using hay equipment with DK50

[5030]

I operate a Massey Ferguson 124 baler (2-twine small squares) with my 2008 Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto) with no problem. The 5525 is heavy enough that you barely feel that baler doing it's thing back there.

Mahindra's must be tanks. With my 575 behind the M9, I can 'feel' the plunger if the baler isn't in line, that is going down a windrow. If it's sitting at an angle. it rocks the tractor back and forth.

 

[IronHog]

Mahindra's must be tanks. With my 575 behind the M9, I can 'feel' the plunger if the baler isn't in line, that is going down a windrow. If it's sitting at an angle. it rocks the tractor back and forth.

We have an old 575 hayliner........the 52 and 62 HP tractors we've had pulled it with ease in fertilized Bermuda hay raked into the proper sized windrows.

 

[5030]

We have an old 575 hayliner........the 52 and 62 HP tractors we've had pulled it with ease in fertilized Bermuda hay raked into the proper sized windrows.

Mine is 9 years old. NH rates it at 75PTO input and it takes every bit of that in wheat straw and/or alfalfa. I have the extra wedges plus the adjustable doors on the bale case and the hydraulic constant tension...a real life saver.

Proper sized windrows to me are whatever yields a bale every 12 feet or so. It's all contract work so the faster, the better and it's all on the ground via a quarter turn chute, 14 slices a bale.

 

[IronHog]

Mine is 9 years old. NH rates it at 75PTO input and it takes every bit of that in wheat straw and/or alfalfa. I have the extra wedges plus the adjustable doors on the bale case and the hydraulic constant tension...a real life saver.

Proper sized windrows to me are whatever yields a bale every 12 feet or so. It's all contract work so the faster, the better and it's all on the ground via a quarter turn chute, 14 slices a bale.

While I'm sure the HP is nice doing contract work the OP can certainly cover his 15 acres with his current 50 HP tractor no problem with a 575 sized or smaller square baler.

 

[LastSTRAW]

I bale with a NH 311 on my little Ford 2110 which is only 38 HP and 34.5 at the PTO. It does the work no problem. In really heavy hay make the windrows smaller or use a slower gear on the tractor to keep the RPM up. For your size of operation speed should not be the issue. Focus on safety and the long term health of your equipment.

By the way I plan to try my new DK 50 SE on the Baler next time. With equipment break down last week (and the first hay of the year) I didn't want to try something new so I just used the Ford for the baler. I will let you know how it turns out.

 

[5030]

While I'm sure the HP is nice doing contract work the OP can certainly cover his 15 acres with his current 50 HP tractor no problem with a 575 sized or smaller square baler.

I agree, to a point and that is, with an underrated power unit, the operator needs to be cognizant of windrow preparation. The windrow needs to be sized in relationship to the available PTO power. In other words, don't push it. Run at rated (540 pto) rpm but don't attempt to crowd the pickup/accumulator with large windrows and high travel speeds. The lower PTO powered tractor won't perform in that condition.

The 575's all have a multi plate front clutch assembly designed especially for higher power, power units than allows slippage when the bailer is operated at maximum capacity Mine gets pretty hot when I push it. Breaking torque (on the clutch) is somewhere around 190 foot pounds. If it's set properly (and not frozen), it's unlikely you'll break a shear (flywheel) bolt unless the knotter gets out of time or something gets picked up in the accumulator and wedges in the bale knife. I check the breaking torque every spring, prior to first cut bailing as well as the breaking torque on all my other clutches. Nothing worse than a frozen clutch and an object in the bailer/mower. That clutch is there for a reason.

I would suspect that with a smaller power unit, the shock load of the plunger operation would eventually take it's toll on the clutch and driveline of the tractor. The 575 pounds pretty hard.

 

[IronHog]

I agree, to a point and that is, with an underrated power unit, the operator needs to be cognizant of windrow preparation. The windrow needs to be sized in relationship to the available PTO power. In other words, don't push it. Run at rated (540 pto) rpm but don't attempt to crowd the pickup/accumulator with large windrows and high travel speeds. The lower PTO powered tractor won't perform in that condition.

