OP
Hay Dude
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2012
- Messages
- 21,672
- Location
- A Hay Field along the PA/DE border
- Tractor
- Challenger MT655E, Massey Ferguson 7495, Challenger MT535B, Krone 4x4 XC baler, (2) Kubota ZD331’s, 2020 Ram 5500 Cummins 4x4, IH 7500 4x4 dump truck, Kaufman 35’ tandem 19 ton trailer, Deere CX-15, Pottinger Hay mowers
I have semi-breaking news:
After spending a kings ransom on parts, I’m back to baling. I did have to have a tech help me fix this and although it hurts my pride, he discovered something I would have missed that would have cost me a lot more money.
The main issue is the central lube system greaser grenaded and sent crap into the greaser distribution block. The greaser and block were over $2,000 alone.
I was able to install the greaser, lines, electrical feed, etc. myself no issues in a few hours. The distribution block was a terrible. It has several outgoing grease lines that all have to be labeled, because all the lines have different specific “rates” of grease sent to different size bearings. Anyway, I got that removed.
The tech needed to come down to calibrate the sensor properly (but I later learned the NEW distribution block comes with a NEW sensor already installed). I was kinda miffed to have to pay the tech to bring the dist’n block down only to find it didn’t need calibration.
However, while he was there, he looked down into the baling chamber and discovered something I didn’t see. Not ONE, but TWO broken plunger arm bearings had broken greaser lines!!!! Neither of us know how long the lines have been broken….weeks? months? YEARS??? These bearings are about $4,000 EACH to replace! So while he was there, we spent about 5 hours fixing those lines and checking others for broken fittings.
So although I didn’t want to spend $1,200 for the tech for 8 hours, it may have saved me $10,000. However, nobody knows how long these bearings went without grease. So they could be on the way out.
Nobody really knows yet, but we took a pry bar to them and they were both nice & tight.
Raked, then baled a dozen bales after we finished up repairs at 2PM and everything went fine.
Only a small sampling, but after 2 blown-up driveshafts and basically a completely replaced greaser system, I can bale hay again. Just in time to put it all away for the fall & winter.
After spending a kings ransom on parts, I’m back to baling. I did have to have a tech help me fix this and although it hurts my pride, he discovered something I would have missed that would have cost me a lot more money.
The main issue is the central lube system greaser grenaded and sent crap into the greaser distribution block. The greaser and block were over $2,000 alone.
I was able to install the greaser, lines, electrical feed, etc. myself no issues in a few hours. The distribution block was a terrible. It has several outgoing grease lines that all have to be labeled, because all the lines have different specific “rates” of grease sent to different size bearings. Anyway, I got that removed.
The tech needed to come down to calibrate the sensor properly (but I later learned the NEW distribution block comes with a NEW sensor already installed). I was kinda miffed to have to pay the tech to bring the dist’n block down only to find it didn’t need calibration.
However, while he was there, he looked down into the baling chamber and discovered something I didn’t see. Not ONE, but TWO broken plunger arm bearings had broken greaser lines!!!! Neither of us know how long the lines have been broken….weeks? months? YEARS??? These bearings are about $4,000 EACH to replace! So while he was there, we spent about 5 hours fixing those lines and checking others for broken fittings.
So although I didn’t want to spend $1,200 for the tech for 8 hours, it may have saved me $10,000. However, nobody knows how long these bearings went without grease. So they could be on the way out.
Nobody really knows yet, but we took a pry bar to them and they were both nice & tight.Raked, then baled a dozen bales after we finished up repairs at 2PM and everything went fine.
Only a small sampling, but after 2 blown-up driveshafts and basically a completely replaced greaser system, I can bale hay again. Just in time to put it all away for the fall & winter.
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