NH 273 baler problem

[CTPhil]

Well I'm back with another baler problem, this time my new to me NH 273. When it rains it pours.

I got the 273 in August, I've made about 500 bales. The first time out it was pretty good, but have since had troubles tying to the point where it would only tie about 4 before puking a couple with only one side tied. I tried to feed a little too fast and broke a flywheel shear bolt. After replacing it, I turned it over by hand and it broke again. I looked further and the knotter bolt was sheared too, so I replaced that. Tried it again, and the flwheel bolt sheared immediately. Checked again, the needles were in the chamber and the plunger was stopped by the safety dog and running it backwards wouldn't move the needles.

I bagged it and went home. I tried to swing the knotters up but I had to drive the pins out, everything was bound tight. The knotters wouldn't swing up. I turned the flywheel and the knotters came up, and the needles moved in lock step. It was then I noticed one of the bill hooks was way out of position, see photo. The whole knotter assy. is locked up tight.

Does anyone know what may be going on here? Thank you.

 

[RickB]

Too much knotter stack endplay; billhook drive pinion jumped time. Repair as follows; loosen bolt at RH end of knotter stack and pinch bolt on needle bail crank arm. Move needle crank arm to the right on knotter shaft to INCREASE knotter stack endplay. Retime the offending billhook & pinion. Replace billhook pinions if the flat side is worn rounded or teeth broken. Adjust knotter stack endplay as described in your owner's manual. Set knotter in the 'home' position, replace knotter shearbolt. Replace flywheel shearbolt. Call 518-398-7154 and ask for Rick in parts, I should have anything you need on the shelf and ship parts out daily.

 

[CTPhil]

Thanks Rick, I didn't know you worked at PPFT! I don't have an owner's manual, I've been watching eBay, I did find a parts manual on there. I may just break down and order a .pdf version, I understand the real thing is quite expensive.

Could the endplay have been causing the failure to tie? I've also been told to watch the roller on the twine arm, mine does seem to have flat spots.

 

[pavol]

Note the position of the knife arm on the left knotter and knife arm on the right knotter. Left knotter makes node. Right knotter finished knot. They are both cam in the same position? If not, can be torn woodruf key. Rotate the left cam? Not broken or twisted shaft knotters? Take a photo of both the position of the cam knotters below.
Sorry, I do not know English very well, but I hope you understand.

 

[CTPhil]

Unfortunately I can't tell much at this point as both knotters are raised and nothing is moving freely.

 

[RickB]

Thanks Rick, I didn't know you worked at PPFT! I don't have an owner's manual, I've been watching eBay, I did find a parts manual on there. I may just break down and order a .pdf version, I understand the real thing is quite expensive.

Could the endplay have been causing the failure to tie? I've also been told to watch the roller on the twine arm, mine does seem to have flat spots.

About 16 years here @PPFT. PDF download of the 273 op manual is $17.30 and is publication # 42027315. Hard copy is under $20.

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Don't worry about the relative position of the knife arms until you get the billhook freed up and timed. Excessive knotter stack endplay can cause random misties, and flat spots on the knifearm rollers and billhooks will, too.

 

[CTPhil]

I did end up downloading the .pdf. There are flat spots on the bronze balls on the knife arms, and a major one on the out of position billhook. Can the billhook balls be upgraded to a steel bearing?

 

[RickB]

I did end up downloading the .pdf. There are flat spots on the bronze balls on the knife arms, and a major one on the out of position billhook. Can the billhook balls be upgraded to a steel bearing?

You can put a billhook with a steel roller in it, but you don't want to. Steel-roller billhooks are made to work against a hardened replaceable cam bolted to the knotter frame (later balers). Your 273 (probably) has the billhook cam cast as part of the frame. A steel roller on the billhook will wear the cast cam area faster than you want.
Knife arm rollers can be changed without too much trouble if the arm isn't worn out and the knife is still sharp or can be made so. But if the billhook roller has flat spots, do yourself a favor & replace the whole thing.

 

[CTPhil]

Thanks for the advice. Apparently the billhook roller is not replaceable?

 

[RickB]

Thanks for the advice. Apparently the billhook roller is not replaceable?

Yes, you can replace the tongue & roller. A complete billhook for sisal twine with a brass roller is $80. The tongue & roller and pivot pin for that style billhook total just under $38 and a package quantity of the pin probably drives that price up. At $75 per hour, nobody wants to pay a tech to change the tongue, and I can't remember the last time anybody bought parts to do it themselves.