Steve I took a closer look at it when I had time.
It broke to the left of that spring stop that's mounted in the tube. Looking at it you can see that the inside of it was worn thin bit in spots around the break. As the one side moves back and forth. The tube had cracked at the top in the inside first. Then it all let go with a bang. This baler I bought used 5 years ago so I don't know how old that tube is. It hasn't seen near the bales through it as my other ones. I have another 278 that we've had since new in 1975 and its never "crashed" like this. I think I'll be taking the tube out on that one and checking over this winter. I also have a 320 and that one has broke the tube a few times for some reason over the last 20 years. I always blamed it on drivers pushing them too hard. It has different inside pieces in the tube compared to the old 278's style.
As for the center pipe between the forks are you saying to just run it with out?? So that if it does crash it doesn't do as much damage??
That 2080 feeder chain NH calls for it to be something like 5/8" deflection at a 100lbs pull. That's pretty tight, does it need to be that tight?? I useally just make sure the slack is taken up etc. Yes we do run the 278's and 320 at about 80%. As at 540 they run at 105 strokes a minute. thanks for the help!! One a side note an unpdated version of my balers would be the 570 right?? I wouldn't be loosing any capacity right?? Also it would have the same width of pick up?? I'd Like to pick one up at fall farm auction and give one a try next year.
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