Can my tractor handle running this Baler?

[USNative]

I have a John Deere 3038e with 37HP rated at 30HP PTO HP. Is it capable of running this John Deere Baler? It is a 14T model baler that makes small squares. I would like to bale my own hay if I can do it with my current machine but it does look pretty big. My guess is that I need a bigger tractor to do baling. Need an expert opinion , Thanks.

Picture Here:

 

[RickB]

Baling on flat ground and not trailing a wagon, you probably can get by.

 

[rankrank1]

Here is my wife (she painted herself out of my picture as she hates cameras) baling with our little a Kubota L285 (26.45 PTO hp maximum at WOT only around 23 hp with throttle at 540 rpm where you run the baler and no live PTO either). We only bale between 4.5 - 7 acres relatively flat acres each cutting and do drop on the ground. I think I could pull a small wagon if I had one but I do not. Really, I have no interest in getting a wagon. I prefer to use my flatbed trailer behind a pick-up truck to collect the bales. It keeps me out of the baler dust, allows me to easily operate as a one-man operation if the wife goes on strike, and I can use the trailer for other things too.

My baler is a New Holland 65 compact baler which is the smallest of the vintage balers that can be purchased cheaply, but there is actually brand new mini-balers (e.g. MicroStar) out there designed to operate on really tiny tractors but they are expensive.

Here is a list of balers that I would consider to operate with a compact tractor:
a) Micro-Star or other mini baler manufacturer (New and expensive like $15k)
b) NH 65 compact baler (old,hard to find one but relatively cheap if you do, and easy parts availabilty).
c) Ford 520 small like the NH65 but the Ford will be nearly impossible to get parts for.
d) Any NH model the number 66 - 273, but skip the 76 and 77 series balers which are huge monsters. (A bit bigger than the NH 65 or Ford 520, but still low capacity low hp balers and easy parts availibility).
e) John Deere 14T or 24T. (I would prefer the 24T over the 14T. A bit bigger than the NH 65 or Ford 520, but still low capacity low hp balers and easy parts availibility for the 24T. 14T you may have to retrofit some 24T parts).

For the most part the New Holland and John Deere balers will be in excess of 40 years old so plan on doing some repairs to keep them operating. Unfortunately, modern small square balers from the mainstream manufacturers are much higher in capacity than the vintage units and therefore take much more hp to run them.

Literally, Hours worth of reading on this subject if you do some searching.

 

[flusher]

I have a John Deere 3038e with 37HP rated at 30HP PTO HP. Is it capable of running this John Deere Baler? It is a 14T model baler that makes small squares. I would like to bale my own hay if I can do it with my current machine but it does look pretty big. My guess is that I need a bigger tractor to do baling. Need an expert opinion , Thanks.

Picture Here:

View attachment 194853

Your pto hp is on the low side for the 14T, but if you're on level ground and just dropping the bales on the hayfield, then your 3038e should be OK.

I've seen a YouTube video by a guy who runs a baler your size with a Farmall Super A (less than 20 hp on the pto).

 

[leonz]

I have a John Deere 3038e with 37HP rated at 30HP PTO HP. Is it capable of running this John Deere Baler? It is a 14T model baler that makes small squares. I would like to bale my own hay if I can do it with my current machine but it does look pretty big. My guess is that I need a bigger tractor to do baling. Need an expert opinion , Thanks.

Picture Here:

View attachment 194853

You dont need a bigger tractor really,

You should consider the Wolagro Mini Balers as they will work well with your tractor as they are designed for very low horsepower tractors.

The Wolagri Mini Baler can be equiped with or without a bale wrapper mounted on the baler or using a warpper separately using a mini bale wrapper unit for the round bales and they weigh less as well and are easier to handle.

The weight of the Wolagri mini baler allows you to bale hay that has been cut and windrowed dry on wet ground with out getting stuck or ruining the hay from leaving on the ground waiting for the ground to dry.


Wolagri Home Page: costruzione di macchine agricole inerenti alla fienagione

The national distrbutor is just over the border from me in Pa. and he loves the mini baler as he can bale his hay much faster with a small tractor and he does not have to cut bales open with a chain saw as the wrapped bales stay in great condition all year round.

 

[AKfish]

There's several months of reading on this question in a number of forums here on TBN. A number of guys using CUT's to bale hay with.

I've got a 33hp (pto) tractor with hydro tranny and a JD 336 baler. Works just fine.

I don't pull a wagon and my hay fields are fairly flat. Bales on the ground and I keep them LIGHT - no more than 40lbs.

The baler's not working real hard and neither is the tractor. I don't try to set speed records and push everything (and everyone) to get it all done in a single day!

I looked at the 14T and discovered that because of their age - finding one in good condition was a rare find - and parts availability was more problematic. Got more serious about the 24 and was gonna buy one... then my Dad jumped on a good shape 336 at a farm auction.

If the 14T is in good shape - it'll make bales for you and your 3038. I'd be lookin' for an old 14T "parts" baler, too. Just to sit alongside the barn in the back for that day when you'll need to fix the other baler with half a bale in the chamber and half the field finished.

AKfish

 

[wmonroe]

I grew up baling about 4-5 acres of hay for our 2 horses and 1-2 cows. We used a Kubota B8200, it is 19 hp with about 14 pto hp, it wasn't the fastest but it got the job done. We have an old New Holland baler that originally had its own engine to run the baler but was converted to pto, a heavy machine. There is one hill on my parents property that i would not go down with the baler behind the tractor, up that hill only. More hp would be nice but it is very possible to cut, condition, and bale hay with a low hp tractor.

Here is the tractor, they are still using it.

 

[oldnslo]

Baled lots of hay, enough to feed around 70 head of cattle with an old 420 JD Ag tractor (25 HP I think) and a Ford 520 Baler & pulled a wagon. Used the 520 JD when we got in the hillier ground.

 

[USNative]

Alrighty then, at least i know now that I can bale hay but now that I know more about this particular baler and parts availibilty being not so good I may look into a different baler. I have a 45 acre hay field (all flat) and was hoping to be able to make my own bales after hiring the cutting. But I am going to look into this some more before I buy a baler.

Thanks for all your input and I will hunt around here on the site to find more info on CUT's & baling.

 

[leonz]

You can purchase small equipment hay tools from Ken Sweet

who is a sponsor member here on the forum and Earthtools,

The man that owns Earth Tools has or did have a complete

hay set up for sale as the gentleman who bought it could

not make his hay fast enough in his Alaskan climate-

(caeb mini baler, sickle bar mower, 2 wheel tractor, hay rake etc.)