L 3540 and Haying equipment

[bigbull338]

if your going to keep baling hay you need to get a 50hp tractor.your tractor will pull a rake.

 

[SPYDERLK]

if your going to keep baling hay you need to get a 50hp tractor.your tractor will pull a rake.

We do fine with either of our 25-30HP Kub L gear tractors. Direct gearing handles the plunger surge fine. Never much of an issue unless youre packing real hard bales ... or really honkin on a big row and turning out a bale every 40'.
larry

 

[Verticaltrx]

I wouldn't try it. The drive line of compact tractors is just not made to stand up to the rigors of full-size hay equipment, especially a baler. One time we ran a 336 Deere baler behind a 4400 Deere compact tractor when we were in a pinch and later the PTO clutch failed. I can't say for sure that caused it but it is pretty coincidental.

If you think you'll be doing a decent amount of haying in the future, look for a good older 2wd 40-50hp utility tractor. It will be a much better match for haying, you could probably find a decent one for around $5K.

 

[MHarryE]

Did run a 9' Haybine behind my L3710 hydro a little bit before trading for my cab equipped L5740. The sickle doesn't take that much power but the rolls can suck it up. My New Holland baler spec sheet says 35 HP for their small square balers. I hear people say a small square baler will rip a hydro transmission out but that baffles me. Our L5740 will handle a small square baler quite well. The flywheel is there to even out the driveline load. I would, however, try to borrow somebody's equipment first to try it lout before jumping in and buying. By the way back when the dinosaurs were roaming we used our Farmall H on the baler with a wagon behind but that was underpowered. I think a H is about 26 HP. It could handle the baler okay but pulling the load was tough, especially since it didn't have live PTO. Dad even took an Allis-Chalmers B in on trade that had been used got baling. I think that is about 18 HP, maybe less. Once again no live PTO, fairly fast low gear like the H. Would have loved to have a hydro in those days to control speed in varying windrows.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Did run a 9' Haybine behind my L3710 hydro a little bit before trading for my cab equipped L5740. The sickle doesn't take that much power but the rolls can suck it up. My New Holland baler spec sheet says 35 HP for their small square balers. I hear people say a small square baler will rip a hydro transmission out but that baffles me. Our L5740 will handle a small square baler quite well. The flywheel is there to even out the driveline load. I would, however, try to borrow somebody's equipment first to try it lout before jumping in and buying. By the way back when the dinosaurs were roaming we used our Farmall H on the baler with a wagon behind but that was underpowered. I think a H is about 26 HP. It could handle the baler okay but pulling the load was tough, especially since it didn't have live PTO. Dad even took an Allis-Chalmers B in on trade that had been used got baling. I think that is about 18 HP, maybe less. Once again no live PTO, fairly fast low gear like the H. Would have loved to have a hydro in those days to control speed in varying windrows.

I too wouldnt worry about a big hydro like you have. The concern was for the ~30HP downward if used with total abandon, vs some care to ease the cases of high oscillating ground drive load.
larry