JD348 Baler Trial Run

Bill VA

Well-known Member
So - we cut a little patch of grass hay with the Hesston 1110 I've been posting about and yesterday we got the new to me Deere 348 baler out to see what we've got, adjust, etc. and then try to rebale some old squares and then bale up the small patch of grass mowed with the Hesston.

Some observations:

Compared to my old New Holland 68, the plunger speed (93 vs 63-65 strokes per minute) and pickup speed - really fast.

Though the pickup is wider and a nice feature, didn't really notice it as an advantage - yet.

Baler likes to be fed (per the manual) from the extreme right side of the pick-up. NH68 is the opposite.

Baler will make a bale so tight it breaks the strings - we found that out on the first few bales as we were much to tight on the initial adjustment.

Side doors - had them half way in, then out, just not enough hay to run through the baler to get a sense of how we should set them. Want a tight bale - there must be a compromise between the side doors and top/bottom tension.

Baler ties great.

We got it adjusted to make a crisp, brick 32 inch long bale - but every once in a while, it would spit out a bale about 6-8 inches long, tight packed, perfectly tied! Need to figure that out.

I've got 50 hp to work with - tractor seemed to do fine. No where near capacity of the baler yesterday but good to know it I can make hay with this set-up.

So this baler is a 93 strokes per minute baler. Where the hay was thin and increasing ground speed to fill the pickup wasn't feasible, I slowed the RPMs down a bit - keeping the same ground speed gear. I figure a flywheel is a flywheel and where I need to run the 68 at full 540 PTO rpms to get a decent count of flakes per bale AND to keep the baler from shearing flywheel bolts due to lack of flywheel inertia, the nice thing about the 348 is I'm comfortable slowing it to a 80 stroke per minute machine (like a 336) or slower down to a lower limit of 65 strokes per minute like my 68. In the lighter windrows, this slowing worked like a champ - so in some respects, I can use the 348 as a high capacity baler or slow it as necessary to mimic a lower capacity baler; a nice option to have in my hip pocket.

Set the pick-up wheel to keep the pickup as high as possible. Even then it is still low and can high center on some of our lumpy ground.

Checked over the multiluber - seems to be working fine. Definitely a different viscosity grease in it vs my grease gun. Will be visiting the JD dealer to get more of this grease.

Figured out that the PTO is Cat 5 and that sucker is heavy!

With some touch-up paint and elbow grease, the baler cleaned up nicely.

All in all - I think this will make a nice back-up to my trusty New Holland 68 ...... ;-)

Bill
 
(quoted from post at 07:42:08 05/09/16) .

Side doors - had them half way in, then out, just not enough hay to run through the baler to get a sense of how we should set them. Want a tight bale - there must be a compromise between the side doors and top/bottom tension.

We got it adjusted to make a crisp, brick 32 inch long bale - but every once in a while, it would spit out a bale about 6-8 inches long, tight packed, perfectly tied! Need to figure that out.

Bill

Operating at slower strokes per minute in smaller/thinner windrows is fine. Side compression doors are only required if one has difficult time attaining desired bale weights utilizing rear bale case springs.

On short(6''-8'') bales check on amount of contact area of arm(parts key 12) on trip dog(parts key 6 2nd photo). Another important thing is not to have too much air pressure in tire on flywheel side as that removes the cushion affect of tire on rough ground.

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In addition to TEX comments, Make sure key 4 spring is installed. The key 25 isn't falling all the way down after making a bale. The
spring helps that. Watch it when baling. Can walk alongside, but don't try to change anything while it is running.
 
Don't use any lubricant in the multi-luber but Multi-Luber lubricant! It pours like a thick oil, but turns to a light grease when pumped . It is called a rheopectic (sp) lubricant. Changes forms(oil to grease) when put under pressure!
 
(quoted from post at 22:24:30 05/09/16) Check the trip dog that runs inside the gear also. It has a bushing which might be worn out

May I ask what bushing in trip dog you're referring to as I see no bushing nor do I remember the situation you refer to? If you're referring to bushings(parts key 9) in needle lift gear I've seen those bushings very worn with no adverse affects.

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whoops I misunderstood thought he meant 6-8" shorter,,,,, yea that much diff something else is wrong
 
Thanks everyone for your replies - much appreciated.

We will have pics and videos of this 348 and hopefully the 68 in side by side action (just for kicks) this summer. We had a goodly number of videos last summer of the 68, but honestly, they were so shaky I didn't post as they would make a seasoned Sailor sea sick! There were also plenty of videos of the camcorder in recording mode but rather than making videos of haying - it was making videos of how one walks and carries a camcorder at their side. The only other negative thing missing was some goofy song in the background drowning out the song of the tractor and baler working hard. We are going to have a video clinic this year and buy a tripod - LOL!!!!!!

Bill
 
Take this as the advice of someone who has been there, done that.... your short bales are a result of worn out needle brake pads or an otherwise loose adjustment. What I would strongly suggest you do is remove the pads and INSPECT them. Best I recall, the new pads were mabey 30 bucks. They were a lot cheaper than the needles anyway. The second thing is to recheck the plunger stop adjustments even if you did it before.
What happened with mine is that the brake was bad and every time the baler bounced on rough ground the needles would bounce into the chamber and the charge would hook them... and it did that for a while until the pile-up finally happened. I also found that the needle stop lever was broken through it's pivot hole somewhat masking that it wasn't doing it's job and I had adjusted the stop on the other end to make clearance...

Rod
 
I'll take a look-see.

Are you saying that if the needles bounce into the bale chamber, there is enough momentum to cycle the knotters - because these short bales are otherwise tight with a perfect knot.

