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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

Recommendations for a round baler

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Pilothawk

08-13-2007 19:11:43




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I bought a MF1440 baler cheap that had not been well cared for. It has proven to be a nightmare. Tailgate comes unlatched every other bale, the hydraulic tie mechanism cuts the twine when it should not, the rollers get hay wrapped around them...I have had it. 104 heat here today and laying under that thing peeling hay off the roller repeatedly was not fun. Local MF dealer says he can't work on it until winter. Gonna sell it and get something I can rely upon.

Your suggestions as to what would be a good inexpensive reliable baler for a small operation will be appreciated. I only have 25 acres in hay this year, and will have 40 next. I square bale most of it unless it gets rained on or is not horse quality for whatever reason. What should I be looking for and price range?

Thanks in advance.

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Bill in Colo

08-14-2007 20:08:01




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Pilothawk, 08-13-2007 19:11:43  
after 5 hestons i'll try something else the first two were junk, a 5585 and its predessessor,next 560A desent baler it burned after 10 seasons Replaced it with 565A better baler.ran 8 seasons monitor failed,6 weeks and 600 to repair or 1800 to replace.Replaced with a 956 A great baler if I could get the hydraulic system to run cool Have never been able to get agco to fix it
(all were bought new)
New balers sold in area ranked by sales.

1.deere
2.New Holland
3.Vermeer
4.Heston
Good dealer support for these brands in fact one dealer through two stores could sell you what ever you want

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TimS in Mo

08-16-2007 08:46:05




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Bill in Colo, 08-14-2007 20:08:01  
If the indicator is sticking up less and less....your valve for your hydraulic outlet is leaking and moving those cylinders and opening the gate on you....

Try reversing your hose hookup and use the valve leakage to hold the gate closed.

Once those gates latch, the cylinders just hold the over center locks down on the axle..so if its opening, the cylinders are doing it.



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pair-a-dice farms

08-14-2007 11:51:40




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Pilothawk, 08-13-2007 19:11:43  
Check your belting on your pickup roller and make sure your teeth on the pickup reel are in good condition. If you can feel any moisture in the hay it probably needs to dry some more. Make sure your end gate is closing the same on both sides, if it is then it is not warped and may just need to be adjusted. I'm not familiar with your model of baler but I've got a 605H Vermeer that I bale about 5-600 bales a year and have good luck. I think it puts up as tight a bale as the green ones.

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TimS in Mo

08-14-2007 13:40:38




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to pair-a-dice farms, 08-14-2007 11:51:40  
Check that the gate latches are going 'over center' of the axle and dropping down as they should...they are what holds that gate shut, not the hydraulics...

Most likely one isn't dropping down so your gate is popping open.

Shut the baler, crawl under it and look to see if one side of the tailgate is lower than the other, try chaining down the high side and using the hydraulics to open it, if that won't do it, raise it about half way, chain it with the side beams parallel to the ground and then use a bottle jack to push the low side up...I had to do that on my 605H, it works like a charm now.

Regarding Vermeer not rolling a tight bale, they seem to do just as well as any other brand, provided they are properly maintained and how you have the tension set...remember lots of folks selling hay set their baler to minimum tension to get more bales per acre, so you see looser bales being sold by some folks....since they are being paid by the bale, and not by the pound....

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Pilothawk

08-14-2007 13:55:46




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to TimS in Mo, 08-14-2007 13:40:38  
Thanks guys, I will check it out. Hay was cut Friday and rolled Monday after sitting out in the searing texas sun in 105 degree weather for three days. Green, it was not.

The tailgate indicator looks like it is locked, and the over center locks appear to be good, but as you go along you can see that the indicator is sticking up less and less. Then you know you are in trouble.



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TimS in Mo

08-14-2007 13:44:37




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to TimS in Mo, 08-14-2007 13:40:38  
Oh and on the twine...if yours has the disc on a threaded rod that pinches the twine between the disc and the end of the twine tube as the tube comes up to the cut position....the disc most likely needs to be threaded out some if its pinching the twine and causing it to be cut to early.....

Call vermeer, tell them you have a 504G and they will send you a free manual (if you don't have a manual).
If grass is wrapping the starting roller, the knife is set to far away from the roller, the belt strips on the roller are worn out, or the hay is to wet.....most likely the hay is to wet as I have baled (and am baling) on a vermeer 605H with cloth showing on the belt strips on the starter roller....

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ronll

08-14-2007 10:31:17




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Pilothawk, 08-13-2007 19:11:43  
You guys can toast those V. brand balers. I been buying hay for 20 yrs and when they say it was baled with a V baler---well, I just like a good hard bale----I look somewhere else.



