IH 46 baler

[Simpkins85]

I've got an IH 46 square baler and it jump time and broke both needles. So we retimed it and welded the needles back together. We check the needles 5 or 6 times buy just rolling it by hand and it done just fine but as soon as you put hay in it, the first time it try's to tie a bale it brakes them we have tried it several times and it does it everytime anybody got any advise at all ???????????????????

 

[zzvyb6]

What's breaking the needles: is it he plunger or are they hitting the top of the bale case? If the plunger stops are not working and the baler is off time, then you can break the needles. If the needles don't return to home position, they get broken. So, its out of time or there is something else not aligned right. Reweld the needles (lucky you can do this), run it at lowest tractor rpm, trip the knotter and watch it cycle. The plunger should miss the needle tips by 1 - 2 inches. Do this without any hay or twine in it first. Then add some hay and then load the twine.

 

[Simpkins85]

I am not sure what is breaking the needles the plunger has two slots through it for the needles to go through it seem like to me that needles are getting stuck in the hay and then the plunger hits the hay. It shears the bolt for the needles to everytime they break I was wondering if the needles are getting bound up in the hay and shearing the bolt then I think the plunger come back and breaks them I completely lost on it

 

[zzvyb6]

Check your needle lift link. On your machine, it may be a rod within a tube. If so, the shear pin in it may be busticulated. It can push them up but not pull them back. (Although you said it worked fine by hand.)... Can you send along some close up pictures of the side, top and end views? That would certainly help. Even a cell phone pic taken in bright light would be OK.

 

[zzvyb6]

Here's another thought: Check to see if there is a problem with the needles returning all the way to Home position. When turned over by hand, things work just fine. But under actual operation conditions they tend to bounce back a bit after getting slammed home. There is usually a "needle brake" or "needle damper" on the side somewhere that's gone bad. There's usually some friction material on some pads. Looks like car disk brake material. See it that's all wore out or gone. Another thing that works is to put a bungee cord on the needle bar to "encourage" them to come fully home and stay there. Let the cord rub on the side of the bale case so it doesn't bounce around after the knotter drive stops turning. On some machines there is a notch or grove that a "follower" drops in to stop the needle motion. Check to see if that is worn, busted, missing or trashed. My theory is that the needles are getting punched on the next stroke after a knot is tied. Could be something as simple as the needle lift link is a bit too short. This allows the needles to slip back into the chamber when you are not lookin'.