Get a bigger tractor-with live PTO. I've been trying to bale with my WC but keep running into some thick spots, breaking the shear bolt on the baler and then have to retime the baler.

Jim E, you shouldnt have to retime after shearing a pin,, something else must be wrong,,what kind of baler is it, I have used about all types of NH, a few JD , a Ford and a Massey,, and have never had to retime after a shear pin breaks,,, We bale now with either a WD45 or the Farmall H, but have used the 8n with no trouble.,.. I think the C will bale if you are careful,,,Jim

See my last post-Thanks for the insight, I'll work on the baler some more Sunday.

My grandpa used an 8n Ford on a square baler for years.....so I;m sure a B or C in good running condition will handle one. You might have to go slower or make smaller windrows. Make sure you are at the number of strokes per minute that the manual calls for.

Jim I think if you are having to retime the baler everytime you shear the bolt you are shearing the wrong one. The one on the flywheel should go first.....

The one on the flywheel is the one I keep breaking.

The baler timing should not change if the flywheel shear bolt breaks. (At least that is the way our Massey baler was.) Shearing that bolt is no different from shutting off the PTO or shoving the clutch, it is just a little harsh.

My 2 cents

My point exactly.....I haven't seen a baler that gets out of time by shearing the pto bolt. I would sell a baler like that real fast!

Are you using OEM shear bolts and keeping them tight? I tried grade 8 bolts and kept shearing them till I got regular shear bolts. Keeping them tight also helps. My 2cents worth.

Yep I'm using shear bolts and I'm keeping them tight when I replace them. I haven't had the baler too long and some of the problems may be my inexperience. My biggest problem is breaking strings or knots. When they break I go back and try to rebale on the next round. Then I hit a large pile of hay, snap the shear bolt and if I'm lucky I just clear out the chamber and replace the bolt otherwise.....I also had the dealer clean up a lot of things (flywheel clutch, knotter, knives) and I've greased, replaced teeth, belt, grease fittings blah blah blah. The baler was sitting for a while ($50 auction) and it's getting better but like a friend said it needs to run a while to work things out. Thanks for the comments though!! I'll keep tinkering

How much power are you using? I know a WD 45 would break the sheer bolts on a JD 24T without even trying if you got to a heavy spot in the windrow and didn't let out the hand clutch for a few seconds to let the baler digest the additional hay. What I am saying is maybe you have more power than necessary and expect the baler to handle more than it can?

My WC has around 25-30 hp. I'm not running it at full throttle (ground speed a little too fast)but I am keeping the baler ram speed close to where it should be. The baler is an IH/McCormick 37.