new holland 269 square baler

rz farms

Member
I just purchased a 269 hayliner from a friend.he used it last year and made about 160 bales with no problem. I make around 600 just to fill my agreement with the landowner.I think we ended up around 900 bales of hay and 70 bales of straw last year.we planto make more this year.is this a good baler for the job.we have a 14t john deere we will be using in partner with the new baler but the new hoholland will be my primary.just curious if there are any known common issues or anything amd what kind of speed I can pull this baler.I will be pulling with a ih1066 and some with a farmall 400.any info will be appreciated.thank you
 
I would keep the 269 on the 400 if you can.

That size tractor will work well with the baler.

When you overload the baler the tractor will pull down and let you know to slow up. With the 1066 you will hammer the baler to death.

We had a 275 NH baler. We pulled it over 200,000 bales with a 460. Tried it on the 806 a couple of times and stacking on the rack I thought dad was going to explode the baler the way it hammered when he overfed it. The 460 would pull down and work with the baler not hammer it.

Gary
 
rz,

This is going to sound like a "smart-aleck" answer, but I honestly don't intend for it to be.

There are about a trillion New Holland 269, 271, or 273 balers out there. Every one of them works well as long as nothing is wrong with them. When something is wrong with them, they don't work at all well. When the thing that is wrong with them is fixed, they work well again.

Honestly, you can get a thousand tips on what to do with your baler, but the first and foremost thing to do is to try it. And then fix what doesn't work.

Again, not trying to be a wise-guy, the topic is so broad, there is no really good answer to the question.

Tom in TN
User of a NH 273 baler
 
Thank you for the input.I know just what you are saying completely.thats what we did with the jd when we got it.im just more curious if they had any common issues to watch for.I didn't have to worry about the jd due to grandad bought one new and dad has one in the barn from before I was born and used till I was just a small boy.ive never had a nh or been around them that was the reason for the post.bit I do agree I nees to get it out and try it.thank you
 
I would love to keep it on the 400 but I can't on the hills.it has its own issues and doesn't have enough power to pull/run the baler and pull a wagon on most of the farm without being wide open.even then its sketchy.two years ago it got to where we had to bale to the end of a row then shut the baler down just to go up the grade in the field without stalling.we ran the jd with the 10 last year.I had a good teacher with me( grandpa) in the field and we found the sweet spot to run the baler. Also part of my purchasing this baler was I was assured it would be faster than my jd.I know its not a 273 or a new baler but any more speed would be a big help.I dont have a lot of field help so we do as much as possible every good day we get.thank you for your input
 
I'm no expert, I don't have years(only 4) of experience baling. But advice I recieved from an oldtimer who had years and years of experience, told me," the baler will set the pace, not the tractor". My 269 makes great square bales, but when I've tried to "push/hurry" it, bad things usually happen. just my inexperienced opinion. gobble
 
I will say he gave you very good advise.and that is how we do it here.but I have to change something to get some more speed out of the day.Im not trying to go like a bog square baler but im sure you know what its like having hay down and rain in the forcast.thanks for the input
 
The 400 would be the better choice.But the 1066(I bale with a 1256 sometimes). will work fine as long as you are aware of the feeding.Let the baler tell you how fast to bale.It may help to count the number of strokes per bale.15 to 20 spb is about right.Buy/order(and read) an owners manual before you take it to the field.
 
I will say he gave you very good advise.and that is how we do it here.but I have to change something to get some more speed out of the day.Im not trying to go like a bog square baler but im sure you know what its like having hay down and rain in the forcast.thanks for the input
 
Ok will do.I think it has a manual with it.not sure.its a buddy of mine I got it from.he was gonna check on it.couldn't remember if he had a manual or not. Thank you
 
That manual will have all kinds of trouble shooting;adjustments;repairs....you will need to know.The cheapest 'part' you will ever buy.
 
That 400 must be real sick...I used to bale a lot with my Super M.No trouble even in the heaviest hay.The SM will 'pull' the baler faster than it will 'eat' the hay.And it was a 282,not a 269
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If the feeder system is the same type as the 273 baler, I would take a good look and see how much wear it has . It is got much slop in it I would start going thru it right now.
 
No.The 269 feeder is different.IMHO,a 269 is kind of an 'oddball'.Still a good machine,but an 'oddball'.
 
I run a 273 normally with a ford 5000 , last summer had a rear go down on the 5 . Put my oliver 770 on it . Did not like the hills , on flat ground no problem . I should mention we have a throw baler so we are pulling a wagon all the time . I guess what I'm saying is you know your ground , if you run your 10 carefully it won't hurt a thing . We have some steep spots that you want all the power and weight you can get .
 
I had a 269 before and have run a 275 as well. I think you will find that you will not break any speed records. On the 269 for some reason the nut on the flywheel shear pin would always loosen up. Never did figure that one out. As stated before make sure the feeder system is in good working order. If I remember correctly, there is aluminum forks to push the hay into the chamber. Make sure that they are all there. If not replace them, or you will get banana shaped bales. They are a good baler. I pulled the 269 with a 170 Allis or a 1750 Oliver. Either one worked well. The 275 was pulled with as small as a 504 IH or as big as a 886 IH. You will only be able to go as fast as the baler will let you
 
Loose nut comes from the holes being egg shaped after decades of use. Instead of shearing on flat metal, the bolt is pulled diagonally and stretches, then it gets loose. A lock but or double nutting helps, but only helps, as there is still the stretch effect.

