NH 311 Needle Safety Latch Adjustment

NH service tech came out and replaced the needles and retimed the knotters.

New issue: Breaking sheer bolts at random, but extremely frequent times. Once every three to ten bales. I believe this is related to the needle safety latch being out of adjustment.

The sheer bolt is only breaking when the knotter trips and literally as soon as it releases *any* tention on the safety latch cable. This makes me think that the latch is engaging too soon. However, its not doing it every single bale so its rather confusing.

I am open to suggestions here. Again, the knotters are in time.

Not saying that will help you out or is the right thing to do. But after 10 shear bolts, I had to do something out in the field a couple years ago.... Do too much & of course you lose the protection of the latch, and yet another set of needles...

--->Paul

I checked and rechecked the timing and latch adjustments which were all within spec., but what finally cured it was setting the knotter timing a tad earlier, so the needles and latch would be "home" by the time the plunger came back around.

It bales like a dream now and will hog through big windrows better than our JD 336, which is pretty impressive for such a little baler.

As Paul stated, a very small adjustment can make quite a difference with the latch on the 270, the 311 may be as touchy. Just be sure it is adjusted properly to avoid an encore performance!

Good luck,
Scott

• Scott's folly

Check the knotter brake as well. They sometimes get greasy and will allow the knotters to slip from their "home" position, thus engaging the safety latch and breaking the shearbolt.

Scott