336 baler plunger removal

dmiller · May 13, 2017

Need to do some maintenance on the plunger. Can not get it to move past the end of the stroke.
Don't see any instructions in the manual, after looking on-line it appears that the normal procedure is to remove the wrist pin on the drive end of the plunger arm and then pull on the plunger until it is out (removal of bale wedges etc).
I can't get it to move at all. I'm assuming it is hanging up on some broken bolt/bearing etc underneath it. Anyway to get to all that area?

Bill VA · May 14, 2017

Is it possible the guide rails the plunger rides-on has rust built-up under it causing it to bow and with that making it tight?

My New Holland 68's bale chamber IMHO was a little out of square and it was very difficult getting the plunger back in it after replacing the wood slide bearings.

Here is a link to a service manual.
Manual

Tx Jim · May 14, 2017

When removing plungerhead on 336 I unbolt pitman arm from brg housing,block the 3 hay dogs out of chamber,remove side hay resisters,remove 1 of the carriage head bolts that the needle frame pivots on & loosen bale tension cranks on rear of baler then block up bale case extensions high enough to clear PH.

dmiller · May 14, 2017

I'll look into that carriage bolt on the needle frame, otherwise all has been done and plunger will not move past end of stroke.

dmiller · May 14, 2017

Thanks,
Lots more info in there than the 336 manual has.

showcrop · May 14, 2017

Like Bill VA said it is just tight vertically due to rust under the rails. What I did was roll the plunger all the way to the front remove most of the bolts from the rails, beat the rust out from under, then it should roll out the back

Tx Jim · May 14, 2017

If rust under rails is a problem one can loosen nuts on bolts securing wear pads & remove the shims which have slotted holes to get more clearance between pads & guide rails.

dmiller · May 18, 2017

Posting for anyone looking at this post in the future.
Never found anything particular that was hanging up. Pulled on it with a come-along anchored to another piece of equipment. Had to tap moderately hard with a 2 lb hammer on the plunger. Each tap would move about a 1/4 inch. The bale rails right below the feeder fingers was just really tight.

showcrop · May 18, 2017

(quoted from post at 07:18:03 05/18/17) Posting for anyone looking at this post in the future.
Never found anything particular that was hanging up. Pulled on it with a come-along anchored to another piece of equipment. Had to tap moderately hard with a 2 lb hammer on the plunger. Each tap would move about a 1/4 inch. The bale rails right below the feeder fingers was just really tight.

Exactly! And a closer examination would reveal thick rust under the rails holding them up substantially higher than they should be. The plunger head should move easily enough that when disconnected from the crank, one finger can push it. This tightness WILL start a fire.

dmiller · May 21, 2017

Finally got a chance to work on it some more and look at it closer. Turns out the rails are fine, the knife side pluger bearing was so shot that it wasn't turning, had worn a small flat on one side, and was no longer centered on its mounting bolt. Made that side higher than the other, causing it to wedge in the rails.

336 baler plunger removal

dmiller

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Bill VA

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Tx Jim

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dmiller

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dmiller

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showcrop

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Tx Jim

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dmiller

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showcrop

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dmiller

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