Drilling out the hole gets fresh sharp edge but then the bolt is too big to do good. Need to drill big and press a steel sleeve in. Which is work, most just use lock nuts and know you will stretch a few bolts a year.....

I'd say the 400 tractor will be a good match for the baler, the 1066 is just too much. It will work, but too wide, drive on the windrow, be idling along burning extra fuel.....

Speed of baling depends on the windrow size and the dryness of the hay and how it feeds (length and type of hay/straw). You want so and so many plunger strokes per bale to make good uniform bales, so match speed to the windrow size.

Often second gear is a good start. With my IHC 300 and a 270 baler I've used double low through straight third gear, mostly Lo second or first. I rake good sized windrows. All the NH balers 271 or older are good old slow balers, you drive slow. 35-50hp is a great match for them, can get by with less but not as fun.

Paul
 
Wow, have a IHC 300 gas on a NH 270 baler (newer but same basic capacity as your baler) and pulled 16 foot hay racks, now a 80-120 bale bale basket, that setup does 1000-6000 bales a year on this farm since the 1960s (that's in the 100,000 bale range?) we have hills and clay soft ground, I can't imagine a 400 not having enough power?

Something is wrong with your tractor, fix that. Does the 400 have a working TA (hi-Lo)? That is the biggest secret to getting good baling speed, being able to shift on the fly up or down that 1/2 gear to match baling speed to windrow size.

I have a 60hp Ford 5200 I use sometimes now, but I much prefer the old 300. Its just the right match.

Fix your 400!

I've used the Ford 7700 (tad smaller than your 1066) on the baler a few times, I was never happy when doing so. Too much tractor, nothing good happens. It works in emergencies, but ick.........

Paul
 
Egged out shear bolt hole.

Have the feeder teeth in the right locations and in good shape to feed hay into the chamber. An inch makes a difference, when people talk about banana bales this is their problem.

Rollers on the plunger. It will work a long time with bad roller, until it doesn't........

Wrist pin in the plunger, people forget to grease it way back in there.

The typical stuff with the pickup and the knotters, same old same old.

Have the 'plunger stop' working. Little strong pivot arm on the right side when the needles are moving it enters the bale chamber and will stop the plunger (violently, breaking the shear pin) but saves the needles and knotters from damage. They tend to rust open, or get disabled as they can cause problems if not adjusted just so - but it's well worth getting it working and adjusted right!

If you ever ever ever mess with that chain that runs the knotters, have your manual out and go through the timing. Plunger will snap the needles off when the timing is wrong.

Paul
 
Ok will do.I think it has a manual with it.not sure.its a buddy of mine I got it from.he was gonna check on it.couldn't remember if he had a manual or not. Thank you
 
Ok will do.I think it has a manual with it.not sure.its a buddy of mine I got it from.he was gonna check on it.couldn't remember if he had a manual or not. Thank you
 
The bigger tractor should work fine. That's what the shear pin is for. Baled mostly with a 4020 and a 1955 on our 269.
 
Not super familiar with the 269, but I think it has the same feed system as the 68.Tine bar on a chain with a hold down bar between the tines. That hold down bar can be a problem, get out of line and break tines. I fought that on our 68 for many years . Ran across a post on here by [I think} steve from New Holland. He said to just take that bar out and it will work better.[ and if the 269 doesn't have that system please forget that I posted.]
 
Especially for planting and harvesting machines, you need an operator manual. $20-30. Nice thing about the NH manual would be the pics of bad knots, and info re how to correct the issue.

What paul said about the plunger stop linkage...find both upper and lower zerks on the front pivot. Easy to miss the lower one, and you want that system to work.

I had a 268 with belt thrower for about 30 years, bought a 269 parts baler to get the 3 joint pto...balers are otherwise identical AFAIK. Two joint pto must have been designed by someone who thought tractors were about 40 inches wide.
 
If you are breaking needles,its not the tine bar.It is a plunger to needle timeing issue.Or the needles are not in the correct 'home' position. Buy a manual ASAP and adjust it to the book.If not,you will continue to break (expencive) needles. At 40 bucks,the CHEAPEST thing you will ever buy for your baler.
 
Steve from New Holland had several comments about tine bars and problems with needles. He seemed to be a good source of information. I would like to understand why he was making the connection between the tine bar and the needle issue.

Rich
 
I don't believe there was any connection between the tine bar and needles in his posts. the hold down bar gets bent and breaks the tines. deltareds advice is right on if you are breaking needles
 
I have a close cousin 273.. I run about 2500-3500 through it.. Has been fine.. I wouldnt mind getting a 276 someday but273 has been good to me with little maintenance..so its a keeper for now..
 
Yaaa!

GO FARMALL!!! :)

That is a sharp looking machine... I REALLY need to find me a big one like that! My C is just a little too small... :)
 

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