Bale baskets

Keith Molden

Well-known Member
I bought 2 Agri Link bale baskets yesterday. I don't know how I'll like them but getting the grandkids when hay is ready is hard to do since they all have jobs, so I've decided to go this route as I can always get them here in the evening especially if Grandma is cooking supper for them. The guy I bought them from tells me that I will need to lighten the bales a bit and to turn the pto off on corners (I do anyway to eliminate stress on driveline). Wondering if anyone has any pointers on their operation. Keith
 
(quoted from post at 12:15:11 09/25/21) I bought 2 Agri Link bale baskets yesterday. I don't know how I'll like them but getting the grandkids when hay is ready is hard to do since they all have jobs, so I've decided to go this route as I can always get them here in the evening especially if Grandma is cooking supper for them. The guy I bought them from tells me that I will need to lighten the bales a bit and to turn the pto off on corners (I do anyway to eliminate stress on driveline). Wondering if anyone has any pointers on their operation. Keith

He is correct on backing off the tension on the baler. The increased friction of pushing bales up the wagon chute into the wagon, amounts to increased tension and you will have real heavy bales if you don't. You will have to experiment with the tension a bit to get it right.

As for cornering; any time you turn short you can "banana" the bale between the baler chute and the wagon, PTO on or not. Make a few laps around the field (a big field you can make a few more as long as turning is gradual) to open up turning room.
Then have straight rows and split the field (skipping some rows before heading back), so you can always make a gradual turn, out of a windrow, at the ends of the rows. The short time out of the hay isn't much if you rake with the plan in mind.

We run one basket, of a different brand. With a bit of practice you can back it up to a conveyor at the barn and dump without unhooking from the baler. For hay sold in the field we dump beside or behind trailers. Sure beats walking a field and picking up bales.
 
I have the one made in St Cloud, cant remember the name now.

Can drive like normal corners in alfalfa.

Slippery crop like very dry long hay or straw you wiggle a little and need to watch for a bale wanting to spit out sideways.

Not to make it bad or anything, works great, but you do have to watch corners with slick hay.

Have mine for a decade or more, glad I do.

Paul
 


I have an EZ Trail, only piece of brand new equipment I've ever purchased. LOVE IT! Yes, the weight and friction of the bale loading chute means you can loosen the bale tension, but I find I get much more square and well filled bales with my ancient NH68 with the bale basket. And yeah, no sharp corners! Takes a little getting used to, but I'd never want anything else.
 

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