HP needed for an IH 46 Bailer

If you're just pulling the baler & dropping the bales on the ground, about 18 HP. If you plan on pulling a wagon & stacking on it, 25 HP. A wagon with hills, 30 - 35 HP. If you have a thrower & wagon, 35 - 40 HP. If hills are involved with that setup, you may want 50 HP. A heavier tractor would be recommended for the hills so the weight of the wagon doesn't bring your front end up going up hill.

Mike
 
I'm going back many years, but we used an M on the one we had. I don't recall Dad or I ever using it with the JD 50 we also had at the time. One of the neighbors ran a 47 with an H. Personally, I don't think I'd want to go anything under 35 hp on hillsides. On flat land and depending on PTO or engine driven you might get by with less. And that is figuring dropping the bales on the ground.
 
I have never used a 46 baler, but I have spent many seasons using the dreaded 45. Always ran it with a Farmall M or AW-7 Diesel. The Farmall M handled it quite well, but the 264 cubic inch direct injection diesel in the AW-7 made it easy. I haven't used the baler with a Farmall H, but I think it might lack power to make the job easy, particularly in a heavy crop.
SadFarmall
 
An H will pull it. An 8N Ford will too if the hay isnt real heavy.'Live' PTO is handy/desireable but not neccessary.I've baled thousands/millioms of bales with an M.After a while you dont even realize you dont have 'live' pto. You can even get to where you can shift on the fly
 
We pulled ours with a 49 JD B of 28 PTO HP. Had the thrower and pulled the wagon for thrower to load. Tried the 50 JD AR earlier because thought would need the power. Tried the B and never went back to the AR because the B handled it better than the 39 PTO HP AR. And never missed no live power. Western Ohio.
 
A baler uses about 50hp to plunge the bale back, but they store that power in their big flywheel. It takes about 15 hp to keep the flywheel powered, so an 18 hp or bigger tractor can make it work.

It’s better to have 30-35hp.

It doesn’t hurt to have 50hp.

And it’s better to have live or independent pto.

It’s not so good to have a very light or a modern low hp compact tractor on it. Because the jerk of the pto can transmit a lot of power back into the tractor, the very small modern tractors don’t have a strong enough pto to take the abuse the baler feeds back into the tractor.

And a very small light tractor might feel like the tail wagging the dog, especially on hills. That baler has a lot fo weight thrashing around, it can be a handful if there was a small tractor an inexperienced operator......

So if I could choose I’d look for a 35-45hp tractor with live pto to run an older small square baler.

Paul
 
I am really glad that your 46 is working for you. I used one for a few years. It got to missing ties and I could never get it to tie every bale. about every 3rd bale would tie. spent money adjusted this and that, threw new parts at it, the height of frustration. Went and got a new holland. Lifes been good since. But....I still like the auger and hay fork feed system on the 46 over the aluminum fingers on the NH.....a bit off topic...gobble
 
Dad bought a brand new '47 H and 50T baler and did custom baling all over the home territory after WW-2. Baler had the Cub C60 engine on it, H just had to pull the baler, and the rack if the farmer wanted.
Last time Dad and I baled we used the neighbor's IH #37 pto baler behind my Super H baling some nice 2nd cutting Alfalfa, doubled windrows, some hills, nice load about 3/4ths throttle in 2nd gear. Stock Super H is 33 pto hp, rain cap was open about an inch until the plunger hit and the governor opened the throttle. Not having a live PTO did not bother me in the slightest. Normally with the old engine driven IH 55-T baler I'd have raked up HUGE windrows knowing I could idle down the tractor pulling the baler or even push the clutch in. Luckily I raked up nice even normal sized windrows. A " normal" day with the 55-T if the knotters behaved was 1000 bales with our 3-4 man crew. Think we got just over 900 bales that afternoon with the #37 baler with just Dad and I. Fill both racks and unload both racks. BIG difference in the size of the bales between the two balers.
 
Now if I can just find a sickle bar mower (All I can afford) in or near Mid/Eastern Missouri I’ll be set.
 
Also if anyone knows where I can find a video or pamphlet on how to string the IH 46 that would be amazing. Thank you
 
A combine, a planter, and a baler you need the operators manual.

There are a whole lot of adjustments and stuff you really need to get on eBay or Jensales or some such and find yourself a real manual for it.

Paul
 
I'm down here at the Lake of the Ozarks. I live 7 miles south of Camdenton MO.
 
Used a 46 for several years. It was always rough getting it to tie at start. Had to keep it well lubricated and sharp knives. I run new holland 268 & NH 68 now. My 860 ford with live power is a good match for any of the balers.
 

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