Does JD 328/338/348 Baler Model Matter?

[Murphys Law Farmer]

No, I haven't. I'm not the mechanic. My brother worked on it last (a car/motorcycle guy) but can no longer attempt to help (broke his neck). I have a new good tractor guy, but he's not a baler guy either). So, I'm looking for all the tips to give him something to try--when I can get him. Fix all what needs it in one trip and tear apart, as he is paid by the hour. I grease it, fix some timing problems, load it, clean it, and do the baling with a team of me, myself and I. I'm somewhat reluctant to do a tear open by myself. I had to be assistant for my brother to manage it just for extra hands and to turn the flywheel, etc. so he could see how it worked.

So, how do you accomplish oiling a full box? With light-weight oil, ? I hate when the box disintegrates as then the roll turns into an unmanageable, tangled mess. That roll weighs near as much as I do.

 

[beenthere]

Here is a link to the manual,
OME131731: 348 Square Baler table of contents

Also, have seen mention of a wire lube system indicating the wire is lubed after it comes from the box, not while in the box.
Hope this helps. Good luck with your dilemma.

Jim's knowledge is great to have aboard here.

 

[Tx Jim]

Here is a link to the manual,
OME131731:

Also, have seen mention of a wire lube system indicating the wire is lubed after it comes from the box, not while in the box.


May I ask where you've seen mention of oiling wire after it's exited box?
Thanks,Jim

 

[beenthere]

I saw it attached to the baler in an advertisement for the 348. Appeared to be an option from Deere.
Will look for it again.

 

[Tx Jim]

I viewed JD's info on new sq balers and didn't see wire oiler mentioned. With the small % of new wire balers sold vs twine it would surprise me if JD offered a wire oiler as an option. Yes JD offers central lube system but that's the Multi-luber system for greasing.

 

[beenthere]

TxJim
That may have been what I saw listed/mentioned, and thought it was just an add-on for the wire.
Maybe the OP can try an oily rag to place along the wire route outside the box to see if that helps the problem.
I suspect the wire looks good, but is old and has some corrosion that is hard to see.

 

[Tx Jim]

I rip open the wire boxes and liberally pour oil on the wire coils. My custom hay baling neighbor does exactly the same applying oil to wire and has a very low % mis-ties(under 1%).

 

[Murphys Law Farmer]

I was just wondering about hob-cobbling a real soft sponge in the wire line just before it goes through the 1st (ceramic) wire guides. With my luck it will get gummed up with chaff and grass seed quickly. But worth an experiment. The problem with balers is not having a back-up when the field is ready for baling, too few (and short) weather windows to waste on small sections, and depending on the hay for my year's worth of feed.
Note: I do have the multi-luber--which it just for the "tying" set-up.
Wire is 1 year old, used for about the last 12 bales last year, then immediately stored inside. I suppose that I could wrestle the boxes into plastic bags as well for storage. At the rate this baler wastes wire, these boxes won't last long.

 

[Tx Jim]

MLF
I store my sq baler with unused wire remaining in baler an open side shed. I pull baler out to bale hay pour some more oil on wire and go bale hay. I normally have less than 1% wire problems. You can try to reinvent the wheel with you sponges with oil on them if you so choose but I'll keep pouring oil on the spools of wire as I've successfully done for years. Yes multi-lube system only oils tying system as it has done since it was introduced on the sq baler model 214 way back in the mid 50's
Jim