Does JD 328/338/348 Baler Model Matter?

[ddivinia]

328 twine - $17,500 would have to order.

D.

 

[Tx Jim]

These balers are going up. I just got a quote on a 348 wire - $22K. D.

If I was intending to replace my 347 wire baler I would be looking for a twine baler. Twine is so much easier for an old fart to handle than those heavy boxes of wire plus one can put up a heavy bale with the synthetic twine.

 

[Tx Jim]

328 twine - $17,500 would have to order.

D.

I would much rather have a used 347/348 over a New lower capacity 328. 328 only has 3 hay dogs and 52 pickup teeth compared to 6 hay dogs and 78 pickup teeth on the larger models.

 

[slowzuki]

I picked up a used JD 348 and ran it next to my 336 this past summer. It has about 20% more capacity than the 336 which is nice, the wide pickup is even nicer.

We don't push too fast as we want nice bales but 500 bales an hour with both running was very easily doable.

 

[zzvyb6]

I've used a 336 with a kicker behind a JD4020 and a 4430 with TWO kick wagons behind the baler. As FWJ stated a while back, the 348 will take a LOT more abuse from crops other than hay but is hard on the tractor. A better combo is a 348 with 1000 rpm input driveline. You could probably bale firewood with a 348.

There have been times when I passed heavy hay bales back into the 348/4430 to be re-baled just because it was too difficult to maneuver the train around them at the corners of the field. It wouldn't even burp.

 

[slowzuki]

My 336 has baled lots of wooden fence posts over the years, folks pull them for the snowmobiles in the winter and forget to put them back up. Chomp chomp.

 

[Murphys Law Farmer]

JD348 Wire Baler--problem with the twister hooks

JD348 Wire Baler--problem with the twister hooks. (Sorry I don't see how to start my own thread).
I'm using RedBrand wire (all that is sold around here).
The wire keeps getting stuck in the crevice of the hooks and won't pull out. Sometimes I get a build-up of wire there. Then the wires/bales start breaking. I had it working pretty well by the end of last year. Started this year (same wire, stored inside). After 2 rows, the wire gets stuck now on every bale--every bale breaks. I ended up having an assistant walk alongside the baler to signal me every time it tied a bale so we could stop and pull (yank with long needle-nose pliers, pry, swear) the twisted wire off the hooks. The right side is definitely worse that the left side. I replaced these hooks a few years ago, with no improvement. Trying to finish the field today with no assistant to watch ...I might as well be forking the hay by hand! Is it better to have a worn out hook--so maybe the wire won't bind up in the crevice? Note bales are slightly shorter on the right side, but not banana-shaped.

 

[Tx Jim]

Re: JD348 Wire Baler--problem with the twister hooks

I personally dislike RedBrand wire. Have you applied extra oil to wire in baler? Do twister shafts have a groove worn in them?? Do twister shafts have any up/down movement?? To help wire hanging around twister shafts one can ****** twister shaft/hooks 1 or 2 teeth on drive gear.

To start new thread click the box in photo below at the top LH corner of each forum

 

[Murphys Law Farmer]

I do not add oil to the wire--just try my best to keep the wire clean and dry while in use and storage.
Yes there are now some groove markings on the shafts. There is minor vertical movement in the shafts just visible when I finally release a jambed pair of wires that were under tension from later plunges. I don't see that the wire is catching on grooves on the shafts, though it probably does add tension. The current problem is the two wires actually jamb in the very crevice of the hooks--which is smaller than the width of 2 wires. The portion of the wire is just above the twists where it is still straight. Does the crevice on the hooks NEED to be this tight, or could it be filed open a little? These are relatively new hooks (1000 bales?). Replacing them hasn't fixed the wire build up problems, just added this new way to jamb things up.

I finished the field by stopping the baler immediately after EACH tie and "releasing" the wires (by unwinding from the spindle to provide a place to grab, then prying, pulling, cutting--whatever worked at the time). I mounted a flag on a wire whip to the needle bracket arm and stopped every time I saw it jump. Looong day.

I'm also wondering if it is possible to lessen the hook that forms on the end of the wires from the grippers. On occasion that has snagged the next wire. Or will there always be some there no matter how adjusted? In the past this hook on the end of the wire has caused some jambs. But it doesn't appear to be in play at this time.

 

[Tx Jim]

Back in the 60's-70's when I handled many boxes of wire at the JD dealership the wire was much more oily than today's wire. You can choose to keep your wire clean & un-oiled if you so choose and your wire tying problems will continue to plague you. IMHO if you grind on the twister hook opening be prepared to buy some more new hooks. No you can't do away with the hooked end on the wire that gripper holds while bales are being formed because if gripper releases wire prematurely no bale will be tied.

Have you tried retarding twister hook as I previously suggested?? I'll bet not!!!