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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

Kuhn Alterna 500 question

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HAYBOY

08-07-2007 15:23:54




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Anyone here had any experience with this mower. Just looking for things to look out for. Always been a fan of New Holland but wanted to try something new. Do youo think a JD 4430 will handle it? Thanks.....Mike




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jiskies2

08-12-2007 22:13:58




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to HAYBOY, 08-07-2007 15:23:54  
how much are small squares going for near you? as wet/dry it is. jeff



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Cliff Neubauer

08-08-2007 05:56:33




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to HAYBOY, 08-07-2007 15:23:54  
We have a Kuhn FC4000G which is their 13' center pivot conditioner that we are pulling with a 1066 and 75% of the time I can pull it at 9 mph. I've never been around the 500 but we also looked at the NH/CIH discbines and we thought the Kuhn was a much better built machine. Our's has the Finger Comb II conditioner that I really like, even in alfalfa it's extremely gentle on leaves and the drying time with grass hay is extremely fast.

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HAYBOY

08-08-2007 11:15:25




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to Cliff Neubauer, 08-08-2007 05:56:33  
Thanks for the reply Cliff. That was actually the mower I was thinking of buying. Only because of the size. I have been torn between the 1432 and the Alterna 500. But now after hearing from you, I believe the 4000g sounds like the better machine. When you say fast, what are you talking, One day dry down, or two? I do use a new JD 926 with impellers and have had pretty good luck with the dry time. (mow one morning, ted that afternoon, rake and bale te following day around 1pm. Where are you located? I am in Western Mass, Eastern, NY region! Thanks again! Mike

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Cliff Neubauer

08-08-2007 16:15:13




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to HAYBOY, 08-08-2007 11:15:25  
In our heavier first cutting hay (1.5 tons per acre) there was one field I mowed at 11:00 Monday morning and it was baled by 2:00 on Tuesday afternoon although it should have laid another couple of hours. In second cutting alfalfa with good drying weather we can mow one day and bale the next, we haven't had any hay need more than 50-52 hours to dry all year. This is in Iowa that's probably a little drier climate than your's but lately we've been around 90� with dew points in the upper 70s. One of the things I really like about the 4000 is there are no belts or drive chains, total daily maintance includes 11 grease zerks and I check the oil in the gear boxes every couple of days. We've ran 400+ acres through it so far this year with no problems.

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HAYBOY

08-08-2007 18:34:48




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to Cliff Neubauer, 08-08-2007 16:15:13  
Haha A little drier?...understatement of the year!! IN all seriousness, I really like what I am hearing. We are switching from balers with kicker wagons to a Hoelscher system or something similar. Too hard too find any help let alone good help. Given the Hp of our 4430, I may be asking a bit much of it with the 500. I may be shopping for what you have! Do you bale for resale or do you just bale for yourself? How are prices your way?

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RickL

08-09-2007 05:47:40




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to HAYBOY, 08-08-2007 18:34:48  
I find it really hard to beleive that the hay is reallt dry enough toi not spoil Cliff in that short time. Mow lays day then maybe the next but never just the next day especially when the day was half gone before it was cut. Feeding for your own use yea you can do that but selling I have trouble with that they would be dry enuoght below 14%. Hayboy be sure and watch a hoelscher before you purchase one. I have run one for several years and still do but you ned to learn the accumulator way of baling. Let me know and you can come run mine to see what I am talking about espacially if you run a red baler!!!!

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Cliff Neubauer

08-09-2007 09:05:54




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to RickL, 08-09-2007 05:47:40  
That hay would not have been dry enough to sell but we have custom baler doing our round baling so it got baled a few hours earlier than I would have liked. We baled alot of grass hay that was mowed one day and baled the next but it's got to be low humidity and some breeze to get it done. On grass hay the impeller conditioners work alot better than a roller and our rotary rake is cutting about a half day off our drying time too.

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RickL

08-09-2007 12:06:22




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to Cliff Neubauer, 08-09-2007 09:05:54  
wonder about the rotary rakes myself but they are expensive units look like. Yea grass hay is alot different than sraight alfalfa. going to cut again next week for 3rd cut and another field will be fourth. I only do large rounds on rough stuff and rained on stuff,I hate selling it that way. Small squares is my main goal all time if possible and it is all sellng market.



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HAYBOY

08-10-2007 11:35:30




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to RickL, 08-09-2007 12:06:22  
Hey Rick where are you located? Maybe you could give me a little more info on the Hoelscher system



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RickL

08-11-2007 05:38:32




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to HAYBOY, 08-10-2007 11:35:30  
located in southeast Iowa. If thats close come and run it or see it run and it will let you know the best that way. I have made some changes to my unit and it runs basically non stop now.



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HAYBOY

08-12-2007 07:19:31




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to RickL, 08-11-2007 05:38:32  
Hey rick, haha I beleieve Iowa is a lil far for me right now, but was wondering what your thoughts were on the Steffen hay system were? That seems like a more versatile system, especially the grabber portion.



