Case baler new belts are breaking

[spidersmouse]

Have a case round baler 8430. Beginning of summer we decided to replace all the belts because last year we had to repair one, and the belts were original. We bought belts which were OEM from a company on line, and they had alligator rivets. We installed, and baled six bales, one broke. Company was good about it, sent a new one. 20 bales later, another broke. A third is showing signs of ripping at one edge right where the alligator rivets are attached. The company looked at one of the broken belts and said that its because rivet lace is getting hit by the starter drum and its a common baler issue-not due to workmanship or defect of the belts. They want me to send the belts back and have clipper fasteners put on (they'd shorten all the belts). Thoughts??? Never heard of this. Must say the company is trying to fix the issue, but I'm worried that after paying all the money to get the belts there and back, re installing, we'll go to bale and have a belt break again. Also concerned about shorter length of belts. Input appreciated.

 

[Bison]

Slightly shorter belts have no impact other than a slightly smaller bale.
Belts however have to be the same lenght to within an inch as to devide the pressure equally across the baler.
Baling a narrow swath but wider than half the pickup width result in a thicker bale in the center causing more strain on the center belts which can cause laces to tear out,espessially when one overfills the baler.(some people try to make the bales as large as possible)...Are you one of them?

Tell your dealer BS on the starterdrum causing it.
Is there any roller that runs to tight in the bearings(ceased bearing maybe),causing the belts to slip some what?
And lastly,are the belts tracking true or do they tend to run to one side and hitting the guides(that causes lace trouble as well)?

 

[spidersmouse]

i actually make small bales, i don't push the equipment, and the smaller bales are easier to feed in our system. The belts broke when the bales were only 3/4 made. The first was second in, the second broke was forth in from left, the third with the tear appearing is on an end. I can't see the clips for the other belts as it sits, so I'm uncertain about their appearance. Appear to be tracking true. We didn't have any problems with the old belts for the years we used it, until one broke last year and it was obvious they all had cracking which was going to lead to a problem-that's why we replaced them all at once. (I now regret replacing them, should have listened to my father "if it ain't broke, don't fix it").

My fear is we go to the expense of shipping them back and forth, reinstalling with clippers rather than alligators and when we start baling next year they fail again.

 

[oldnslo]

Does your baler have bale density control? Is it hydraulic? If yes is the control working properly or is it possibly putting to much tension on the belts? Used to work for a company that made hydraulic tension controls and this was occasionally an issue.

Roy

 

[blueriver]

Have a case round baler 8430. Beginning of summer we decided to replace all the belts because last year we had to repair one, and the belts were original. We bought belts which were OEM from a company on line, and they had alligator rivets. We installed, and baled six bales, one broke. Company was good about it, sent a new one. 20 bales later, another broke. A third is showing signs of ripping at one edge right where the alligator rivets are attached. The company looked at one of the broken belts and said that its because rivet lace is getting hit by the starter drum and its a common baler issue-not due to workmanship or defect of the belts. They want me to send the belts back and have clipper fasteners put on (they'd shorten all the belts). Thoughts??? Never heard of this. Must say the company is trying to fix the issue, but I'm worried that after paying all the money to get the belts there and back, re installing, we'll go to bale and have a belt break again. Also concerned about shorter length of belts. Input appreciated.

I have the same baler ... alligator rivets do not work on this baler because the rollers are 3" thats too small for the alligator to flex around the roller. Must use clipper lacing.

If you bought OEM and I'm not saying you didn't ... the distributor should have known this ... shorting the belts will be okay as long as they where OEM length to start with. Keep in mind everytime you repair one you loose an inch... I myself would tell them I want 6 new belts with clipper lacing at the OEM length. At no cost to me ... they pay shipping both ways.

 

[blueriver]

Also ... those are one heck of a good little baler.

 

[spidersmouse]

thanks blueriver, and these were spec'd as OEM,

I'll run this past them, see if I send back the old ones (which show no wear except the breaks) if they'll send new ones with the clippers. I did wonder when we got them, and saw the fasteners were different if we'd have any problems. Now I know.