What's the best/easiest older square baler to learn on, operate, & maintain?

TSO · Nov 30, 2013

I'm looking to pick up an older square baler for about 8 acres that I'm hoping to start haying this year or next. Around me on Craigslist, there are a few decent looking used balers ranging from $500-$2000. These include NH 269's, 273's ... JD 14 & 24t's, and a couple Massey & IH (can't remember model #'s off hand).

Are any of these more reliable than the others? Would any specific one of them be better for a first timer? Which one would be the easiest to maintain, with the easiest parts availability?

FYI, the land is pretty flat, and I've got 47 HP (38 pto) ... 4wd, and approx 5000lbs.

Thanks in advance.

sixdogs · Nov 30, 2013

Anything New Holland. They wrote the book.
A NH 273 is a sweetheart but someone else will have to comment on their earlier models. There are a lot of them around.

Tx Jim · Dec 1, 2013

It all depends on the brand one is acquainted with. The only book I know that New Holland wrote was how to make a crooked(banana shaped) bale of hay. JD balers are easier for me repair than NH's. If it were me I'd look for a JD 336/346 baler

MIKE R · Dec 1, 2013

The JD 14 & 24t balers are easy to work on. Everthing is fairly straight forward to reapiar and operate on them.

I agree with the new holland bannana bales. Never did like there feed set up. To much to go wrong.

jpm1 · Dec 1, 2013

Personally i would go with New Holland. There a good baler, parts are easy to get, and they run for ever. We had one NH square baler that the hay chamber just wore thru because of so much use. We've since gone out of farming but if i were to do it again it would be NH all the way. Conditioner, side delivery rake, baler .. . . John

catskinner · Dec 1, 2013

I just started last year doing hay, using a NH S68 its a 1950-60 something, was a real learning experence. New Holland will make a C shape bale when not setup right. They exploded when they left the baler, but that old beast is making good solid bales now, JD with a packer fork I like better, more forgiving in making a good bale. In my area JD dealer closer for parts, which makes a BIG difference running old balers. I'm trying to find a JD 336, or NH 311.

flusher · Dec 1, 2013

My Massey Ferguson 124 baler (small squares, 2-twine) is pretty simple. It has the SureTie knotters that are considerably simpler in design compared to the JD and NH knotters.

That said, since there are more JD and NH balers around, chances are you'll end up with one of these. So I'd be prepared to roll up my sleeves and get down and dirty with one or both of these designs. Get the operator, parts and service manuals. You'll need them to set up the baler properly and maintain/repair the baler when it craps out.

Good luck.

Lou66 · Dec 1, 2013

I have a 1975 Ford 532 baler.. I bale about thousand square bales a year.. wouldn't know how hard it is to get parts.. never needed any, I clean it up at the end of the year and store it in the barn with wheel ups. grease and clean the knotter after ever use,, I think over the years I have learn that.. still have the manual.. and I have had a lot of people that would like to buy it if I ever decide to sell.. so I say buy a ford 532.. it will make a bale so tight that the grandkids whine,, it to weight grandpa,:laughing:, Lou

Nissan197 · Dec 1, 2013

I bought an IH #37 earlier this year at an auction. It did around 1,800 bales in June. Overall it did great. I pulled it with my Mahindra 3215.

tessiers · Dec 1, 2013

I like the new hollands, mine is a 67, old but very reliable. Anything you can get parts for is good, if you use equipment it will wear parts eventually. Banana bales is problem either with technique or baler set up, any baler can make them and any baler can make good bales. All balers do not work the same and when people treat a baler like other balers they have owned they get inferior bales and blame the new baler. That's the baler you want to buy, cheap, make the necessary adjustments and make good bales.

Good Luck