OT: International 440 Baler

JWA

Member
Anybody got experience with International 440 square baler, pros or cons,parts availability, price range etc.
 
My son has one. Parts are getting impossible to find and what you can find is VERY expensive.
He is ready to get a newer baler.
Baled 10,000 bales of straw this year with it.
Pain in the butt to keep it going with a bale accumulator.
Richard in NW SC
 
I had a 440 back in the 80's- it was my last square baler. It wasn't the best, but more than adequate, but would now be about 40 years old. They were built from 78 to 85. I would think you'd be better off looking for a JD or NH that is newer, especially for parts availability....
 
I have been using a 440 baler since 1988 when we bought a used one at auction (replaced a 47). Can't say it's been a bad baler. No problem so far with parts from my IH dealer, but haven't needed anything major yet. Ours has the single rubber based pickup tines which are very expensive but can be changed over to the spring double tines which are way cheaper. Did have problems with the right side knotter for awhile but seem to have that figured out for now with information from this forum (plunger/bale chamber adjustments). If I was looking at another one, the plunger and bale chamber conditions is what I would look close at, deep grooves in the bearing tracks might be a sign of problems but can be fixed with new steel if unit is priced right. Square balers all have the same problem : when they work right there great, when they don't they're a pain in the...
 
Dad bought one new back in the mid 70s. The first two years or so it was a real PIA. Barely better than the 47 baler it replaced in terms of tying. Finally had a different dealership work on it one day when we were working far from home. They had a real baler man that knew how to set one up. After two hours of adjustments the thing ran really well for the next 10 years or so with 20-30K of bales a year run through it.

If set up right they are a high capacity baler that can go through a lot of hay and rough treatment. Make sure it has the "All Twine" knotters a few of the earliest 440s have the same knotters as the 47, 46, and 45 balers and they will drive you nuts.

There are a lot of pretty good 440 balers out there yet. Quite a few were sold just before big round balers became popular so they never saw the years in the field the older models did.
 

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