Massey 124 square baler issues

[MBMassey]

Hey Gents,

It's been a bad couple of days on my first ever attempt at putting up hay, first I couldn't seem to get the baler to make solid bales but with some messing around and speeding up I got them to start spitting out semi ok. Then once I really got going the needle on the l/h side decided to break the top off and then I messed up about 3 or 4 bales. I found 2 bent over needles inside the box when I got it, so I managed to fix the broken one and after I bent it again not having it a 100% I finally got it all figured out.

Now that I have it coming up smooth and slightly rubbing the knotter like it says in the book and I have it timed accordingly with the r/h side for some strange reason when I set it to tie it will feed in, typically tie about 1 bale then it either somehow pulls the twine out of the needle (no it's not broken or cracked at all) or it will tie the bale and not cut the twine and I'll go to the next bale and realise I have 150' of twine stretched out the back.

Every time I re thred it through the needle it does the same thing, spit out 1 or two bales and then slips the twine out of the needle and either leaves that one un-cut bale or spit out a bunch with only one side tied.

on top of all that I had to fix a broken weld on the piece that drives the forks and when I put it back together the one retainer clip fell off while it wqas running and mangled that whole bracket...and then my 88 Massey broke the strater all to pieces.....I think I should have stayed in bed this week-end.

Can anyone out there help?? I'm lost and out of patience and the book is not helping me at all.
__________________

 

[FaC]

Couple of things to look at. We also run a 124. Have you discovered the little cap on the top of the billhook shaft? We make sure that this gets a shot of pb blaster every day. We have also discovered that we need to keep the string tension fairly tight. We also use sisal twine rather than plastic.

Good luck - I hate fighting with bailers.

Fac

 

[MBMassey]

I didn't but thanks for the tip...now that I think about it I don't think that side has even been greased since I started baling because in the home position I can't get at it....when I got it it had that black twine for JD balers..so we went to 6000? red plastic twine...but I'm not finding it very good actually....but it was recommended over sisal because I'm not the end user so the bales need to be moved a few times.

My 1002 New Holland picker also was messing up all the good bales...it would grab them stand them up and when they go to fall on that feeder chain they catch on twine in the chute chain and blow apart.....I can't win

 

[banjodunn]

G'day hope you get on top of it one thing to check is that the knife is sharp as the plastic twine is alot tougher to cut than the sisal twine


Jon

 

[Barry Bowen]

Before any one goes knocking plastic twine, what is the knot strength on what you have. Small square twine is either 170 or 210 knot strength labeled on the box. If you have 350 or higher this is for big square balers.

What is the clearance between your needle and the twine disc. This should be very close, like 1/32-1/64 of an inch. Make sure the twine knife is sharp, really sharp, and that the wipers contact the bill hooks good and proper when they come across. See what all this does for you.

 

[cowski]

i use orange plastic on mine and like it.sorry have not had that problem with mine.

 

[MBMassey]

Well for an update I put a new needle in, set up the needles like the book said...made about 13 bales and bang...2 broken needles now....I'm really disliking massey balers....but I guess not enough...I think I found another whole baler in good shape for $550.00....it better work or there will be a Massey burning party up here in Manitoba this week!

Thanks for the tips guys..I took them all and did them all...thought I really had it beat..but no luck

 

[flusher]

Well for an update I put a new needle in, set up the needles like the book said...made about 13 bales and bang...2 broken needles now....I'm really disliking massey balers....but I guess not enough...I think I found another whole baler in good shape for $550.00....it better work or there will be a Massey burning party up here in Manitoba this week!

Thanks for the tips guys..I took them all and did them all...thought I really had it beat..but no luck

Broken needles: have you check/adjusted the brake on the needle swing frame? Have you checked the status of the plunger safety stop? It sometimes can get jammed with hay. There's an alignment procedure involving the plunger head, needles and knotter drive chain that has to be done.

 

[MBMassey]

I looked at everything, except the safety stop, but I had cleaned the machine right out, blew it out with air all over and used wd on some spots that may stick....still nothing.

I looked at the brake for the swing arm...accroding to what the book says it was working fine, and when I removed the clevis pin to adjust where the needles sat in home position everything was working smoothly and the plunger in the correct position when I did hook it back up and tripped it.

I'm just finished with this one....not worth any more money being invested in it...I sense it's been a past problem with 2 bent over needles in the twine box when I bought it.

 

[Elmo Q Newton]

how hook up bail counter