Round Balers and PTO Use

[charleyfarmall]

I am thinking about getting a round baler. Currently I bale about 2000 squares a year and my neighbor bales the rest. Last year I sold about 2000 bales and kept 500 +/-. We still had hay we just bush hogged because we ran out of time.

I think a small round baler would be a good addition. For one, my neighbor would use them for his sheep. I would use some 4x4's for our horses and I know some other horse people who would take a few as well.

I was looking at Vermeers ( 504I and 5400) and was suprised to find that you have to start and stop the PTO with every bale. Is this the case for most balers? I know the new 5410 doesn't need that but that's too much money. I was hoping to keep the price under $10k but that's putting me in some pretty old balers and I don't want a project either.

Turned down a 504I that needed some work, then a dealer tried to sell me the same baler for $1500 more after the owner traded it in.. argh.

 

[Duffster]

What tractor will you be using and why are you concerned about shutting the PTO off and on?

 

[D7E]

What is the reason for shutting the pto on and off ...That would be a nightmare !

 

[sweettractors]

On Our M & W 5506 you did not have to take the PTO out. On our 678 NH we don't have to take it out, however, we do. Don't want to take a chance on those belts getting out of alignment. Older chain rollers made by Holland, you have to disengage PTO each time. Ken Sweet

 

[charleyfarmall]

Duffstuff - not only is it a pita to engage and disengage the pto every few minutes while baling, it's hard on the pto and tractor driveline. These balers can bale fast so it is a lot of starts and stops in a few hours. I could see baling 100 bales in a day so that's 101 time I would have to engage the pto.

Glad to hear that some of the other balers don't require it. i am going to look at them. Used vermeers are attractively priced and relatively available but that isn't going to make up for it.

 

[nwbearcat]

I shutter to think about the number of times the PTO has been turned on/off on our 4430. We've been baling about 300-600 bales of hay/year since we bought it in 1983 or 84 in front of a Vermeer 605F. No issues from it so far. An empty baler is not the load on the engagement clutches in there compared to something like a batwing. That said, have ran the neighbor's JD net wrap, that's nice. When the light comes on, hit the clutch, flip the switch, 2 or 3 wraps, open tail gate, let out clutch. Makes a nice combo with a powershift Deere, no worries about a throw-out bearing when you're holding the clutch down.

 

[RickB]

I have experience with Deere and New Holland round balers, and one does not shut off the PTO to discharge a bale with either. Were I you, I'd carefully verify that a Vermeer requires the PTO to be off when dumping a bale, and if it is in fact true, stop considering Vermeer models with that limitation. My first thought is that you are being misinformed, but I don't know that for certain.

 

[Duffster]

Duffstuff - not only is it a pita to engage and disengage the pto every few minutes while baling, it's hard on the pto and tractor driveline. These balers can bale fast so it is a lot of starts and stops in a few hours. I could see baling 100 bales in a day so that's 101 time I would have to engage the pto.

Glad to hear that some of the other balers don't require it. i am going to look at them. Used vermeers are attractively priced and relatively available but that isn't going to make up for it.

You are going to bale what, a 100 bales a years tops? and you think that will be hard on the PTO and tractor driveline? Ya Right. Buy a baler that is in your price range and put your tractor to work doing what it was built for.

 

[nwbearcat]

I can't speak to the newer Vermeers much, I see that the 5410, or the replacement for your 5400 in the literature specifically calls out no need to turn off PTO, but can't find any info on the 5400. Ours is a 1978 model 605, so alot of changes made since it was mfg. I'd be more concerned about how long it takes to tie a bale, and if you can get your tractor into and out of gear easily or if you'll be sitting there with the clutch down at PTO speed for all that time.

 

[charleyfarmall]

Thanks everyone. Getting in and out of gear is easy with either tractor, they are both shuttle shifts. Duffster, it's an inconvenience that doesn't seem necessary, and yes, it does wear the drive train unnecessarily, even if little by little. As long as there is diesel, I expect to have my current equipment for about 20 years or until I quit. I also do all of my own maintenance and rebuilds, so if I don't have to, I don't want to. There's enough to do when things break naturally.

Yes the older vermeers require disengaging the pto, so I am no longer going to consider them. My wife does a fair amount of the work too, so it needs to be EASY.

I said 100 bales in one day by the way. I do most of the baling on my own, so I tend to rake and bale the same day. While I have about 50 acres of hay field, I have access to a lot more that I could get paid to bale. Something to consider. I have a city job too which limits my time, but I am looking at my retirement options before 10 years are up. I own everything free and clear and intend to keep it that way and any way to earn some cash for the farm is going to be looked at carefully.

I am trying to be cost effective but still leave my options open for the future. NEW balers are just really expensive and i'd rather someone else take the depreciation if I can Locally I can look at CLAAS, Vermeer, MF, JD and NH.