|
I have two 278's and one NH320 which is basically the same. When we go out to do a big field all three get put to work. With them all working you can punch out a lot of bales in a hurry! The NH278 is a high capacity heavy duty square baler. The one 278 we have my father bought new in 1975 and its had well over 700,000 bales though it and 1000's of hrs.! I have replaced knives, bearings and parts etc. over the years for sure. But they can be rebuilt and go on and on. I think it could do another 700,000 before the bale chamber metal gets thin. They came with a light duty and heavy duty drive line. Mine all have the heavy duty set ups. Many didn't like the feed rack on them. They have pastic rollers in there that you have to keep an eye on. I check my balers over good in the winter so it hasn't been a issue for me in haying season. I don't run mine at 540 pto rpm which is 105 strokes a minute. Unless of course a thunder storm is coming! Typically we run them at around 93 strokes a minute in normal swaths. so its kinda nice to be able to idle the tractor back a little. I really like the 278 as it seems to be able to make a nice bale in light and heavy swaths. Any baler can make a nice bale in a nice big prefect windrow but give them a little light swath and some have problems. I pick with a NH balewagon so the bales have to be good. Things to check: Check the plunger knives and gap between them. The spec is .010" to .030" gab so if its a 1/4" somethings is worn or out of adjustment! Take a look inside the plunger chamber, check the wear on the square plunger guide rail on the right side. That guide can be flipped for a new wearing surface if they didn't leave it too long.
Grab the plunger and check the play. It shoud be pretty tight. If it clunks it could need new bearings. Look over that feed rack. Give it pull sideways and up and down. Check the play and wear where those rollers run. Look over the knotters for wear on the knotter cams. Give them a tug and see of they have play on the shaft. Those are the main wearing things off the top of my head.
| 
