Vermeer 554xl Questions

Bill VA

Well-known Member
Not sure I am ready to go all in on a newer round baler yet, so considering something to test drive for a few years to see how it goes.

Found what appears to be a Vermeer 554xl for sale. Does not look to bad, if anything the pickup tines need to be replaced. Chains and sprockets look good, probably the belts should be proactively changed if I bought it. Do not know the bale count, but there is still plenty of yellow paint everywhere. It is electric twine tie and hydraulic pickup.

I have read a ton about these balers on this forum and others and I am ready to ask a few questions.

1. I gather depending the age of the baler, it might have the newer M series pickup. How do you visually tell if it is newer or older? This pickup has no gathering wheels and has DCF Wide Pickup labeled on it.

2. The baler has hydraulic density and a gauge - I assume this is a good thing?

3. It has a bale ramp and what appears to be a kicker arm. I gather this is a plus?

4. The model says 554 with Accu-Tie. What does that mean?

5. How significant and different is the M series pickup from the original 554xl pickup and what is its advantage?

6. Can this baler be set to make a 4x4 round bale?

I read folks have a love/hate relationship with this baler, but also read with good belts, pickup tines and proper adjustment they can be a hay eating machine.

Any sage advice on the Vermeer 554xl round baler is much appreciated.

Thanks!
Bill
 
That was my first baler. had it quite a few years and no custom work. Don't know anything about the pickup.Mine had the standard pickup with the gathering wheels and manual lift.. It had the hyd density and bale ramps.The accu-tie is just the name they call the tying system. twin twine arms. Really works quite fast. Was baling next to a neighbor using a JD 467 with net. Counted the seconds and he would take about 18 seconds to wrap and go again and I would take about 30 to twine wrap and go. My present 6640 has twine and net and the twine is much slower than the 554.You can make any size bale you want, but as I Have posted before I really like the 5 1/2' bale. My dealer recommended to change the pickup teeth at about 5000 bales. Says they look fine, but the rubber mount becomes less ridged and will cause the baler to plug more easily.Happy shopping
 
Doug,

Thanks! I looked up the 6640 which I hadnt heard of before. 5.5 bale like the 554xl. I assumed that size disappeared when the 554xl was discontinued. Do you like the 6640 and how similar is it to the 554xl? Is it a rebadged 554xl in Rancher decals?

I really appreciate the reply!

Bill
 
Am surprised you are chasing a twine tyer for re-selling hay but I suppose different markets value different packaging methods. Anyway, I do not have a 554xl, but the bale ramps and kicker arm may not necessarily be good thing. I was considering getting ramps for my baler and came across a Vermeer rep at a farm show. Since I bale in a bit of a hilly area, the rep did not recommend I buy the ramps.
 
i suppose you could say it's an improved version of the 554. A little heavier built and more features. It has a monitor with a screen that displays the various functions such as bale shape, size etc. mine also has a moisture meter which was on it. I wouldn't have ordered it, but now would hate to be without it. My 554 was a twine only, but i have heard that the net wrap system was troublesome. On the 6640 it works fine, very little trouble.You mentioned that the one you were looking at had a hyd lift pickup. Neither of mine had that and I never touch the pickup. have got it set so the teeth and gathering wheels clear the ground on a hard surface which makes them just right in the field. Saves getting off the tractor. What I liked about the 554 and now the 6640 is that you get a fairly large bale out of a smaller machine. If you see one of these along side a 604 machine[4x6 bale] , it is huge compared to these.
 

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