New Holland 849 baler questions

Just bought a really nice 849 auto wrap at an auction and got a couple questions. How heavy of a bale can it bale and how fast can you drive to get that weight of a bale? I bought it for a backup baler and just trying to figure out how it will compare to what I have now. Thanks for any help or tips you have on this baler!!

The 849 will make a good 900 to 1000 lb grass bale. Travel speed doesn't seem to affect the weight of the bale as much on a chain baler as it does a belt baler. PTO speed is a different story. They don't always like to run high rpm. If you are having problems getting it to feed or not plug, slow the rpm down. I baled rotary combined wheat straw with one once, but couldn't get it to feed at over 1000 rpm on the tractor tach. I could bale at 6 mph at that pto speed though and get it to pick up just fine. There are a lot of people out there that don't like those chain balers, but I have had great luck with them. I sold my 849 a couple of years ago to update to a Deere 535. I have been wishing that Deere gone ever since.

Hayrack, thanks for your reply! Curious as to what you like better about the 849 over the 535? Do you think the 849 would bale up to 7 mph? I currently bale at about 7 1/4. Thanks again!

I know the New Holland chain balers have a bit of a bad reputation. Honestly, I think the earlier models with the floor chains were terrible balers. The later models like the 849, 853, and 855 with the open throat and bottom drum were great balers. The tie system on the 849 works better and faster than the 535 dual arm tie system. I have had tons of trouble starting a bale with the 535 where the 849 would bale anything I put in front of it. I think a lot of it depends on the conditions we bale in, but it didn't seem to matter what we were baling, the 535 would fail to start the core rolling on about 1 out of every 5 to 10 bales. Once you got the core rolling, the 535 would make a nice bale but then it would miss tie with one of the 2 twine arms on about 1 out of 5 bales. I know the 535 likes to be run at full throttle. Anything less, and she will give you fits. The new Holland will bale at full throttle but will work even better at lower rpms. If it ever gives you problems, just slow it down. I have baled straw in 6th gear on a 4020 at 1200 to 1500 rpm all day long. I think the 535 will bale faster than the 849, but once your used to the 849, I think you will spend a lot less time getting off the tractor. Make sure to read the manual!!! Always feed the hay to the outside of the baler and never to the middle and read up on the chain settings and adjust the chain regularly. Friday, I am going to look at a late model 853 (the update of the 849) and hopefully bring it home. If you have any more questions, please feel free. My email is open.

I agree my 849 will bale anything even 2x4's that fell off the farm truck. that being said I bale with a JD 5020. The tractor is 1000 pto and the baler is 540. I bale in 5th gear with the rpm's at 1100 to 1150. speed is probably a little slow for you at 4 mph but on my bumpy ground it works. I know on really thin stuff I've baled in 7th and it technically worked. Your right that the 849 likes maybe less then full pto rated speed. especially when starting the bale. then you get the core started and it just chugs along and can take a little more speed. the bales I make are right around 900 to 1000 lbs. hay and forage can be smaller windrow's but straw should be big and full. other wise it tries to throw the straw back out and wraps around the feed rollers. Make sure you adjust the chains like others have said and don't forget to keep the splines on the gear box greased or they will get wore down and slip. bought mine for 900. best purchase I've ever made. keep extra sheer bolts on hand. they are special size so stop by the new holland dealer and pick up a bag of 10. I just keep them in the spare area by the twine.

Thank you both! Hayrack I may take you up on your offer and email you with a few more questions.