New Holland 648 round baler sledge follower roller

[Sawdustsmb]

Bought a NH 648 Silage Special. The hub on one end of the sledge follower roll is broken allowing the bolt to wear into the frame. The frame can be repaired. It also wore into the scraper and the scraper mount channel. This is also repaired. This roller had/has loops welded on. They are worn off on the one end. I have a neighbor with a 648 silage special that has no loops on the follower roll. My questions are: What I the purpose of these loops? How high were they originally? And would it be bad to eliminate them? And lastly - how could someone run it with it making enough noise to tear those loops off. Must be a bunch of cattle some where a bunch of metal in them!
Thanks for looking and any thoughts you have.

Bob