Hi, I have a 24T baler that I brought back from the grave after it had been sitting for 10 years with a broken knotter frame. I cleaned it up, unstuck the plunger, re-timed the knotter, and checked everything over. It works great other than it will miss catching the second time the string comes into the twine disks once out of every 40-100 bales. It's really random and turning it by hand it looks like it comes up perfect every time. Only happens on one side. Anyone have any ideas?
- Thread starter Jkep44
- Start date
showcrop
Well-known Member
On a JD that is usually caused by the tucker fingers. Usually the offending one is binding a little on its pivot. Another possibility is that a hay dog is not pivoting properly, and not holding the hay so that the hay pushes back when you get a thicker flake. This prevents the twine from getting all the way to the disc.
notjustair
Well-known Member
Make sure your tucker finger control rod isn't
tweaked. I just replaced mine. It had twisted in the
middle so that one finger wasn't getting the same
action the other one was. I put a new one one it and
it hasn't missed yet in over 500 bales.
tweaked. I just replaced mine. It had twisted in the
middle so that one finger wasn't getting the same
action the other one was. I put a new one one it and
it hasn't missed yet in over 500 bales.
David from Kansas
Well-known Member
Another "sometimes" the tucker fingers are not adjusted properly and do not pull the twine far enough back into the twine disks. It would look OK and all when you roll it through by hand but it may be best to compare it to the other knotter and adjust accordingly. I used to have that problem occasionally.
Miss adjusted tucker fingers will cause problems on more than a John Deere. I had this problem and it tied perfect every time turning by hand, but when I ran hay through it wouldn't tie. Run some hay through, then let the plunger push the hay with an empty bale chamber so you can turn it by hand. Trip the knotter, then turn by hand slowly and watch what it does. Even with good hay dogs, the hay still pushes the twine back a little, and if the tucker fingers are not pushing the twine to the bill hook to counter this, the knot will not tie.
Over the winter I bought a JD 14t baler for a backup and it had been setting in a barn for 28 years tires dry rotted and plunger stuck. Replaced tires freed up plunger greased, oiled and checked timing. NH baler went down in 1st field and hooked up the 14t and baled 1678 bales, about 190 bales an hour didn't miss any. It set a couple weeks and started baling again it would tie 4or 5 then miss 1 or 2 wouldn't tie left string but it had a knot on each end had a baler mechanic come out he adjust the tucker fingers and got it to tie as long as I stayed in first gear.I got caught up and took a better look and found a grove wore into the billhook and the string was hanging on it. Replaced billhook and only baled 65 bales and didn't miss any. My NH baler was doing the same thing not tie the left string and it was the stripper arm, replaced it and baled over 3000 bales and only time it missed it was out of string.
Hay maker2
Member
Yes a miss adjusted tucker finger can cause the problem, but at the same time there are other things that will cause the same issue.
I would suggest tripping the knotters and having some one slowly turning the flywheel over and make a comparison from one knotter to the other knotter, see what is different between the two
I have seen a groove worn in to the frame where the bill hook rotates not allowing the hook to open up enough to catch the twine. I have seen a needle out of adjustment not placing the twine in the twine disc holder correctly causing the same issue. I have also seen the bill hook have excessive play up and down causing the issue.
I would say it is best to get a technical manual and adjust the knotters as advised by Deere after all the baler is 40+ years old and I am for sure it needs to be adjusted.
I have done this with the 336 (7 series and 8 series too), it is well worth the time.
I would suggest tripping the knotters and having some one slowly turning the flywheel over and make a comparison from one knotter to the other knotter, see what is different between the two
I have seen a groove worn in to the frame where the bill hook rotates not allowing the hook to open up enough to catch the twine. I have seen a needle out of adjustment not placing the twine in the twine disc holder correctly causing the same issue. I have also seen the bill hook have excessive play up and down causing the issue.
I would say it is best to get a technical manual and adjust the knotters as advised by Deere after all the baler is 40+ years old and I am for sure it needs to be adjusted.
I have done this with the 336 (7 series and 8 series too), it is well worth the time.
My 336 does this too. I have tried all kinds of things over the years.
Two things I found to effect mine that I haven't seen in the postings yet. (Tucker fingers and worn billhooks would be my first guess though).
1. Tension coming out of the twine box. If it is not right twine doesn't pull through needles/billhooks correctly.
2. Oil the twine discs. For a long time I avoided this because I thought the oil would attract dust. I started spraying them with White Lithium grease (I get it at Ace, like in a paint can). This seemed to make much of the problem go away. When I don't have any a few drops of 30wt from an oil can works about the same but does gather dust some. The oil seems to help the worn twine discs function smoother and lessen the effects of other wear.
Two things I found to effect mine that I haven't seen in the postings yet. (Tucker fingers and worn billhooks would be my first guess though).
1. Tension coming out of the twine box. If it is not right twine doesn't pull through needles/billhooks correctly.
2. Oil the twine discs. For a long time I avoided this because I thought the oil would attract dust. I started spraying them with White Lithium grease (I get it at Ace, like in a paint can). This seemed to make much of the problem go away. When I don't have any a few drops of 30wt from an oil can works about the same but does gather dust some. The oil seems to help the worn twine discs function smoother and lessen the effects of other wear.
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