NH469HaybinePlugging-Help,Please

My 469 is old and worn out. Today it plugged cutting in very tall crop. Getting it unplugged was a "bear"! Any tips??? Thanks, kelly

Sometimes you can shut the PTO off and then shut the tractor engine off for safety sakes and then use a pipe wrench on the PTO shaft to turn it the opposite direction of normal rotation if the plug is in the crimper roller area.

If the plug is in the sickle cutter area then not likely gonna work.

Thanks. I removed the pto shaft and tried to turn it backward, but it seemed to have a ratchet which would not allow the crimpers to turn backward. It was H E double toothpicks to get that long bromegrass out. It was mostly below the bottom roller. I guess what happened was that in finishing the field I got into a windrow that had been cut and that picked up the stuff from the back/bottom and "stuck" my poor ol' 469. kelly

If slugged between the rollers, try reduce the roll pressure.
If between the bottom roller and the bottom framing, crawl under with a knife and start cutting. Put the lift stop in place before doing anything under FIRST! Try and work your way from where it isn't so thick to the thick part to relieve pressure.

(quoted from post at 20:58:35 10/09/17) Thanks. I removed the pto shaft and tried to turn it backward, but it seemed to have a ratchet which would not allow the crimpers to turn backward. It was H E double toothpicks to get that long bromegrass out. It was mostly below the bottom roller. I guess what happened was that in finishing the field I got into a windrow that had been cut and that picked up the stuff from the back/bottom and "stuck" my poor ol' 469. kelly

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If it's under the bottom roller; then the pipewrench trick may not work anyway.

However...if you ever DO need to do the pipewrench trick; you need to find a location on the drivetrain that comes AFTER the slip clutch.

It's been a few years since I did this on a 469; but, if I remember correctly, you might have to remove a shield (although, many old ones just don't have that shield anymore) and put the pipewrench on the PTO knuckle right where it goes into the gearbox.

It could be an issue with the conditioning rolls being old, too.

The 469 that I used to mow with plugged its conditioning rolls a lot. It wasn't because the pressure was too high between them or even that it was taking in too much crop. The problem with that old mower was that the rolls were just plain worn out and barely had any tread left. They didn't mesh well.

Because they didn't mesh well, instead of grabbing tall grass, crimping it and throwing it out the back...it would just sort of wrap very tall grass around one of the rolls....

And then I would have to take a knife to the grass wrapped around the roll to cut it....and then do "the pipewrench trick" to back it out.

Good luck

Those old NH haybines are a real pain when they plug. Been there more than once. If you can run the machine (hay just wrapped around, not plugged) they will clean them selves if you run it for a few minutes. If they are plugged tight then its a lot of cutting and pulling followed by a lot of cursing and a promise to buy a newer one. I have read there can be timing issues between the two rollers matching up that can cause excess plugging. I've never tried to retime one. Getting a manual will help a lot with getting everything set right.

Might want to check that your bottom roller bearings aren't worn and loose. My 469 was wrapping up and plugging pretty regular between the bottom roller and the torsion bar when I discovered a loose bearing. After replacement, hasn't plugged since.

Just something to check.

I have a 469 that I used for years and would plug up the conditioner rolls if the hay was a little wet and I was going to fast.and was a pain to unplug. I bought a 479 3 years ago and it has stub guards and I can cut hay that is a damper. I have only plugged up a couple of times and just raised up the cutter head and backed up a couple of feet and lowered it and start up the pto and I let it clear out and start cutting again.I used the 469 this year and cut about 1/3 of a 35 acre field went back to the barn and got the 479 to finish. I can cut in a gear or 2 higher and much smoother with the 479.
Joe C

First thing to do, if it is tall material, is increase your ground speed quite a bit. In tall grass, the rollers grab the heads before the knife cuts it off and the rollers wrap. You didn't say what tractor, but find your 5 mph gear. 5 th gear in a 3020, 4th in a 460 ,etc.

There are a number of comments here, all over the place. Here are a few, maybe more organized: always get an owners manual for each piece of equipment you own. Make the adjustments and maintenance listed in there. The manufacturer tested the machine under many different conditions and list 'trouble shooting ' topics. If parts are missing, replace them because they are there for a reason. I owned 2 NH machines (461 & 469) both bought used, and I needed to put parts on that were missing. For example, the push bar was on the 469 but bent badly and not even at the original height. By looking at other complete machines on dealer lots, I quickly saw the answer. Next is replace the bad bearings, sloppy chains and belts, sharpen the knives, replace the worn hold downs, etc. all regular maintenance stuff. Yes, these things do not work well when key items are missing, damaged or worn out. It is amazing how many people run them that way. God luck.