24T heartache...

[Sraczi]

Help please? I have a 24T and have followed almost all related threads to rebuild (THANK You Zzvyb6!!). Broken knotter has been welded up, operators manual purchased, tucker fingers adjusted, and pretty much everything else the manual calls for...

When I turn the flywheel, and lift the measuring arm, the trip dog turns, however, needles don't lift & knotters don't rotate...!!! I can turn the needle lift arm manually to rotate the needles (billhooks, tucker fingers, all seems ok), but can't cycle them with the flywheel manually.

Is there something wrong with my cam/ trip dog hub???

[Sraczi]

Ok, fiddled around more with the trip dog... Looks like the trip dog roller is super stiff. Can move it up/out against the inner edge of the knotter clutch. And it sticks there. Can move it down, and it stays there. The small spring is present, but not sure how to loosen it. Should I replace with a much stronger spring?

[Tx Jim]

I've never seen a baler that required a heavier strength trip dog spring but the trip dog roller arm should move freely.

[Sraczi]

Thanks Tx Jim. Like almost every other moving part on this unit, I'll have to get the WD40 out & use the grease gun plenty after...

Still not sure of how the trip dog actually turns the knotters when tripped? All the videos focus on the knotters & the trip dog is shielded. The inside of the knotter clutch ring does not look overly worn & I don't see flat spits on the roller.

Any help/feedback is really appreciated.

[Tx Jim]

IIRC the 24T has a needle lift shear pin/bolt of some kind. Can you go to JDparts.com and download parts catalog # 426? If so go to page 16 and post if you have gear #27a or 27B. If gear 27A then parts keys #45 could be sheared or missing.Is trip dog mechanism pinned correctly to knotter shaft with groove pin(parts key #9/page 19). Also does your baler have measuring wheel on page 20 or 21??

Update: I found a shear pin for needles on page #23/parts key #9

[Sraczi]

I have the 997 manual (for the 24T) and will take some pictures this morning of my setup on the right side without shield (or incorrect assembly?). Hopefully you'll see something I don't.

I believe the trip dog is locked to the spline end on the knotter shaft so no moon-keys are missing (replaced the two on the knotter shaft already).

Thanks again!!!

[zzvyb6]

The 'trip dog' is just a one-way mechanical clutch that is engaged when the measuring arm calls for a tie. It turns for one revolution and disengages automatically. The hinged section should be loose and the spring needs to be only strong enough to start the engagement.

You should be able to force the engagement for a cycle that you start by hand at the trip dog. You would need to have an extra body to help you to turn the flywheel while you poke a stick in there to start it. Soaking it in penetrating oil would be my first action. It should snap back and forth with a click of your finger. I don't oil or grease mine because the hay chaff gets mixed in there and stops it up.

Since the knotter drive shaft also rotates the needle lift link, if the knotters don't turn, the needles won't be lifting.

Have you viewed my 'john deer baler knotter' video on YouTube? Its a slow motion view of the rotating parts during a few cycles.

[Tx Jim]

I believe the trip dog is locked to the spline end on the knotter shaft so no moon-keys are missing (replaced the two on the knotter shaft already).

The only splines I see in parts photo are on the flywheel(LH) end of knotter shaft which is opposite end of trip dog mechanism. I stated check groove pin to secure trip dog mechanism not Woodruff(half-moon) key.

[Sraczi]

Once again, you are right on the money Zzbyv6 (I think I've read almost all of your 14T/24T blogs and watched your utube video several times).

I fiddled & fiddled with the spring trip portion and freed it enough so it would "spring back".

Was then able to turn the flywheel and Rotate the knotters! Will time it now (no wonder the timing instructions didn't work yesterday).

Will continue to grease/wash out the crud. This is the last of the springs I have not replaced... It is very weak so it's going next.

After this, replace tires/sharpen blades/adjust plunger shims/run twine and hook her up!

Then the knotting trouble starts (or I hope not!).

Cheers!