Vermeer 405C Round Baler Questions

[frankmako]

I have found a Vermeer 405C round baler for sale. The price is $2,000.00 at this time (his wife told me on the phone it was $1,500.00). Not the best looking baler I seen, but it is working. Most of the bales are not tight. Been kept outside and has a lots of rust. The belt looks like they are about 70%. Nothing special on the baler. It has a manual tie system; you pull a rope, a bar with twine inside it drops down, feeds into the baler, and you move the bar up and down by pulling the rope to tie the bale, then pull it back into locking position, where it cuts the twine. Also it has a metal plate with a hole to tell you the bale is ready to tie. The owner states he cannot pull the twine tie rope anymore, which is the reason for selling it. What are some things to check on this baler before committing? What expensive repairs to look out for? What kind of reputation do they have? How much should I offer for the baler?

Thanks
Frank

 

[chh]

Was it used this year? This is a pretty old model round baler. I would have the belts looked at by some one familiar with balers. A new set if belts would cost as much as he is asking for the baler. Try to get it hooked to a tractor and running if you can. Check for scraping sounds in the pickup(worn bearings), all the chains and sprockets, noisy bearings on the belt rollers, and slop in the driveline/ gearbox. If it has been stored outside for years any or all of those things may be wrong with it especially the belts. They where decent balers in their day. How much are you planning to bale with it? The condition of the belts and pickup would kind of be a deciding factor on price, because that is what would cost the most to repair. IMO

 

[JM in Merit]

If you can find a F model that would be much better baler and should not be too much more than what you would be spening on the C. I ran an 605F for 15 years, good baler, got an 605 K baler now.
Good luck

 

[frankmako]

Don't see many Vermeer balers in my area of North Georgia. Most I have seen are in sad shape. This one not much better, but the owner is baleing hay with it now. Does anybody know what years the C model was made?

 

[chh]

Does anybody know what years the C model was made?

If I remember correctly the C models are early 70's models. The F model's were produced in the early 80's. I owned a 605 F for a short while, it was a good baler even if it was worn out after being used commercially before I got it.
If he is baling with it, go watch it run. That will tell you quite a bit about it. Later model balers made a tighter bale which cut down on waste/spoilage compared to some of the early models.

 

[frankmako]

OK,,,so as it goes with this baler. Very old, lots of rust, but works. It might go one more year,,or it could go 10 years. So what would be a good price to start?? The wife told me $1,500.00,, he told me $2,000.00. But winter is coming and the price of equipment will come down and I might find something better/newer.

 

[eric y]

we had veremeer balers before, 2 words ******* junk, the one we pushed into a dugout so we wouldnt have to use it anymore. if you wany a good cheap baler get a 80's or 90's new idea or hesston or case softcore. you can usually find the older models for about $2500

 

[jd 567]

we had veremeer balers before, 2 words ******* junk, the one we pushed into a dugout so we wouldnt have to use it anymore. if you wany a good cheap baler get a 80's or 90's new idea or hesston or case softcore. you can usually find the older models for about $2500

you pushed a vermeer baler into a dugout and now you used a sift core new idea?? I'd say push the soft core baler and the soft core bales into the dugout, pull the old vermeer out, and use that.

I have to agree with everyone else. Vermeers are pretty good balers, even when they get old, but make sure you check the belts and listen to it run first. Like someone said already, belts are worth more than the baler.