Inline vs Traditional small Square Balers?

[rankrank1]

....So, I also saw some Ford balers (traditional wide) for sale. Are these maintained by New Holland?

No. Anything with Ford on it in regards to a baler will usually be very difficult to nearly impossible to find parts for. That said, if the price was super cheap and the condition was excellent then I would not be afraid of one for a small operation assuming you have ability to be creative and make/retro-fit similar parts from other manufacturers as needed.

Usually from a low cost perspective the little operator is best served with sticking with New Holland or John Deere in a small square baler. Lots of them out there so price is reasonable, parts support both new and used is plentiful, and forum knowledge is also the most plentiful since they are by far the most commonly used.

[Hoosier Hay Man]

Did you tour the combine plant too?

Yes I did. I have been thru a couple of times, but it has been 2 years ago.
Gleaners, Massey, Challenger and they even were badging one combine a Fendt for Europe.
They still were using a Fiat tractor from the 70's tugging wagons around.
They are going to build a visitor center in the in the not to future.

[Hoosier Hay Man]

Whew,
What a mess of who owned what when, especially as sometimes a company will buy another company just to gain access to patent rights.

Did Fiat also own Oliver?

I would assume as companies merge, they would tend to drop redundant product lines. But, then what happens if they split off again?

So, I also saw some Ford balers (traditional wide) for sale. Are these maintained by New Holland?

Oliver was bought by White Motor Company in the early 60's with Minneapolis Moline and Cockshutt.
White continued to build each independent of each other until early 70's.
Interesting though, Hesston Mfg did buy Oliver baler line from White. The first small Hesston baler wasn't inline and was an Oliver painted as a Hesston. The first inline square baler built by Hesston was a large square. That was before CaseIH and AGCO. I think FIAT owned Hesston then. This is as I remember it.

[Hoosier Hay Man]

http://www.tractorhouse.com/onlineau...x?OHID=6189059

These Minneapolis Moline balers I would guess influenced the inline. I would love to try one.

[D7E]

No. Anything with Ford on it in regards to a baler will usually be very difficult to nearly impossible to find parts for. That said, if the price was super cheap and the condition was excellent then I would not be afraid of one for a small operation assuming you have ability to be creative and make/retro-fit similar parts from other manufacturers as needed.

Ford combines were made by claas so i asume balers of the same era were too ?

[rankrank1]

Ford combines were made by claas so i asume balers of the same era were too ?

Not necessarily. Some Ford balers were Ford built. Some later ones were I hear were built by Gehl (Gehl has since ceased support for all ag product lines so no help there). I have also heard some balers were Class sourced. Regardless product support will be not existent through CNH which is why I alluded to being savy on either making parts from other lines fit, or modifying something else to work, or in a worst case making your own part.

I would only consider one if priced real cheap and even then the condition would have to be excellent. Being savy is not practical at all for a big time hay operator, but can be okay for a small time hay operator operating on a shoestring budget. Regardless, there is a reason why New Holland and John Deere have dominated the square baler market for the last 50-60 years in North America.

[D7E]

Not necessarily. Some Ford balers were Ford built. Some later ones were I hear were built by Gehl (Gehl has since ceased support for all ag product lines so no help there). I have also heard some balers were Class sourced. Regardless product support will be not existent through CNH which is why I alluded to being savy on either making parts from other lines fit, or modifying something else to work, or in a worst case making your own part.

I would only consider one if priced real cheap and even then the condition would have to be excellent. Being savy is not practical at all for a big time hay operator, but can be okay for a small time hay operator operating on a shoestring budget. Regardless, there is a reason why New Holland and John Deere have dominated the square baler market for the last 50-60 years in North America.

Those ford balers must have been very popular at some time as almost every farm has one in the trees but they are "all" in the trees ?

[D7E]

Not necessarily. Some Ford balers were Ford built. Some later ones were I hear were built by Gehl (Gehl has since ceased support for all ag product lines so no help there). I have also heard some balers were Class sourced. Regardless product support will be not existent through CNH which is why I alluded to being savy on either making parts from other lines fit, or modifying something else to work, or in a worst case making your own part.

I would only consider one if priced real cheap and even then the condition would have to be excellent. Being savy is not practical at all for a big time hay operator, but can be okay for a small time hay operator operating on a shoestring budget. Regardless, there is a reason why New Holland and John Deere have dominated the square baler market for the last 50-60 years in North America.

Those fords must have been very popular at some time as "every" yard has one rusting in the trees ?

[Willl]

Never been around inline balers, just traditional style.

But looking at the pic that Clifford posted of the inline, can one assume that the hay is standing vertical in the bale chamber as to laying horizontal in a traditional ?

[Hoosier Hay Man]

Ford combines were made by claas so i asume balers of the same era were too ?

Ford small square were built by Long and their round balers were Gehl.