273 vs 68

Matt Agnel · Feb 13, 2010

Dear Lads
Summer is coming because I am thinking at getting a second small square baler I have a NH 68 now so I am thinking on moving up to a 273. My Question is what will I be gaining in this upgrade? Will I be able to bale at a lot more ground speed? My 68 some times makes Very small bales like only 1 foot long will the 273 do this? Will my pick up be much wider? Will the 273 tie all bales unlike the 68? And so on Thank for now Matt

usetob · Feb 13, 2010

not sure about your NH 68 but the NH 273 has a 61 and a half inch pickup, bale chamber size is 14" X 18" bale length is 12" to 52" weighs 2577 lbs. as far as never missing a tie, it has the same knotter.. never seen a bailer that NEVER missed
good luck

old · Feb 13, 2010

Really not a whole lot of difference in the 2 of them that I know of. I have a 68 and a 271 and I use the 68 for parts for the 271. The 68 has a shorter tongue then the 271 but if that was off both of them you might think from say 50 feet they where the same machine

Tom in TN · Feb 14, 2010

Matt,

I don't know anything about a 68 baler but I own a New Holland 273. Ground speed is a function of windrow size. Big windrow = slower speed. Small windrow = faster speed. I pull my baler with a 1973 model Ford 2000 tractor. I usually bale is second gear, occasionally shifting to first if the windrow is very big, occasionally going to third is the windrow is really small.

The length of the bale is controlled by a small metal wheel with serrations on it. As the bale comes out of the chamber, it turns a large "star wheel" that rides on the top of the bale. Attached to the "star wheel" is a shaft that has the small wheel with serrations on it. The small wheel with serrations is in contact with an arm that moves upward as the wheel turns. Eventually, the arm reaches a point where it trips the knotters.

If you have varying sizes of bales on the 273, it would probably be a result of that "Star wheel" / serrated wheel / trip arm not working properly.

Good luck with your baler. I like mine.

Tom in TN

Anonymous-0 · Feb 14, 2010

You are not going to gain much. Most of the diffrence is in the sheetmetal. Same knotters
and other internal parts. Tom is right the bale length is controled by that small star wheel driving the trip arm. Two minutes of adjusting will fix that unless the serations are wore slick on the wheel. You would probably be better off spending the trade diffrence on working on yours or buy the other one and have one for parts. I have 3 One to run and two for parts.

rrlund · Feb 14, 2010

Those serations being worn off has the opposite effect doesn't it? I had a 275. When you'd get on rough ground now and then,that bar would slip back down and it had to start the process over and made a bigger bale if memory serves me right.

RodinNS · Feb 14, 2010

I ~think~ the 273 probably had the Super Sweep pickup rather than the wide spaced thing on the 68. Otherwise, you gain nothing. Even the pickup is not really a large gain unless you're baling a lot of really short grass.

You may have a problem with the needle brake or latch on your 68 if it's making short bales. I'd think you might be just as well off doing some maintenance on the old one and getting it working right rather than buying another baler. The one you buy may be worse than the one you have...

Rod

wolfman · Feb 14, 2010

If you have much hay to bale, you'll want the 68. I've used a 268, a 270 and a 271. They will bale hay. The 273 doesn't have nearly the capacity. The bale size issue is a minor adjustment.

273 vs 68

Matt Agnel

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usetob

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old

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Tom in TN

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Anonymous-0

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rrlund

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RodinNS

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wolfman

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