I think, but they are somewhat hard to find that don't look like they better suited for a scrap yard in my neck of the woods. I see some Hesstons and JD haybines from time to time and even an IH 990 once in a while.

So what is a good used make/model (7 ft in my case) haybine you'd recommend that a hack mechanic like myself could feel comfortable bringing home and fixing/using?

Thanks!
Bill

I bought a new Hesston 1120 in 1994. I run a tremendous amount of hay through that thing every year and it's still quiet and going strong. No wobble box,a half sway bar setup drives the knives. One steel roll,one molded rubber.
There was a CaseIH model that was the same machine. Seems like it was an 8220 or some such thing,just don't hold me to that model number.

472 and 474 are 2 of the best 7' haybines you will find. Any machine will give trouble if neglected, but if they have been cared for they will give excellent service.
Josh

My NH 411 discbine paid for itself in four years in grease not purchased. User friendly!

I picked up an old NH460 about 10 years ago and other then the normal bushing going bad in the sickle bar or the wobble bearings i has been very good to me. Cost me $500 way back then and I pulled it home 75 plus miles behind a Geo Tracker which was not a fun drive

Very close - only one digit off! The CaseIH 8320 was the twin to the Hesston 1120. The 8220 was a pull-type draper machine for swathing cereal grains.

Bill, I still think you ought to bite the bullet and try to find a decent discbine, but the most 'farmer friendly' haybine I have ever seen was a New Idea 290, or the 7' 270. The wobble box was a crank arm from a jack shaft and simple, and effective. And the rollers were made of compressed tire sections and literally indestructible. The biggest troublke would be getting one- it was also a Ford 535 and a MF #3- that's in decent condition. And that's a hard job to find a 40 some year old machine still in decent condition. Even though it may cost more, I think you'd be a lot happier with a discbine, especially if you plan on building your business....

NH made some good haybines but like any used equipment you got to know how to evaluate it when you buy it. Around here a 7 ft haybine is hard to find that is in good shape - many more 9 footers.

My first haybine was a Hesston Pt 10 back in the mid 70's. Decent machine, but the rolls had worn smooth and wouldn't pull grass hay through. Would ball up in front of the rolls then windmill over the reel. Alfalfa would go right through. Don't imagine there are many of those left anymore. bought a new NH 479 and used it till I went to a Gehl discbine.
I agree with the others who say bite the bullet and get a discbine. Don't remember what you have for power, but I ran the Gehl 9' with a 65hp 5000 ford D for awhile. switched to a bigger tractor so I could get more speed. With a discbine you just go. We look back out of force of habit, but you really don't need to. Good luck in your hunt.

Unless you are cutting Alfalfa, a haybine is not needed. Go get a 3 point disc mower. A 7 ft one will out cut a 9 ft haybine. And you can go where a haybine wont , thru gates that are narrow etc.

I have a NH114 pivot tongue bine,i bought it used in 90,. been cutting 300+ acre/year since.
I never had to replace a bearing or bushing or even a shoe yet, still has the original knife's as well although sections and guards are replaced every third season.
I replaced the drive chains 3 times and the chevron crimper rollers once.
The only drawback i found was the narrow 4' wide crimper,, for the 14' cutter bar.
Other than that it has been a trouble free haybine.

(quoted from post at 21:02:13 10/16/14) Unless you are cutting Alfalfa, a haybine is not needed. Go get a 3 point disc mower. A 7 ft one will out cut a 9 ft haybine. And you can go where a haybine wont , thru gates that are narrow etc.

Click to expand...

Well aren't you the individual!!! This topic is on the every month schedule, and one thing that virtually everyone agrees on every time, is that it depends on where you live. In many parts of the country humidity in the air and moisture in the ground are low and grass dries down quickly. In other parts the air is usually humid and and there is usually a lot of moisture in the ground. So, IF you want to get the hay in without washing it you are far better off to crush it.

Bill,
I have an IH 990 that I picked up six years ago for $600. Its a simple machine, and I've had good luck with it - I do 5-7,000 small squares a year.
That being said, if I could afford a discbine, that's what I would have.
Pete

I can only speak to the NH 472/488 type machines. The rolls will eventually lose the rubber, yes that's true. Thing is it doesn't happen suddenly one day. It takes years and years and gazillions of hours of running. If you store them covered it's even longer. Wobble boxes can go bad. They tend to go bad a lot faster when you are stingy with the grease! A good running wobble box NH won't be real noisy and making a lot of racket. One with loose chains, misadjusted hold downs, bent sections and guards, bad knife head bushings and a dry wobble box will sound like one of those old one man bands. It's not like they are junk.

Are there better systems than the wobble box? I think so. Are there better roll ideas? Most likely. Is a discbine lots faster and able to cut hay that wet or lodged? Yup. But all that costs more, take more HP in some cases and still has the potential to break down and cost you an arm and a leg. All have a learning curve. It's just the nature of farm implements.

