NH 479 haybine?

[disco]

Anyone ever own a NH 479? Gonna go look at one in the morning. It has a newer wobblegear, springs, sickle's, and guards. Rollers are supposed to be in decent shape. Are they a good machine?
Thanks Paul

 

[RickB]

They are a very good design, but an old machine, built from '72-'77. Most design elements of the 479 are found in the model 488 that followed in 1977 and is still being built. If it is mechanically sound and adjusted properly, the 479 is an excellent conventional style mower conditioner.

 

[disco]

Thanks for the reply.
Paul

 

[zzvyb6]

Mine was bought used 20 years ago and is still running strong. The Newholland website lists all parts and guides. TSC has knives, guards, tines and belts. I added hydraulic tongue swing to run the fenceline effortlessly and to get thru gates. Get an operators manual. Many problems people have with plugging arise from not having the reel speed adjusted properly (1.5 mph faster than ground speed.)

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

Anyone ever own a NH 479? Gonna go look at one in the morning. It has a newer wobblegear, springs, sickle's, and guards. Rollers are supposed to be in decent shape. Are they a good machine?
Thanks Paul

Almost any hay equipment that is NH is top notch. There are other quality hay equipment makers out there, but NH is has a very strong dealer network and parts are easy to get. My dealer keeps wear parts on the shelf and can get most any part very quickly. They built alot of the 479 and still building that design today as the 488.

A pic of my 489 behind my brothers 479. Both rebuilt and painted last spring.


Good Luck!

 

[disco]

Thanks for the replies.
Well went and looked at it. Sickles and guards all in good shape. It does need new belts. The one thing that concerns me is the crimper rolls. Do I have to worry about these? The crimping part looks fine. It's the thin parts between them that worry me.
Thanks Paul

 

[RickB]

If you plan on making dry hay, find a machine with MUCH better rolls than that.

 

[disco]

Thanks Rick,
Thats kind of what I thought.
Paul

 

[derekuk101]

Anyone know what a set of crimper rolls would cost??

 

[RickB]

Rolls $1201 each.
Bearings $62 each (x4)
Lock collars $8.40 each (x4)

That's $2683 without any other incidentals. The average guy probably should figure a whole day for the job, at least. Two days without a cutting torch. The bearings can be found for less, the rolls not so much.

 

[disco]

Thanks for the reply. Gonna look for something much better.
Thanks Paul

 

[funny farmer]

Looks like they are in better shape then mine, but for $800 I can't complain. It cut's hay and put's it into windrows. What I plan on doing instead of replacing the rollers, is to find another 479 in better shape for around $2500, and use the one I have now for parts.

 

[zzvyb6]

What's the problem? Those are impact pits from trying to run too many rocks thru the rolls. The ribs look good. Hay is crushed via interaction with the ribs, not the gaps. Proper spacing of the rolls should leave minimum of 1/8" between the ribs and valleys as I recall. If this is going to be used as a small operation mower, then make a lowball offer and take it home. These things don't really wear out, they give up the ghost in one big bang. (When it throws a chain). If you want to check out the rocky field use theory, check to see if the lower control arms are bent (the 2 links that attach the header to the tube chassis). If they are bent, or the sleeves heavily worn, she's been down a rocky road. Also, if the skids are set in the top position, it was used as a close cutter. Still, its worth considering as a fixer upper spare machine. If you have a teen or pre-teen handy kid, let them take a crack at it to get it working. They will make you proud.

 

[RickB]

What's the problem? QUOTE]

It's impossible to maintain the proper gap when part of what you are measuring against is gone. 1/8" gap where the rubber is still in the 'valleys', and 3/8 to the bare roll where the rubber is gone. Once that rubber starts to delaminate from the underlying roll, it doesn't stop. Many folks already own machines with rolls that bad and worse, and continue to use them; that's their choice. The OP wanted opinions on these rolls before purchasing the machine, I think buying a machine with rolls in that condition is a mistake. Conditioning will be somewhere between inconsistent and poor. There is no reasonable fix for this problem.

 

[rrch129]

Stay away from that. Once that rubber starts seperatin from the metal its all downhill. I had a 467 before the 1209 i have now and sold the 1209 cause i picked up about 200 more acres. Steer clear of that machine,

 

[AKfish]

That's $2683 without any other incidentals. The average guy probably should figure a whole day for the job, at least. Two days without a cutting torch. The bearings can be found for less, the rolls not so much.

Rick; are you saying that the bearings will have to be cut off rollers - or very likely? If not, what's the torch for?

Thanks.

AKfish

 

[AKfish]

Not wanting to get cross-wise on the OP's post -- but, any opinions on the 1209 or 1219 and the NH 479?

I've seen a fair number of the JD's out there and the prices aren't too bad. $3,500 - $4,000 will get you a good shape machine.

AKfish

 

[jakeb47]

I've run/owned NH mower conditioners (I'm not knocking them) but after buying and using a Hesston 1091, I'd never go back to a NH. IMHO I find the Hesston does a great job and when it does need repairs is much easyier to work on. If I was going to buy a used mower conditioner I would look for a Hesston 1091 or newer (also a CIH model, Hesston made them as well, before CIH and NH were bought by Fait). And regardless of brand, if the rollers are shot, the machine is done as a conditioner, it just becomes a heavy sicklebar mower.

 

[RickB]

I've run/owned NH mower conditioners (I'm not knocking them) but after buying and using a Hesston 1091, I'd never go back to a NH. IMHO I find the Hesston does a great job and when it does need repairs is much easyier to work on. If I was going to buy a used mower conditioner I would look for a Hesston 1091 or newer (also a CIH model, Hesston made them as well, before CIH and NH were bought by Fait). And regardless of brand, if the rollers are shot, the machine is done as a conditioner, it just becomes a heavy sicklebar mower.

I agree on the Hesston thing, but the OP asked about a 479 and 1219.

 

[RickB]

Rick; are you saying that the bearings will have to be cut off rollers - or very likely? If not, what's the torch for?

Thanks.

AKfish

Attempting to salvage 30 year old sealed ball bearings is a fool's errand, IMHO. A torch will 'cut' (sorry) the disassembly time by half, or more. Waste the bearings and replace with new. The notion of replacing the conditioning rolls in a machine of this age and value makes no economic sense to me in most cases anyway, especially on a new purchase.