New Holland Model 55 Hay Rake - INPUT NEEDED

Ronin79

Member
I've been shopping for a good hay rake for a year. NH 55/256 bring around 1500 bucks in my AO.
Found a nice model 55 with a good paint job, in working order with 200.00 worth of parts that
come with it. (price 750.00)
I'm planning on picking it up tomorrow, but need to know more about the 55. If anybody has
experience with this rake, please pipe up.

Thanks all.
 
Predecesor to the 256 was common years ago and good rake. I think many parts are still available. I know price varies by location but $750 would be good to low for my area. And a new one is $10,000 or about!!!!!
 
Thanks jocco, I just want to make sure I'm not about to step on a landmine.
I read that ground speed is recommended in the 2-8 mph range.

Does that sound accurate to you?
 
I'm kind of a beginner with mine, its only been on the place since the late 1960s.

Bearings get worn out well sleeves I guess, and they need to be replaced if the wheels get wobbly.

Very common for that 3-piece pto shaft off the rear axle to get worn out, and terribly expensive to replace for what it is.

Gear case can be rebuilt, do so before it breaks the gear case, they are hard to find, different than other models. Put corn head grease in, this comes from New Holland, the seal never lasts on them and it leaks all the hyd oil out, use corn head grease.

If you have to take a bar off for a worn out bearing it will come apart. But with good bearings in, you will find the bar won't go back in because of the geometry of it all. Takes a lot of puttering to work a bar back in to place. Just something to plan for.

I'd be a little scared to run 8mph, depends if you are in light straw or something I suppose. I tend to run all day in 4th out of a 5 speed tranny, etc.

The 55 has a straight axle, newer models have an angled axle to follow the ground better. Not a big big deal, but it won't follow rippled ground as well.

Paul
 
Paul,

Thank you. Very insightful. Is there anyway, other than wheel wobble - for me to forecast the above issues. I will use corn grease in the gear housing, was planning on using grease anyway instead of an oil, for seal leakage.

Not liking the sound of the rubix cube you describe with reference to the tear down and build up..
I will probably rake in 4th with low throttle. 5-6 mph
 
Animal all by itself. To make it easy to change the bearings on the the bars you need to take all of them loose. It shares little in common with the 256 or even the 56. Taken care of it will do a nice job of raking for you. Keep it well greased and it will perform well.
 
I have a 55 and a 56 hooked to a tandem hitch and honestly can't tell the difference between the job each of them do.
 
It would have to be in really good shape to fetch that here in Virginia. 55 is narrower width and were made in 1958 and 1959. There is a ball and 2 kind half sockets up in the neck that hold the basket up. They wear out and parts are very high. Many times you see a chain wrapped around that area holding it together. Unless its really nice I would put a little more money with what you have and get a 56 or 256.
 
I had one back in the eighties, and it wasn't a bad rake, but I think I wound up replacing most of the bars. They rust from the inside out and are a beeyotch to replace. The higher raking speeds caused them to crack and break right around the middle of the bar.
 
I've raked thousands of acres with mine. Outside of an occasional tine the only thing I have replaced was the u-joints on drive shaft. I probably only rake at 4 mph. Not by choice but it seams my fields are to rough to travel any faster. Well that and I don't like knocking leaves off alfalfa. Oh and also I cut hay with a 800 windrower so all I am doing with rake is turning the windrow and if I go any faster windrow will land with bottom side down again. We've talked about this before. Flipping a windrow is like a cat. Always lands on its feet.
 
Thanks Belgian. Great info everyone. Much appreciated. It sounds like this is a good rake at the right price. My 5 wheel new idea has been a nightmare, so looking forward to a good season.
 
I had a 55 hay rake that I used for about 18 yrs.It had sat outside for about 20 yrs before I bought it.I put some good used car tires on it,replaced some teeth,and painted it.It did a good job,but one of my fields is very uneven ground,and I wanted an offset axle rake,so I bought a 256,and sold the 55.Both do a good job,but the 256 does follow the uneven ground better.So,in my opinion,both are good rakes and both will work well for you if you have level/flat ground.Mark
 

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