The 575's all have a multi plate front clutch assembly designed especially for higher power, power units than allows slippage when the bailer is operated at maximum capacity Mine gets pretty hot when I push it. Breaking torque (on the clutch) is somewhere around 190 foot pounds. If it's set properly (and not frozen), it's unlikely you'll break a shear (flywheel) bolt unless the knotter gets out of time or something gets picked up in the accumulator and wedges in the bale knife. I check the breaking torque every spring, prior to first cut bailing as well as the breaking torque on all my other clutches. Nothing worse than a frozen clutch and an object in the bailer/mower. That clutch is there for a reason.

I would suspect that with a smaller power unit, the shock load of the plunger operation would eventually take it's toll on the clutch and driveline of the tractor. The 575 pounds pretty hard.

We always just ran in a low range.

 

[5030]

My 575 (at least) likes a 14 slice bale so I try to set my ground speed so at 540 I'm running 14 slices which equates to 3 mph or high gear on the intermediate range on the M9.

I've never used the 105. It's reserved for the BR round bailer.

I considered a wagon hitch when I got the bailer but I don't believe there is any way you could keep up, loading a hay rack and we have some very efficient loader people here.

Second and subsequent cuts have to be double windrowed to keep the bailer content.

 

[whitmerlegacyfarm]

I may b goin to look at a old nh model 66 baler today. Guy has OM n says will show me it bales asking 700. Mite miss 1 in 200 bales if it kept greased. Old but works well he said.

 

[5030]

I may b goin to look at a old nh model 66 baler today. Guy has OM n says will show me it bales asking 700. Mite miss 1 in 200 bales if it kept greased. Old but works well he said.

That's a fair price. I just sold my ancient 66 hayliner to a private party north of here for 500 bucks, just what I paid for it 15 years ago. Considering inflation and the devalued currency, I lost a bit of cash but it went to a good home.... and it bailed very well. A nice bailer for a limited acreage. Not a bailer to run on contract for bottom line.

A 66 can develop knotter stack issues if not greased daily. and the wiper arm MUST PHYSICALLY CONTACT THE LOWER BILL HOOK to wipe the knot.

The 66's also have the old style riveted on twine knives and peened over follower ball stubs. The bronze follower (cam) balls will most likely be flat spotted and need replaced. That's why it misses. The wiper arm will need to be removed, the head ground off and the balls replaced. Balls are stock items at a dealer and the refit kit includes a capscrew that you'll have to drill and tap the stub shaft for. be sure to apply a dab of blue loctite th the threads when installing.

The twine knifes should be replaced at that time as well. The original ones are rivet on, the replacements are bolt on. Just grind the rivet heads off, pop off the old knife with a small screwdriver (note the position on the twine guide foot in relationship to the knife as it has to go back the same way it came off) and rreplace the knife and guide and secure it with the supplied (in the kit) button head screws and nuts.

After that, replace the wiper arm in the cam plate and knotter (apply some grease as you insert the shaft in the knotter casting and under the bronze ball) and then BEND the wiper arm to just contact the bill hook as it passes it. The wiper arm is malleable steel and bendable. The crescent cutout in the wiper HAS TO CONTACT THE BOTTOM OF THE BILLHOOK, PHYSICALLY TO WIPE THE KNOT. That is the biggest reason older bailers miss. the knotters stack becomes sloppy with age and use and the wiper passes too far from the billhook, That leaves the twine in the jaws and as the next bale gets formed, it stretches the twine to the point at which it breaks. You think it misses but in actuality, it's breaking the already formed knot, not missing.

Finally, forget the sisal that the bailer originally ran. Get some quality (nrw stock) 170 poly and run that. The older twine discs (double disc) run 170 just like sisal and the 170 is a superior twine in all respects.

Old bailers are like old women, they need to be coddled a bit to 'perform' properly.