I had kind of ruled out the needle brake given it's tying a knot. I was kind of leaning towards the trip arm not falling all the way down to its stop and as such giving me a short bale.

I appreciate the tip - I'll definitely check the needle carriage break and plunger stop.

Thanks,
Bill
 
(quoted from post at 23:01:14 05/11/16) I'll take a look-see.

Are you saying that if the needles bounce into the bale chamber, there is enough momentum to cycle the knotters - because these short bales are otherwise tight with a perfect knot.

I had kind of ruled out the needle brake given it's tying a knot. I was kind of leaning towards the trip arm not falling all the way down to its stop and as such giving me a short bale.

I appreciate the tip - I'll definitely check the needle carriage break and plunger stop.



Thanks,
Bill


Your balers 6-8 inch bales are caused by measuring arm not dropping fully down to stop or trip dog not contacting arm well enough.

I've never witnessed needle brake causing bale length problem but a good operating needle brake is very important. . If needle brake is loose allowing needles to enter bale chamber and """""PH stop is operating correctly"""", needles will never make it to bill hooks because flywheel bolt will shear & slip clutch should slip stopping needle frame travel.
 
'If the plunger head stop is working correctly' Those are the critical words. Mine wasn't. I will tell you, unequivocally... it can happen.
Mine started with short bales then graduated to fits of tying on every stroke, then back to short bales, then work right for a while... then
it had a pile-up and I put two new needles in it and fixed the brake. And the reason I hadn't changed the brake sooner is because I thought
it looked OK, not knowing it had no pad left whatsoever...
I was also somewhat inclined to say the measure could be his problem.... but I really have my doubts about that. It would have to be adjusted
extremely tight for it to not fall on reset. Worth checking just the same.

Rod
 
Yes, it can tie perfectly even if the brake is bad. As long as the needles make it to the twine disc it will tie. Normally the knotter drive lifts the bail and turns the knotter shafts.... but in this case the energy from the plunger was lifting the bail and the lift rod and crank were turning the knotter shaft...
Mine is a 327 rather than a 348... but other than the power shaft and the number of hay dogs they are essentially the same baler.
Mine was a bit hard to diagnose because I actually had to see it happen while walking beside the baler and I'm usually alone while I'm working on it... I never would have expected to see it until I watched it happen.

Rod
 
(quoted from post at 08:47:51 05/12/16) 'If the plunger head stop is working correctly' Those are the critical words. Mine wasn't. I will tell you, unequivocally... it can happen.
Mine started with short bales then graduated to fits of tying on every stroke, then back to short bales, then work right for a while... Rod

Rod
Disregard the phrase "if PH stop is operating correctly" because if PH stop isn't operating the needles won't make it to knotter(billhooks) to tie a bale of any length if they enter bale chamber out of time which is what you're implying they were doing. Bale measuring mechanism & trip dog determines bale length not the needle brake.

Your repairing of brake was coincidental but IMHO not the cause of short bales.

I know I'm not going to convince you so I'll leave it at that.
 
I suspect when baling season starts and you actually get the bigger baler out in the field and can get it setup properly, you will become much more comfortable using it. The NH 68 and JD 14T were the "Model T's" of balers, they were great for their time, but the newer machines are much much improved.
 
I'm not implying anything.... I'm telling you point blank!
Believe as you wish.... but an inoperative plunger stop does not prevent the baler from working.... it just doesn't prevent anything....
Eventually there will be a big bang and then it will stop tieing.

Rod
 
(quoted from post at 15:04:15 05/12/16) I'm not implying anything.... I'm telling you point blank!
Believe as you wish.... but an inoperative plunger stop does not prevent the baler from working.... it just doesn't prevent anything....
Eventually there will be a big bang and then it will stop tieing.

Rod

Never stated or implied that needle brake tightness wasn't important or that an inoperable PH stop would stop a sq baler from operating as long as sq baler is in time & needle brake holds needles in home position when not cycled. Yes if needle brake doesn't apply enough tension to needle frame or lift shaft which ever method applies to that particular baler then needles can enter bale case prematurely causing shear bolt to break or needles to break if PH stop isn't working BUT that won't cause a ""short bale"". When you mentioned earlier your baler had tied with every PH stroke it is because the trip dog mechanism wasn't being held in a fashion so trip dog roller can miss lobe(outlined in red) inside by measuring wheel arm.

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Now you're getting somewhere......... and when the yolk doesn't home and bring the lift rod straight, the dog doesn't set..... and then
nature takes it's course. And it WILL freewheel on every stroke or at random depending on whether or not the needles get bounced up or
caught.

Rod
 
Startin kinda late on this one but if I understand correctly the "charge" hay moving horizontally in front of the 90 some stroke plunger pushes the 2 needles stuck part-way in the chamber vertically with the correct needle penetration to make the knotter cycle and tie a knot. What makes the needle yoke return downward towards home? I used to work for New Holland in the 70's& 80's and still work on balers and this is a new one on me. I've seen broken needles from chunks of wood in the plunger needle slots, mud and sod in the needle slots and slightly advanced timing with the safety latch working correctly. Seems hard to fathom.....Ron
 
(quoted from post at 23:25:46 05/12/16) Startin kinda late on this one but if I understand correctly the "charge" hay moving horizontally in front of the 90 some stroke plunger pushes the 2 needles stuck part-way in the chamber vertically with the correct needle penetration to make the knotter cycle and tie a knot. Ron

Needle frame & needles are powered into & out of bale case by means of gear in previous photo by roller engaging lobe in gear. When needles after cycling return to home position then arm(parts key 12) moves roller outlined in red away from lobe disengaging allowing needles to remain in home position.

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