RB 450 baler

[Soggy Bottom Outdoors]

Anyone own a RN 450 Baler? The specs say a 40hp minimum tractor, that doesn't seem like much for my rolling Ky hay ground or level ground for that matter.

 

[RickB]

We have several sold with no less than 50 HP in front of any. Not sure I'd want to run any 4x5 baler with 40. Decent baler much better than models it replaces. No experience with net option on this model.

 

[Bigfoot62]

I don't have any experience with that model, but I agree with Rick. I wouldn't want to try to run ANY 4x5' behind a 40 hp tractor.
I pull my 4x5' with a 85 hp tractor, and that's not too much. Today I saw a 4x6' behind a 125 hp tractor.

IIRC, a few years back, someone posted on here that they built a nice-sized pond with a really small tractor. Just because you might COULD do it, doesn't mean that you SHOULD do it.

 

[Soggy Bottom Outdoors]

I was hoping to run it with a Farmall 75A, 65HP on the PTO, ballasted to 7000LB plus.

 

[RickB]

I think that would be just fine for a moderate volume of hay.

 

[Soggy Bottom Outdoors]

RickB, are you suggesting more smaller windrows? Thats what I was thinking.

 

[Bigfoot62]

Now, THAT makes more sense. I was assuming, because of your original post, that you were planning to use a 40-something hp tractor. My bad. You know what they say about assuming?

My 85 horse JD with the FEL weighs in around 10k pounds. Again, it's not too much tractor, but it's sufficient, even "comfortable" with my baler. And, my JD baler may weigh more than the NH.
According to the NH website, the BR450 weighs 3300. Couldn't find anything on the JD's weight, but I'll bet that it's a good bit more than that. The lighter NH should be easier to handle.

 

[Bigfoot62]

RickB, are you suggesting more smaller windrows? Thats what I was thinking.

I think he's talking about volume of production. IE: the number of bales per year.

 

[RickB]

I'm saying smaller tractors may be OK for a couple dozen bales per day or a couple hundred per season. If you need to go out and roll up 100 or 150 bales in a day, plan on some ponies up front, and a BR7060 to roll them up with.

 

[Soggy Bottom Outdoors]

Thanks for the thoughts guys, we're saying that the RB 450 is a good baler just not the capacity of the larger more expensive models. The Farmall 75A should handle it in most field conditions but may not have the ground speed of a larger tractor. My largest single hay field is 25 acres of grasss/legume that will routinely turn off 100-125 1000lb rolls on the first cutting. My ground is rolling but smooth. Baling in 3rd or 4th gear with the Farmall you think?