990 to sqaure bale hay?

[jwcinpk]

Ive been shopping for tractors for a few months now and this is the first look I've taken at the green machines. I was swayed by the addage that they were too expensive. Then I stumbled across the web site and saw a 990 is priced at $15449. So I'm here to ask you all will it fill my needs. I would be doing general farm work and sqaure baling a few thousand bales of grass hay a year. Just the baler no hay wagon. Eventually I want to round roll, but don't think I can afford to buy that big right now. This unit will have to have a FEL and a tiller also. Feel free to make suggestions. I've looked real hard at Kiotis and Mahindras, but why buy one of them if they are just as expensive. I'm sure the parts supply is better with these "expensive green tractors".

 

[Will_C]

I am sure you will get some real expert answers (Cowboydoc, Rich Z, Bird, speak up) from those who bale or have baled much more hay than I have, but I'll risk the thought that a 990 would be a bit on the light side. I have baled hay with a JD 2510 tractor before, pulling a wagon, and it was quite a load for that tractor (I am guessing it had 50-60 hp and weighed about 5000 lbs.)
I am anxious to hear what our farming gurus have to say /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Will

 

[BWa]

I have a JD 990,,,, others here have said that it may be to light for a full size baler , ..I will say I do not have any haying experience, I think it maybe it will handle one of them mini square balers, but in MHO, I would get something abit bigger,,
Bill G.

 

[yellowsocks93]

We used to use our 1070 to bail hay using a John Deere 328 square baler. Worked fine but the 5320 ran it better. The 1070 is identical to a 990 so it may work for your application. A bigger tractor wouldn't hurt if you can afford it.

Nick
990 4x4 turf, 272 RFM, 430 loader, 25A flail

 

[cowboydoc]

While the 990 is a great little tractor and I agree on your logic of buying one it's not a haying tractor. This issue comes up again and again. Running a baler is not for a compact tractor. If you really want to bale buy an older full-size tractor for a couple thousand. It's like trying to tow a horse trailer with a Yugo.

 

[RichZ]

I agree with Cowboydoc, as usual. The 990 is just too light to run a baler. You need to have both horsepower and weight to run a baler. An older, heavier tractor, at least 50 hp is what you need. And the plus is, you can pick one up for much less than the 990 will cost you.

Good luck!!!

 

[slowzuki]

I don't know what to think, I have hayed with just a baler behind an International 542 (52 hp, 2wd, loaded tires)

and I have used a Ford 3000, 2wd, empty tires running a bale thrower and pulling a stacked full wagon.

On flat land you can't tell the difference, going down hills in the 3000 can be sketchy with the b-train setup wanting to jack knife the baler or the tractor.

I have never noticed the hp difference? Both balers had flywheels so maybe that is it.

 

[cowboydoc]

Hp isn't the limiting factor it's the weight and size.

 

[jwcinpk]

What's the weight on a 990? Surely it weighs as much as my Massey Ferguson 135 and it does fine. I think Ive decided to go much bigger and a different color anyway, but if the old Ford jubilees baled hay at 2400lbs about anything out there should be able to do it.

 

[zuiko]

3,175lbs with no ballast, loader or implements.

 

[cowboydoc]

Yes the old tractors used to do it but we also used to do it with 2hp, two draft horses, /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. There's a reason so many people are killed every year with farming. One big reason is not using the right equipment for the right job. Could you get by doing it? Sure you can but at what price? Never had an accident that's great. Doesn't mean it isn't going to happen and doesn't mean it's any safer. A tractor, baler, haywagon, etc. can tip over or jack knife in a flash. You can't prepare for it. Farmers with 30 years of exp. have it happen.

I can bale with my 4600. But go bale with the 4600 and then go bale with the 4020 and tell me which tractor you feel safer on and which tractor you think is doing a better job. If you don't know any better you won't know what a good safe job is supposed to feel like. A person can get by with alot but how much is your life and limb worth?

 

[yellowsocks93]

We never had any problems bailing hay with our 1070. I for one do not feel that safe on a 4020 without a roll bar. We never pulled the baler and wagon though. I find it easier to bail fast without a wagon then pick the bales up later. My dad and grandpa used to bail their hay with our Massey 135 gas. No problem there either.

 

[jwcinpk]

Thats about 1100 lbs lighter than I figured. Sounds possible, but I don't think Id do it frequently. Why are the little green machines lighter than say KIOTI and Mahindra?