Common problem Areas with old balers

steve_pr · May 28, 2020

Further to my response in another thread I feel it would be valuable to tap into and document the collective experience of members in repairing old (1950-1990) square balers. They all seem to be very similar in design but do they all suffer in the same way? What are the issues with parts availability? Where to replace, fix or walk away?

Could be a valuable resource for buyers and repairers alike.

To kick things off, number one issue for me is tinwork corrosion, especially on the main plunger chamber and chute and anything on the underside. Impossible to replace, and can be hard to repair, but some areas are easier than others.

showcrop · May 28, 2020

Many balers, at the end of their life being used were left out in the weather with ales still in them. This of course caused a lot of rust in the bale chamber. I bought a 15 year old JD 336 thirty years ago. I was assured that it had always been shedded but I should have looked more closely. It had a lot of rust under the knotters and under the plunger-head runners.

steve_pr · May 28, 2020

Good point that - so the first piece of advice is always remove all the bales at the end of the season and dry the chamber. A bit of anti corrosion treatment might also be worthwhile, or even a
squirt of wd40 to disperse the moisture.

shaun wallace · May 28, 2020

I have seen many that had last 2 bales baled for the season still in them when new season started and all the dust and chaff still on them and set out all winter. Owner says wont ty or twist rite. Mice chewed string wire rusted. Hay dog springs broke Oh I could go on.

Farmallb · May 28, 2020

I started clearing out the hay after the first year of owning my 1960 Case bailer. It was a job involving long pry bars, and it took tome, and it was always in the summertime when I had finished with it here in Okla, But I did it. What finally happened with this one, AND I suspect with most OLD balers is that parts of their knotting system has worn out, and either there are no parts available for it, or its owner dosnt know how to repair it and just got a newer one that worked. As I reported on another posting, I called NH in Tulsa and they said that some parts on their old bailers were no longer available. That included in the knotter system

wels · May 28, 2020

Check the bearings on plunger and finger feed carriage. There can be up to 10 on feed carriage alone and almost that on the plunger.

Check carriage bolt heads that are on the inside of bail chamber and chute.

Those are things I have found/replaced on my NH baler

I m sure you get lots of other good advice.

old · May 28, 2020

On ones I have had the problem area is the plunger safety stop not working and having the plunger hit and break the needles and knotters

Hay hay hay · May 29, 2020

Funny you should ask. I started to say knotters, then pickup bearings, then plunger stop, then feeder mechanism, then plunger knives....then I realized that with 2 balers over 20 years, I had repaired all of those, sometimes twice.

Common problem Areas with old balers

steve_pr

Member

showcrop

Well-known Member

steve_pr

Member

shaun wallace

Well-known Member

Farmallb

Well-known Member

wels

Member

old

Well-known Member

Hay hay hay

Well-known Member

Similar threads