I used a John Deere 1209 and a 1219 for over 25 years now. They are rock solid, parts are readly avalible and they cut hay excellent whether it is alfelfa or grass. What I like the best about these uints is that they are extremly easy to work on. Look at the others and you will see the difference. The Deere is open and not congested around the gear boxes and drives, this makes it easy if you have to work on them. I would also recommned getting a machine that has the stub guards (anti-clog guards)

Another thing to think about. You don't here John Deere having a wobble box problem either. By all means, I'm for sure that they have had a box blow out here and there, but it was not a consistant problem.
My neighbor was a parts manager for a Deere dealership back in the 70's and 80's. He always said that they stocked a couple of wobble boxes for the New Holland haybines, but never ordered one for a John Deere. By all means, there were more New Hollnads in the area than John Deere, but they never had an issue with the wobble boxes on the Deere's.

I had a NH I think it was red and yellow. Had the enclosed drive shaft. You couldn't get to the u joint in front of the slip clutch at the entrance to the wobble box or what have you where the drive shaft goes into the main unit....been a long time. Wound up taking my cutting torch and cutting a hole in the side of the thing to get at it. Then the tow to mow mechanism was a spring loaded pin and you had to block the right rear tire on the thing to get it to swing over and latch, or vice versa.

Had 3 JD 120x's 7 and 2 9's. Controlling the cutting height was hit and miss, servicing the sickle was just intolerable, wobble box and associated connections tightness. They had the open shaft which was much better and at the last one, forget on the others, had a cylinder for moving from tow to mow and that was nice.

Mark

OK,there was an 8330 too wasn't there? A wider machine? Or should I quit while I'm ahead? lol
That 1120/8320 is a darned good,simple machine anyway,no matter how you look at it.

I have a NH 488 that has been over thousands of acres, dad bought it new in 1976. If this one ever wears out, I will be looking for another 1.

I'd second the NI 290 as a simple machine. As a Massey, I think it was the model 81 Haytender. The #3 was a square baler. We had a Ford 535, then we picked up the 290. Now we have a NI that's orange, green, creamy white, and blue.

Donovan from Wisconsin

The NH haybine is a simple design and easy to work on ( my opinion). Your choice needs to be based on your ability, parts availability and local support. Get a local trusted and knowledgeable person to check the machine that your want to buy.
I like the NH 469 that we run for sudan. I also like the Vermeer disc cutter we run on coastal and bluestem.
The disc cutter could be a nightmare to repair if we bust the cutter bar on a rock or other immoveable object. The haybine is more expensive to run acre for acre.
The best bet is to find a local hay man to consult with at time of purchase. He will know what you are up against with humidity, terrain, and type of hay. He might even know the history of the cutter that you are trying to buy. We hit up a local hay man quite often for second opinion. We even pass jobs and equipment back and forth during break downs or time crunches.

The CIH 8330 was as 9-footer and was identical to the Hesston 1130. For what it's worth, the largest of that side-pull family was a 12-footer: Hesston 1150 and CIH 8350.

Great info everyone! Thanks very much!!!!!!!!

Bill

My first choice would be Hesston 1110 (7') or Hesston 1120 (9'). Very Simple, yet rugged system for actuating the sickle. In other words no expensive wobble box to repair like a New Holland. Also One roller is steel and the other roller is an extremely thick rubber. In other words, I do not believe that one roller will de-laminate like a both NH Holland rollers are so prone to doing when they get some age on them. Not saying the Hesston was better than the New Holland when both were brand new, but I believe the Hesston to be much easier to keep operational as they age.

My 2nd choice would be the New Idea, Ford, Massey versions listed. They are also pretty simple but that simple sickle drive toggle is not what I would call overly rugged like the Hesston drive system is. I do very like the laminate drive rubber roller which should be nearly indestructable. That said New Idea frequently had a habit of using too light of a guage metal in lots of critical areas on some of their equipment. These units will be at least 20 years older than the Hesston too.

I almost bought a Massey 81 haytender for cheap (only Massey version I have ever seen). Ended up buying a ragged Hesston 1120 for cheap instead (have followed rrlund's posts for years). I have no regrets about buying the Hesston. I have even cut in the rain and some wet hay with that Hesston without plugging. Farmall h, Farmall m, and JD A have all seen tractor duty running it. By far like the m on it the best but the others can do it.

Yes I am a true junk in action hobbyist on a shoestring budget. Of utmost importance is all items must be both affordable to purchase as well as affordable to keep it operational.

Well when you get that discbine, let me know. I will cheerfully buy your 990 for a backup to the one I have now.

How much hay ground do you have and what size tractor to cut with? Thanks

Right now about 12 acres. Could grow to 30ish in a few years.