Baling Hay with L4300DT

[JimME]

I helped a farmer who raises work horses bale some of our hay this weekend. He ran a round baler behind his 160 hp beast and let me run the old Massey Ferguson #9 square baler behind my L4300.

This is a pic of Wane checking the bales and making a few adjustments. He actually had me run about 1800 rpm (below rated PTO speed).

 

[JimME]

Another pic from the front.

 

[JimME]

Some old haying equipment that still does the job.

 

[JimME]

Pic of bale inspector.

BTW, the tractor pulled the baler fine and we do have some hills. I actually think some of my bush hog work was more stressfull on PTO driveline than baler.

 

[nobull1]

Jim
Nice pic's, a few more action shots would be kool. "Oh" nice tractor by the way. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[riptides]

What was your impression with the square baler? How did you like the quality (size, shape) of the bale?

How fast were you able to go?

How many bales did you do?

Nice tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[kensfarm]

Looking good.. what a nice place to spend the day bailing!

 

[JimME]

Brian,

Sorry, don't have anymore action shots! Yes, it is a nice tractor. It's so darn handy...

Mike,

I liked pulling the square baler. As a matter of fact, I was looking in the bargain trader for balers, mower, rakes today. Looks like if I hit it at the right time, I can get a 6' sickle bar, a square baler and a side delivery rake for $1,500 total. Don't have the animals right now to justify it, but animals are in the plans. The bales were nice and tight. I ran in 1st gear, hgh range, 1800-1900 rpm. Don't know how many bales I did, but it felt like the tractor could bale all day with no problems.

I think this size tractor in any brand is a good all-around tractor. Small and nimble enough to maneuver easily, loader, enough power to pull a 2 bottom plow, square baler, etc.. I do have the rear tires loaded and a front end loader which make the tractor heavier and better able to sustain the surging of a square baler behind it. Perhaps without loaded tires or loader it would have reacted differently.

Ken,

Beautiful time of year up north...
What type of farming do you do?

Jim

 

[gunpaq]

Jim:

I enjoyed the story and the photos.

I have a L4300 w/loader, manual shift, and loaded ag tires and use it as a utility tractor on our working beef farm. This tractor is a full time working tractor.

I have baled about one thousand bales with it pulling a NH 268 baler w/thrower and 100 bale kicker wagon on the flat & gentle slope areas with no problem at all. In fact the L4300 will out pull our H in 4x4.

Normally we pull the baler with an IH 574 but had it hooked up to the sickle bar and my back hurt too much to go through the hassel of changing over. For haying the L4300 is normally used for mowing, raking, tedding and hauling the hay wagons to the barn.

Very impressed by this little tractor with a clutch and no cup holders and computer gadgets.