New Holland 68 Flap and Feeder Forks

Took a look-see at my NH68 today.

Looking into the bale chamber from the pick-up side, there is a little triangular shaped piece of sheet metal that is hinged. It is right beside the entrance if the bale chamber. Any idea of what this flap is for? While it appears to be all there, it pretty much doesn't move as the sheet metal is bowed enough to bind the hinge.

Aluminum feeder forks. I had some notes where I measured the overall length of a set at the dealer last year, but can't find them. I'm thinking from those notes 14 inches. Mine are 13-1/2" nearest the bale chamber and 13-3/4" at the center of the tine bar and didn't measure the steel forks on the right most side of the feeder bar.

Anyone have a dimension for these feeder forks?

Thanks!
Bill

I don't know what the flap is for. I have only replaced one of the
feeder fork tines because the old one was broken. If they are only
1/4" or 1/2" short I wouldn't worry about it. Mine baled fine for a
while with one broken off about halfway, I replaced it over the
following winter.
Zach

I'm not sure what the flap does either. The feeder tines wear over time. If they break or wear too much, you get lousy bales. How much is too much? Got me. You'll know when it happens though.

The flap prevents hay from being carried back to
the feeder housing from the bale chamber.

Well, I did not have good access to measure the individual forks (too muddy). So I simply measured the gap from the feeder floor bottom to the tips of each fork on my super 68. I am assuming the feeder floor is relatively flat and my slides are in decent shape but I did not verify either. Measurements were simply taken at one point where the carriage happened to be resting.

Will try to get better measurements when I have less mud and measuring the actual fork would certainly be better.

aluminum closest to chamber, tongue side (3 and 3/4") gap.
aluminum closet to chamber, discharge side (3 and 15/16") gap.
aluminum middle, tongue side (3 and 11/16") gap.
aluminum middle, discharge side (3 and 1/2") gap.
steel furthest from chamber, tongue side (2 and 7/8") gap.
steel furthest from chamber, discharge side (3" )gap.

My 268 Hayliner has the same flap. Have
broken/lost enough of those feeder tines, I have
taken to making my own. Keep a couple of ALUMINUM
rods of the proper diameter, cut them off to about
same length as their partner is. Just cut the
pointy end at about a 60 degree angle, seems to
work fine. Be sure to use a soft ALUMINUM... If
one of those tines goes through the knife, you
don't want to break something, or dent up the edge
of the knife.

(quoted from post at 14:08:13 03/15/15) My 268 Hayliner has the same flap. Have
broken/lost enough of those feeder tines, I have
taken to making my own. Keep a couple of ALUMINUM
rods of the proper diameter, cut them off to about
same length as their partner is. Just cut the
pointy end at about a 60 degree angle, seems to
work fine. Be sure to use a soft ALUMINUM... If
one of those tines goes through the knife, you
don't want to break something, or dent up the edge
of the knife.

Click to expand...

What kind of aluminum, what diameter and how are you attaching them?

Great question! My first thought is that there are two concerns with aluminum that is not "cast" like the OEM feeder forks.

First is if the aluminum is to soft, it could bend and in doing so wrap itself into the bar that sets between the feeder forks and clears any hay out of them as the cycle up/back to the pick-up.

Second is if they are to hard (not brittle) if you get something jammed between the feeder forks and the plunger opening, it could take out the tine bar.

OTOH - if you look at the parts diagram for the late model 565 and I believe the BC5050, the nearest feeder tines to the bale chamber opening are steel - go figure.

Thanks,
Bill

Thanks everyone for your replies. Very very helpful info.

Bill

(quoted from post at 12:07:32 03/16/15)

(quoted from post at 14:08:13 03/15/15) My 268 Hayliner has the same flap. Have
broken/lost enough of those feeder tines, I have
taken to making my own. Keep a couple of ALUMINUM
rods of the proper diameter, cut them off to about
same length as their partner is. Just cut the
pointy end at about a 60 degree angle, seems to
work fine. Be sure to use a soft ALUMINUM... If
one of those tines goes through the knife, you
don't want to break something, or dent up the edge
of the knife.

Click to expand...

What kind of aluminum, what diameter and how are you attaching them?

Click to expand...

Ray's baler is a 268 and simply has a receptable for a round stock of aluminum - My NH 65 also incoroporates this style of feeder fork.

The 68 feeder fork is different.

(quoted from post at 23:31:30 03/16/15)

(quoted from post at 12:07:32 03/16/15)

(quoted from post at 14:08:13 03/15/15) My 268 Hayliner has the same flap. Have
broken/lost enough of those feeder tines, I have
taken to making my own. Keep a couple of ALUMINUM
rods of the proper diameter, cut them off to about
same length as their partner is. Just cut the
pointy end at about a 60 degree angle, seems to
work fine. Be sure to use a soft ALUMINUM... If
one of those tines goes through the knife, you
don't want to break something, or dent up the edge
of the knife.

Click to expand...

What kind of aluminum, what diameter and how are you attaching them?

Click to expand...

Ray's baler is a 268 and simply has a receptable for a round stock of aluminum - My NH 65 also incoroporates this style of feeder fork.

The 68 feeder fork is different.

Click to expand...

Aha! That make it a lot simpler. Thx!