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Hay DR

08-14-2007 06:34:08




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Pilothawk, 08-13-2007 19:11:43  
No matter what the make or model of any equipment if the equipment is not adjusted correctly you will have problems. That baler that your have will bale hay and do it well. You just need to talk to the right person. Call a local Vermeer dealer or call Carter & Carter Machinery, 423-282-6969 and we'll help you get going.



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Joe(TX)

08-14-2007 05:21:23




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Pilothawk, 08-13-2007 19:11:43  
The MF 1440 is actually a Vermeer 504G. I have one and it has been very reliable. The person who had it before me had problems but they were operator related.
The hay wrapping is either too green of hay or the flappers on the feed roll need replacing. Do you have 3 small belts or 4?
The cutting problem is an adjustment or a blade sharpening issue.
On the latching problem, does the indicator show the gate to be latched? Check the latch rollers and the springs on the arms.

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Allan In NE

08-14-2007 01:46:38




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Pilothawk, 08-13-2007 19:11:43  
Here's one for sale. Only makes a 5 foot bale tho.

Allan



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R. John Johnson

08-13-2007 21:28:00




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Pilothawk, 08-13-2007 19:11:43  
Pilothawk

Before you dump that baler, contact the Vermeer Service Department. Vermeer built that baler, all Massey did was sell it. The folks there may be able to get you running without too much trouble. When I was running older Vermeer balers, hay wrapping around the rollers meant that the hay was too green. I always carried one of those OLFA knives with the break off sections for the odd time I would get a slug of green hay that wrapped. Sure beat trying to peal it off by hand.

John

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JM in Merit

08-13-2007 19:38:29




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Pilothawk, 08-13-2007 19:11:43  
First thing I would consider is dealer support.
Next thing would look what others around you are running, all balers have their little quirks and neighbors with same type may be bale to help you.
Now that being said I have run a Vermeer 605 F and now got a 605 K. Both have been good balers, ocourse the K baler is better as it is allot newer. When I upgrade this one (K) I hope to find a good M baler for sale.
Allot of people arond here run JD balers from 530 to newer ones, Most of them are well pleased with their baler and bales look good as well
Like I said dealer support and getting parts (they all are going to need parts sooner or later) would way very heavy on decison if it was me. I think most any brand baler now a days can make good bales, but on a used one it how well it been cared for, would be the big thing.
Good luck

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Pilothawk

08-13-2007 19:59:32




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to JM in Merit, 08-13-2007 19:38:29  
Lots of green balers in these parts. That said, it is hard to find a good used green one, and the authorized JD parts dealer here is outrageous on his prices. Not expensive...outrageous. What green models should I avoid if I find used ones?



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KEH

08-14-2007 15:14:32




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Pilothawk, 08-13-2007 19:59:32  

Pilothawk,

On green balers to avoid, my understanding is that the 410 and 510s are to be avoided. The 430 and 530 and later models are supposed to be good. I haven't used either.

For a Vermeer, look for a 504 Super I or a 505SI. For a 5 x 6 baler the 605 J and up are good.

Having said that, I had a MF baler like yours, the advice on tuning it up in other posts is good. What I don't think was mentioned is that their has to be proper clearance between the pickup and the starting roller. You use the jack between the tongue and frame of the balerto set that and you need a manual or advice from someone with more recent knowledge than I. Also, the tension on the pick up has to be set with the spring loaded long bolts on each side of the pickup. If all this is up to specs it will start bales reliably and will bale hay a little too green. From what you say, green hay was not your problem.

I now have a 505 I, not super I. It has failed to start maybe 1 bale since I got it and can be pulled one gear faster than the older MF I had. The super I series make a tighter bale.

KEH

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pt-756

08-13-2007 19:36:42




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Pilothawk, 08-13-2007 19:11:43  
we have an 848 new-holland, probaly bale over 800 bales ayear semms like only problems were a set of chains and a set of air bags,



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old

08-13-2007 19:19:00




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 Re: Recommendations for a round baler in reply to Pilothawk, 08-13-2007 19:11:43  
Its hard to beat an good old NH chain baler. Some of the older ones can be picked up for $500-1500 in working shape. Big problem is that it takes a good size tractor to pull one. 55HP plus. I use a NH850 and pull it with my Oliver Super 88 and its been a very good baler but it does make a heavy bale as in 2000lbs plus but works just fine. I do 20-30 acres every year with it and so far had very few problems with it

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