Buying a new baler: JD or Vermeer? Your input please.

Bigfoot62 · Jul 5, 2017

I've thrown the last dollar at my JD 457. It's been a good baler, but I'm ready for a new one. It's not the baler's problem, but I blew a hydraulic packing today and still have 35 acres ready to bale. I'll get it fixed tomorrow and be back in the field, but I'd sure like to have a new baler, ready to go!
I bale about 500 rolls per year on my own farm. Most of the hay I produce is sold.
I want a 4x5 twine baler. I use sisal twine exclusively. (don't like net wrap, and my hay customers don't either)

Torn between the green and yellow. Would like to stay with JD, but don't know if it's worth the extra $$$. (Approx. $8K more for 459 than 504N, and approx. $5K more for 459E than 5420 Rebel, similarly equipped)
Nearest JD dealers are 55 and 75 miles away. Nearest Vermeer dealers are 19, 45, 50, and 55 miles away. (yellow is BIG around here)
Got a price on a new Vermeer 5420 Rebel, twine only, for a little over $20k. It has a simple monitor, hay saver wheels and bale ramps It's in stock and I can get it tomorrow.

Here's some of my questions:
Should I pull the trigger on the Rebel, or hold out for a 504N? (the dealer with the Rebel doesn't have a 504N in stock, neither does another dealer that I've already called)
That leads to another question, are the JD E series and the Rebels OK for what I'm doing, or will I regret not buying the "premium" baler? Is there that much difference, or is it mainly cosmetic and sheet metal?
Am I really going to miss my MegaWide pickup, or will the hay saver wheels do the same thing?

I'm sure I'll think of other questions as the discussion grows.

Thanks in advance.

Bigfoot62 · Jul 5, 2017

Already thought of something else.

The JD dealer will take the 457 on trade. Offered me $8K. Is that fair, or could I reasonably expect to get more out of it by hauling it to a tractor and equipment auction. (Idabel, OK is about a 5 hour drive from here)

whis · Jul 5, 2017

you couldn't give me a yellow one.

AGRIMAN · Jul 5, 2017

My 467 is a good baler and still in good condition. It has never gave any real problems, but it doesn't have net wrap. Toward the middle of last season I ran across a good deal on a used 4x6 New Holland baler with net wrap (owner past away).

I bought the baler mainly for the net wrap, but soon discovered it's a better baler. The pick up feeds better and does a cleaner job than the mega wide. We usally bale as fast as ground conditions will allow and even at the higher speeds it feeds good. I also like the bale quality better.

Deere builds a good balers and there are some things I still like better about about the Deere, but the NH baler is no joke.

I have never owned a Vermeer and most of my experience with them has been on the older models and I wasn't impressed. Perhaps the newer ones are better, but the bale quality on the older models was bad.

I have a neighbor that bought one of the new E series JD balers (4x5 I think). He is not really thrilled with it so far.
Part of the problem is he bought the monitor and after he couldn't get the bale gauges to work he called the dealer and was surprised to learn that the E series baler don't come with the sensors or wiring harness standard.

He can add the parts to make them work, but it's going to cost him around $1,400.

Turbys_1700 · Jul 6, 2017

I have no experience with Vermeer or Deere balers. Around here everything is red and New Holland. My dad sold them for over 25 years

The Vermeer has the price point. Deere is Deere. The king. You are a Deere guy. Go green. You won't be happy with the Vermeer.

Tx Jim · Jul 6, 2017

Bigfoot62
How many bales has your 457 baled? I think $8K trade in for your 457 is realistic. My 1st JD 467 had 30,000 bales on monitor when I traded it for present 467 to get netwrap & this one has 23,000+ bales on it. I have no intention of trading for another baler. The bales I see locally that are baled by a NH rd baler have the "big star shape" on their sides which translates to very soft core which I think would indicate a lighter weight. I read about having to replace sledge rollers & brgs in NH rd balers which doesn't look cheap or fun. IMHO the extra weight of a comparable Vermeer baler over a JD would represent pulling a anchor through the field with more ground compaction especially in damp soil conditions.

jdtractor · Jul 6, 2017

I've owned both Deere and Vermeer.... I wouldn't own a New Holland... you couldn't give me 1. Vermeer is good.. the baler I'm now using is Deere this is my second. I will stay with Deere...IMO u r a Deere man .. I would say u won't be happy with a Vermeer..

RPW · Jul 6, 2017

I've got a Vermeer 5400 rebel and love it. I was in a similar situation with my 605C. Had been using it for a few years and have rebuit it quite a bit but had It with the requirement of the hay needing to be just right to bale. I can run the hay into it as fast as I can and it takes it all. As my tractor is only about 45 pto horsepower it was a no brainer.

AGRIMAN · Jul 6, 2017

Bigfoot62 said:
I use sisal twine exclusively. (don't like net wrap, and my hay customers don't either).

I understand that some folks don't like net wrap and I'm sure your reason are valid, but for me the time saved baling is more than enough justification for me.

Our total cycle time from applying the brakes thru closing the tailgate and starting off is 25 sec. That adds up at the end of a long day.

AGRIMAN · Jul 6, 2017

Tx Jim said:
Bigfoot62
How many bales has your 457 baled? I think $8K trade in for your 457 is realistic. My 1st JD 467 had 30,000 bales on monitor when I traded it for present 467 to get netwrap & this one has 23,000+ bales on it. I have no intention of trading for another baler. The bales I see locally that are baled by a NH rd baler have the "big star shape" on their sides which translates to very soft core which I think would indicate a lighter weight. I read about having to replace sledge rollers & brgs in NH rd balers which doesn't look cheap or fun. IMHO the extra weight of a comparable Vermeer baler over a JD would represent pulling a anchor through the field with more ground compaction especially in damp soil conditions.

I like the JD balers and there's not a lot of bad things you can say about them. Like all the others they have some faults but not many.

Honestly, I don't see any difference in core density of the bales baled with our JD verses the NH. What I have noticed is a difference in overhaul density of the bales. The NH is tighter and the bales stay round.

I do agree with you that there's some bears and drive gears on the NH balers that wouldn't be fun or cheap to replace.

As I said, what has impressed me the most about the NH baler is the way it picks up clean and feeds smooth in thick hay at higher speeds. This afternoon we were trying to stay ahead of some late afternoon thunderstorms. We were in good hay averaging 4 to 5 4x6 bales to the acre. We were baling around 8 miles and hour which averaged out to be around one acre every 8 minutes.

As good as I like my 467, it wouldn't had done it.