vermeer 504G

In real dry grass starting a bale can take some learning. Feed slowly, let it get that core spinning, sucked in. Sometimes it needs to think about that first little mouthful for a bit. New flaps on that spinning roller really helps I hear, need to order myself a set. Also the pickup teeth are a part of the bale forming process, you want all OEM teeth, missing ones will hurt ya on forming bales.

Get hay all the way across to start, or the belts will get messed up as others say. Need to fill both sides, center will take care of itself. Manual says either a skinny windrow 1/2 size or less of the baler width, or full width windrow. A 3/4 size windrow will make a barrel-shaped bale as the middle always gets hay, the ends only get hay 1/2 the time.

--->Paul

With every round baler known to man this statement is true. " The bigger the windrow the better the bale will be." A windrow the with of the bale is ideal. If an operator has to chase a small windrow all-over the field they will cuss the rake person and not make the best bales. Back in 1980's Vermeer came out with the R21 twin rake that is Hydraulically driven. At the farm Progress Show in Amana, IA. The show organizers did a test with a New Holland 851 chain baler baling a double NH256 windrow and baling a windrow with a Vermeer R21 twin rake. They used the same baler and operator in the same field. They weighed the bales and the R21 raked bales out weighed the NH256 bales by over 250 lbs per each bale.
A current Vermeer R23A twin rake.