New Holland 66 baler????????

kentuckydiesel · Jul 21, 2004

I was given a New Holland model 66 baler that sat outside for many years. I put a new tire on it (the other was fine), greased the hubs, and pulled it back to my family's farm. When I got it back I started working on it. I greased everything, there was acuually still grease in all the moving parts. The plunger was stuck so I put a wood handle in the flywheel and started working it back and fourth until I got it all moving. I got the whole operation freed up and then started looking at the knotters. They weren't doing anything even with the measuring wheel tripped so I looked everyting over. The sheer pin in the drive sprocket for the knotter was broken so i replaced it and turned the knotters with a pipe wrnech. It turns out that the sheer pins in the small gears that drive the twine disks were sheered also so i pulled the twine disks apart and cleaned them up and replaced the pins. Now everything is working. I ordered a operators manual and a parts book for the baler so I will have some more info. As of now I can turn the baler over by hand and trip the bale measuring wheel and the knotters will do all that they are supposed to. Is there anyting that I shopuld know about the baler? I have heard both good and bad about this model. I am wanting to start baling a little hay, selling to my aunt, and also sell some to others down the road. I know this is no large baler but will it be reliable? I don't mind taking it slow, hell, all I have as of now is a JD model 39 sickle bar mower and a old lime green no-name parallel bar rake. -Phillip

kensfarm · Jul 21, 2004

Last Saturday I bought a NH 273 sqr. baler w/ a kicker.. and a NH 56 rake.. luckily both were barn kept. I'm just trying to make some bales for the steers I'm raising. I have a NH 450 sicklebar mower.. if we ever get more than a couple days of dry weather.. I have a field I planted in rye, fescue, and clover this spring to try it out on. I've run round balers before.. but this will be a first for me running a square baler. I hope you have good luck! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

RobS · Jul 21, 2004

I've always been fascinated with balers but will likely never have a need for one. Any chance you can post some pictures of some of the mechanisms inside. The knotters are particulary interesting sounding /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

GrayBeard · Jul 21, 2004

kentucky,
They are a great baler !(IMHO)
I grew up with this baler on the farm.
We averaged about 5000 bales/year for many, many years.
Very few problems were experienced over the years.
Maybe once or twice it "jumped time" but that was the most extensive. Occasionally some shear bolts and knotter parts but really no major issues.
Clean her up, check it out and start baling...
One thing , keep it out of the weather as much as possible.(especially the knotters)
I think you can still get parts and maybe even a manual.
My Dad sold ours about 25 years ago to a neighbor who use it for another 8 years or so. I don't know how many thousands of bales went thru that thing but it was a bunch !
Good luck !
GrayBeard

kentuckydiesel · Jul 21, 2004

I'm excited. No one has baled any hay on the farm since my uncle had to auction off his equepment and sell his cattle herd in the early '90s. I'm gonna try to get into farming with less money invested then he did though. He and my grandparrents went out and bought new equipment and it put them under. I'm obviosly doing the opposite. One thing I can claim to be good at, if I see something mechanical in front of me, I can figure out how it works and how to fix it. This is the first baler I have even touched since I was a little kit but after 20 min of lookig it over, I understand the whole thing. -Phillip

tude · Jul 24, 2004

Attached is a picture of the knotters from NH 66 sales brochure.

dixiedrifter · Jul 24, 2004

Here are a few tips, if its been sitting outside a long time I would replace the twine cutter knives.

Also take some emery cloth and polish the bill hooks on the knotters to keep the twine from catching on them. Some PB Blaster might help too.

You might also want to polish the path where twine goes thru the needles as well.

Also some PB on the chains wouldn't hurt anythign as well.

kentuckydiesel · Jul 26, 2004

I'll do that. As for what kind of lube I use on this stuff.....PB Blaster is too expensive to go spraying on everything. I like to use a mixture of 3 parts used hydraulic oil, and 1 part diesel fuel. Makes a fine general lube to put into a old weed sprayer (the kind with the pump on the top) and go to town on the rusty parts. -Phillip

Stephen Jay Baker · Jun 23, 2013

I have one to. Ihave a super 66.Bales good but your hay cant be to dry. Go slow. The only thing I can say is the PTO shaft is thin and may ring off.It happen to me now I cant find one. Wish you good luck. They are a good BALERS.I hope I can find a PTO Shaft!