24T pickup issues

[sjbrunk0]

This baler was on my property when I bought it 8 years ago, I'm now trying to get it running and am new to the hay making business.
I need to set the scene... I wanted to do a trial run so mowed a small patch just a week ago that has not been hayed in a while... but has been brushhogged down for the past couple of years. So there was almost as much old thatch as there was new hay. Maybe this is a factor?
The trouble I'm seeing is when I operate it, the hay starts tumbling in front of the pickup wires so instead of the hay lifting up on top, it just kinda rolls and accumulates, eventually leaving trails on either side of the pickup.
I wound up having to go over each windrow three times which was pretty rediculous.
Has anyone else ever seen anything like this?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Edward. S]

I think you may need a new baler... From what I'm hearing from you right now this sounds pretty bad..

 

[Tx Jim]

sjbrunk0
Are the majority of pickup teeth in place? Are the compressor rods in place on the top of pickup strippers? What was the moisture content of the hay? How thick were the windrows? What ground speed were you trying to bale?

 

[sjbrunk0]

Thanks to both of you for the responses!

Edward, I should clarify I own 40 acres and will just bale about 20 of those, so it's a pretty shoestring budget sort of thing... I'd like to fiddle with the baler I've got for a bit before I give up.

Jim, All of the teeth are present except one, I had to replace a bunch of those before I started as they were broken.

I'm not exactly sure what the stripper rods are but will look in my manual when I get home... I'm at my money-paying job now.

The hay was dry enough but not by a lot... it had sat without any windrow for a day and a half, and it got up to 90... and it was pretty sparse so not a very thick layer there.

I tried a variety of different speeds and it didn't seem to make much difference.

One thing I'm fighting is the pickup head bobs up and down a little bit, it seems like the teeth or similar are dragging inside the pickup head, and the torque from the drive sprocket winds up lifting up the head a little bit to overcome that.

I think that's probably part of the problem but there were times when I watched it rolling the hay and it was not bobbing.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[Tx Jim]

Over time the cam inside PU can get grooves that each tooth arm brg creates from acres of use that can cause resistance. Try loosening float spring a little. The compression rods curve out in front and then on top of pickup attachment. One problem with older sq balers was the teeth were spaced wider apart than on later model balers which contributed to hay pickup problems. Plus some later model JD balers had 6 rows of teeth instead of 4

 

[sjbrunk0]

Ok, I do not have compressor rods on my baker. The manual lists those as an optional add-on and in the you tube videos I have been able to find I didn't see any with those so was hoping they were not necessary.
Are those little steel rollers that run around inside the pickup cam supposed to be greased, either along the surface of the cam or inside the roller? Please pardon my likely-wrong terminology.

 

[Tx Jim]

Ok, I do not have compressor rods on my baker.
Are those little steel rollers that run around inside the pickup cam supposed to be greased, either along the surface of the cam or inside the roller? .

Compressor rods help hold down hay against the teeth. IMHO 14T had better compressor than 24T so you might retrofit those on you baler as more 14T's could be found as a donor than 24T's. If you own a rake you could try raking a bigger windrow to help in picking up hay.

No lubrication is required as they are sealed brgs inside cam.

 

[sjbrunk0]

Ok, got it. Any tips on how to find used equipment in my area?

 

[Tx Jim]

I have good luck on Craigslist and YTmag classifieds. Both are free. Where do you live?

 

[AKfish]

Sounds like a gauge wheel on the pickup reel would be a good option. It would help the pickup head to follow the contour of the ground without driving the teeth into the turf or leaving them "scratching air" over a low spot.

Maybe that's part of the problem of having the head "bob up and down".

The pickup strippers are those yellow metal strips that are between the rows of teeth. If there's a number of the strippers missing - the hay can fall back down between the teeth onto the ground.

AKfish