chetlenox
Silver Member
All,
I have a quick question for those familiar with late-model JD balers.
I have a small size tractor (JD 4520, ~4k lbs and 53 HP) that I am currently using to cut, rake, and bale my little 13 acre Coastal Bermuda pasture. I borrow a neighbors ~10-year-old Case in-line baler to do the baling, and am looking to buy one for myself this winter.
My local dealers are JD and New Holland, so I imagine I'll stick with one of those two brands. I'll be buying late-model (1-3 years old) or new, twine-tie.
My question is this: Is there a significant difference in the tractor size requirements between the different JD models?
John Deere's literature lists the 338 and 348 as "higher capacity" models that (I assume) means I can shove more hay at a faster rate into the thing (assuming I have the tractor HP, which I really don't). I'm not really in need of higher capacity, so I figure I should just be shopping for a 328 model. Unfortunately, I've found that there really aren't that many for sale, there are many more 348s in my area for some reason. If I end up finding a 348 that is clean at a good price, I just want to make sure my tractor wouldn't have a significantly harder time with it then a 328.
The official JD specs don't show a really large difference between the models. If I just compare the 348 to the 328, all the specs are identical, including length and width and pick-up width except for:
328/348
Weight(lbs) 2685/3110
Teeth 104/156
Strokes/min 80/93
Any insight folks could give me that have used these models of balers before would be great.
Thanks!
Chet.
I have a quick question for those familiar with late-model JD balers.
I have a small size tractor (JD 4520, ~4k lbs and 53 HP) that I am currently using to cut, rake, and bale my little 13 acre Coastal Bermuda pasture. I borrow a neighbors ~10-year-old Case in-line baler to do the baling, and am looking to buy one for myself this winter.
My local dealers are JD and New Holland, so I imagine I'll stick with one of those two brands. I'll be buying late-model (1-3 years old) or new, twine-tie.
My question is this: Is there a significant difference in the tractor size requirements between the different JD models?
John Deere's literature lists the 338 and 348 as "higher capacity" models that (I assume) means I can shove more hay at a faster rate into the thing (assuming I have the tractor HP, which I really don't). I'm not really in need of higher capacity, so I figure I should just be shopping for a 328 model. Unfortunately, I've found that there really aren't that many for sale, there are many more 348s in my area for some reason. If I end up finding a 348 that is clean at a good price, I just want to make sure my tractor wouldn't have a significantly harder time with it then a 328.
The official JD specs don't show a really large difference between the models. If I just compare the 348 to the 328, all the specs are identical, including length and width and pick-up width except for:
328/348
Weight(lbs) 2685/3110
Teeth 104/156
Strokes/min 80/93
Any insight folks could give me that have used these models of balers before would be great.
Thanks!
Chet.