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RickL

08-12-2007 10:54:44




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to HAYBOY, 08-12-2007 07:19:31  
I think the stefens would be a very nice unit,but would use the unit that puts them on edge. I do not like grapple of theirs as well thou. no back rail and side rails grapple s I do not like. I would also look very serious at the KUhn unit. I like the bales on edge,instead of flat



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HAYBOY

08-12-2007 21:43:39




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to RickL, 08-12-2007 10:54:44  
Yeah that was my whole thing with it as well, I load most of my stuff on edge, so why pick them up flat? I have a neighbor who just purchased the Kuhn Unit here, and in all honesty I think it is too much wear and tear on the plunger. seems to far to push the hay. plus with the hills I have around here etc. I spoke with some guys from NY the other day who made a dual baler hitch. They run their balers hydraulically with the neck of the hitch acting as a reservoir for the hyd oil. Claimed to have baled 7200 bales in 10 hours. 1 tractor and two 348 deere balers. Not a bad day...but then they told me they bale with 6 all together. I just had to laugh. You think you are a big shot.....and then....haha

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RickL

08-13-2007 04:59:17




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to HAYBOY, 08-12-2007 21:43:39  
Hayboy; I would noty worry about the kuhn unit being hard on the plunger cause what you got to realize is the chute in the wagon becomes tension so youjust let off on the chamber in the baler it all works out the same. I ran three of the bale basket wagons,same chute as used on the kuhn unit,(eztrail makes both basically). and got along fine used those units for well over ten 12 easons and really liked them then stumbled ont the acumulator system I have now. IT IS NOT FOOL PROOF,but once you leasrn it I would not go back now. Afte i modified my unt it now is basically nonstop baling. You mentioned you have hills then you will need to modify it also if you want toi run them without wondering how many bales it is going to dump. Very simple to solve. You should be able to get complete low use Hoeslcher system for under ($8000.00 includes grapple)abd it will not be used much,several those around. What do you havew for a baler,that will also make a difference!!!!! ! Deere unitas end up making a 2inch narrower bundle than the red machines do,don't ask me why cause I have not got answer for that I just know it will as I ran green now runnign red and that is always the diffeerence,will go back to green when update.Steffens appears to be alwful nice looking unit and has sone advantages in some areas looks like,but like you said cost,whats it worth t you to have nonstop baling. my unit now will basically go nostop and I can have bales vary some in lenght and it will still work. No baler makes exactly same bale 100% of the time period and those odd ones will get the accumulator systems trouble if you don't have some play to work with period. You ned to give me a call I will tell you what I did and what they will really do and how you have to bale to use the hoelscher unit. 319-257-6764 ps what do you have for a mower/rake etc this will also make difference when using accumulator system and are you sole operator when you are doing your hay,do you have anyone to run grapple???? this will make differenece also

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RickL

08-13-2007 04:55:59




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to HAYBOY, 08-12-2007 21:43:39  
Hayboy; I would noty worry about the kuhn unit being hard on the plunger cause what you got to realize is the chute in the wagon becomes tension so youjust let off on the chamber in the baler it all works out the same. I ran three of the bale basket wagons,same chute as used on the kuhn unit,(eztrail makes both basically). and got along fine used those units for well over ten 12 easons and really liked them then stumbled ont the acumulator system I have now. IT IS NOT FOOL PROOF,but once you leasrn it I would not go back now. Afte i modified my unt it now is basically nonstop baling. You mentioned you have hills then you will need to modify it also if you want toi run them without wondering how many bales it is going to dump. Very simple to solve. You should be able to get complete low use Hoeslcher system for under ($8000.00 includes grapple)abd it will not be used much,several those around. What do you havew for a baler,that will also make a difference!!!!! ! Deere unitas end up making a 2inch narrower bundle than the red machines do,don't ask me why cause I have not got answer for that I just know it will as I ran green now runnign red and that is always the diffeerence,will go back to green when update.Steffens appears to be alwful nice looking unit and has sone advantages in some areas looks like,but like you said cost,whats it worth t you to have nonstop baling. my unit now will basically go nostop and I can have bales vary some in lenght and it will still work. No baler makes exactly same bale 100% of the time period and those odd ones will get the accumulator systems trouble if you don't have some play to work with period. You ned to give me a call I will tell you what I did and what they will really do and how you have to bale to use the hoelscher unit. 319-257-6764 ps what do you have for a mower/rake etc this will also make difference when using accumulator system and are you sole operator when you are doing your hay,do you have anyone to run grapple???? this will make differenece also

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HAYBOY

08-13-2007 20:36:49




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to RickL, 08-13-2007 04:55:59  
I use a few different mowers right now. I use 2 489 haybines, I use a 411 discbine, and I have also been using a 926 JD with impellers. Unfortunetly the JD is a neighbors, and I only use it part time. I am in the market for a Kuhn Alterna 400 right now, something that opens fairly wide yet closes up tight for road travel, I do a lot of that around here. I also use two NH 256 rakes on a hyd double hitch, giving me the option to single or double at any time. It is normally a two man operation, sometimes just me, depending on our delivery schedule. Sounds like you do quite a bit of hay yourself

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RickL

08-14-2007 04:19:20




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to HAYBOY, 08-13-2007 20:36:49  
If you go to ricksales.com you will see my mowing unit 1460 JD discbine and 90% the time two windrows are put together. course as season progresses then three and 4. Long story short if you run a hoelscher or steffens accumulator system and have no one picking up the bundles during baling you will trap yourself in. You have to bale backwards to keep going. All I am saying is you cannot get buy thr bundles to do the next pass cause thess accumulators are riding on the other side of the baler not like pulling a wagon. My unit I can just get by if it is 15ft cutting unit or raked to equal that. Whwn I combine my rye with 15ft head i can just get by without haivn another party picking them up othwerwise you have to bale backwards to be able to bale by yourself. tractor tire spacing and size of baler and hitch offset will all come into play here so you might get buy in narrower space but I doubt It would be much. Mowing unt that are wider would be nice but it just makes it harger to drie things out first,I staying with my size mowr and just going to larger rake throw three more together to get the clearence. I use 9 wheel rake going to a 14 unit. Let me know if need more info. Hills thats another story also,but can be solved. I got hills

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HAYBOY

08-12-2007 21:54:58




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 Re: Kuhn Alterna 500 question in reply to HAYBOY, 08-12-2007 21:43:39  
hey Rick what do you think a Hoelscher sysytem would cost? I just got a quote from Steffen....gulp $23,400. I was figuring around 14-15k. Better raise my prices..



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