Square Bale Kicker-Thrower - Question

Bill VA · Mar 9, 2015

From what I can tell, Deere has a kicker that tosses the bale from the rear of the baler into a wagon trailing. Sort of like an underhanded softball pitch.

New Holland and Hesston/MF (inline type) have a set of what looks like parallel conveyors that shoot the bale out of the baler and into the wagon trailing behind.

Question is - are these kicker/thrower's an all or nothing deal? In other words, if they are installed on the baler, is the only option to kick/throw the bale out the back, or are they designed to drop bales on the ground or let them slide up a chute for manual stacking or into an accumulator?

Looking at them - it looks like a chore to install and definitely not a one man operation.

Thanks!
Bill

Charlie M · Mar 9, 2015

I would think the JD model would work great to drop bales if you disconnected what ever it is that operates the pan. I've never been that up close to one to know how it works - maybe hydraulic. I would think the NH would would be tough as the bale has to be forced between the belts and will fall from high up. You could remove the thrower but they are very heavy.

Catskill Pete · Mar 9, 2015

Both types can set/disabled to allow dropping the bales on the ground. The John Deere thrower you simply set the lockout device used to work around it when it's operating, sort of like a safety on a gun. I "think" the later model ones also allow the cage to be raised. The NH models you remove the belt on the side of the kicker and release the 2 support arms on the upper apron,[the part that contains the flat thrower belt]. Then you can fold the apron back out of the way. Depending on the different models the upper apron is kept folded back differently, but the principle is the same.
Note that it isn't the nice clean drop that a chute does. And as for loading by hand stacking a wagon in theory yes, in practice forget it.

old · Mar 9, 2015

Years ago I had a JD14T with a thrower. Made half size bales or they would fall apart. Yes you could take the drive chain off so you could then drop on the ground or by hand on a wagon. I threw many a bale out on the ground also. With a kicker you need a 3 sided wagon or they will not stay on and you have to stop from time to time to stack them or you have a big mess of bales.
Way back then had a bunch of kids that wanted to help do the hay so they rode on the wagon and caught the bales most of the time but once in a while one would get a bale right in the back and knock them for a loop but they had fun

johnpop1 · Mar 9, 2015

In the Northeast it is very common to use bale kickers or tossers. They are a very useful tool and allow 1 man to bale and load. With the position and distance controls it is really easy to load a couple of hundred bales on a standard 16 or 18 foot wagon. They are a tool worth every penny when making 35-50 pound dry hay bales.

FFF · Mar 9, 2015

Yes the john deere can be shut off but why would you want to pick up bales if you can throw them in a wagon? Never heard of someone getting a kicker and regretting it!

Dave Sherburne, NY · Mar 9, 2015

When I used to bale with the belt type, and needed to put the last 5 or 10 bales on the ground to be picked up with a pickup truck so the wagon didn't have to be unloaded and the days baling could be finished, what I did was to simply slow the thrower way down just enough so it would still throw the bale. No need to take off drive belts or do anything to the thrower. It still has to grab the bale and throw it so the spinning belts don't wear thru the strings.

wolfman · Mar 9, 2015

With the Deere pan thrower type, flip a lever and the bale slides off the end of the pan onto the ground. I have baled thousands of bales onto the ground as I have many fields way too steep for the kicker wagons.

ztrmower · Mar 10, 2015

forget the thrower period, been there done that. get yourself a bale basket wagon and be done with it.

farmerwithmutt · Mar 10, 2015

It depends on how much hay you make a lot of hay a kicker is worth it .bale baskets are nice I still like a chute baler but then I don't do very much hay anymore. Be careful around john deere balers a guy missed time and left teeth marks in the pan no way I would get one also you can bale faster with the others you don't have to wait for the bale to drop

Tom New Jersey · Mar 10, 2015

The only thrower that is a pain is a JD#2 which is mechanical, starting with JD#30 which are hydraulic they are great, Pull a hair pin the bales are dropped on the ground much like a chute Not familiar with NH belt types.

mtny · Mar 10, 2015

Bill , I've posted on your threads before . I've baled with both . We had a 24t which could be locked out easily . That machines downside was going up or down hills , you were either too long or short with your throw . I think the newer ones are more controllable now though. I currently run a new holland 273 with a belt type . Works well for the age and I got less than $1000 in it, I did add a cylinder on it for direction which I recommend if not equipped so. I've looked into the buggies they seem ok but are pricey and I don't know about them on steep ground . My sister and bro in law like theirs but they don't do a lot of squares. As far as dropping on the ground with a belt , never done it , hope never to . I've looked at bale wagons too, but think my ground is too steep and why make two trips when I still unload on to an elevator .

showcrop · Mar 11, 2015

I have been running an MF with Vicon belt thrower for about twelve years. I can switch back and forth between throw and drop in seconds. I do this because I have wagon capacity for about 400 bales but if the forecast is good I will knock down 500 worth. I have good long term customers that I can depend on coming to pick up off the ground. Those baskets are good for loading and transporting, but you won't be done with unloading until midnight!

Bill VA · Mar 11, 2015

Thanks! In our area, we might have a few hay fields where the baler and wagon might be a little heavy to hold given the slope of the land. So to drop on the ground is a must.

Bill VA · Mar 11, 2015

Thanks everyone for your comments! Very helpful info.

Just thinking ahead on my options down the road and a thrower is a consideration. We have to have the ability to drop on the ground as some of the ground we might bale a few years from now are IMHO a little hilly and I'd rather drop on the ground than have the tractor pushed down a hill with the baler and wagon behind.

Thanks again,
Bill

showcrop · Mar 11, 2015

(quoted from post at 10:00:27 03/11/15) Thanks everyone for your comments! Very helpful info.

Just thinking ahead on my options down the road and a thrower is a consideration. We have to have the ability to drop on the ground as some of the ground we might bale a few years from now are IMHO a little hilly and I'd rather drop on the ground than have the tractor pushed down a hill with the baler and wagon behind.

Thanks again,
Bill

Good thinking!

Square Bale Kicker-Thrower - Question

Bill VA

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Charlie M

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Catskill Pete

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old

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johnpop1

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FFF

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Dave Sherburne, NY

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wolfman

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ztrmower

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farmerwithmutt

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Tom New Jersey

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mtny

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showcrop

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Bill VA

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Bill VA

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showcrop

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