NH 67 baler makes uneven bales

I've been laughed to scorn on this board before for saying this, but here goes again. I have a NH 273 Hayliner. I have found exactly the same thing that rob (wc in) says to be true with my baler. When I first got it, I was raking each swath of my Ford 501 sickle bar mower into one windrow. My bales were mis-shapen and loose. I began raking two or three swaths into each windrow, and the bales came out symmetrical and tight.

I try to get my windrows to be big enough to result in 6 to 10 plunger cycles per bale. If I end up with 12 to 15 plunger cycles per bale, the bale will be irregularly shaped.

Good luck,

Tom in TN

First, you need a good sized windrow. I use a NH469 haybine (9ft swath). Depending on the size of the windrow after raking I may rake two rows into one and have done three into one before. Ideally, you"d want atleast 24" to 36" inch round windrow. Size does matter here.

Second, Bale chamber tension will affect shape.(Setting tension using the same spring dimension or number of turns on the handles is fine to set weight initially.) After the first few bales you need to tightend down the tension spring on the bale chamber for the side that the bale is long and loosen the side that it is short until the bales square up. Then adjust again for weight. Make a few turns on each at a time. Experiment. You will be able to see the change in bale shape almost immediately.

Third, limit your bale length to no more than 3 or 3 1/2 feet. (I tend to stay about 3 feet) Thin material feed can cause "long bales" even though you have set the length. In thin material you should increase your ground speed to help fill the chamber. Bales will also get "out of square" in thin material due to feeding issues.

I also have two sets of wedges.

If none of the above suggestions improve your bale shape you can also adjust your tine bar forks to either put more or less material into the left side of the bale chamber depending on the long side of your bale. In my S67 baler I have the adjustable tines set as follows: Left set, 3 inches from the end of the square tube(as viewed from rear of baler)and the center tine forks approx 15 inches from left side as measured from the end of the square tube. (If your baler has had alot of use and still has the OEM forks you might compare them to a new set. Mine were worn down almost a full inch!)

In my 68 baler I have 3 sets of adjustable tine forks equally spaced. I added a pair before I figured out the "secret of bale chamber tension" thinking it was feeder problems.

Post up if you get "squared away!"

I crank her up and start pumping out a bale every 5 seconds they get loose on the far side even though I have the forks all the way over.