336 baler questions

[RCCB]

I just bought a JD 336 baler from a consignment auction. After I got it home, I found the data plate missing. Is there any way to ballpark the age of the baler? 2. One side will tie a knot but the other side does not. I'm kind of green when it comes to working on them and any help would be a great help. I would like to use it a bale straw this year. I don't have much time to get this baler field ready.

 

[AKfish]

I just bought a JD 336 baler from a consignment auction. After I got it home, I found the data plate missing. Is there any way to ballpark the age of the baler? 2. One side will tie a knot but the other side does not. I'm kind of green when it comes to working on them and any help would be a great help. I would like to use it a bale straw this year. I don't have much time to get this baler field ready.

Welcome to TBN, RCCB. The 336 is a very good baler. Get an owner's manual and the technical repair manual. I bought the OM and the repair CD on eBay.

I'm not sure that investing a whole lot of time on the age of the baler is necessary... They're old! But, there's lots of parts and rebuild items available.

AKfish

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

Very good baler. No significant changes to the current models. Parts catalog is on John Deere site on line. My dealer stocks most of the parts. Owners manual is a must. It tells you how to set up the knotters and everthing else. Knotters can be tricky though so if it still doesn't tie after you get it all to spec you may need some expert help to lay hands on it. The exact year is totally immaterial. Think 1980's.
FYI don't switch twine type. If you found any twine in the baler make sure you use the same material and weight as was previously used. There are places where the twine runs that wear and changing to another kind will fuzz the twine and give all kinds of problems.

 

[AKfish]

Did not mean to disregard your question about one side tying correctly and the other (not)...

But, there's a fair number of reason's for that to happen. It's alot easier to diagnose if you've got a book and have a chance to work thru the process step by step and when you think you've got an idea of what's going wrong or if you see where the problem might be --- those of us with square balers can offer some suggestions.

Right now... it's anyone's guess - and that would just be alot of shootin' in the dark!

AKfish

 

[flusher]

I just bought a JD 336 baler from a consignment auction. After I got it home, I found the data plate missing. Is there any way to ballpark the age of the baler? 2. One side will tie a knot but the other side does not. I'm kind of green when it comes to working on them and any help would be a great help. I would like to use it a bale straw this year. I don't have much time to get this baler field ready.

Old balers that have knotter problems can be a real pain to get running correctly. You need to debug the knotter problem and keep posting back here to TBN as you accumulate more data on the bad knotter so we can help you along. You can do some of the diagnostics without powering up the baler. But eventually, you're going to have to split apart 8-10 small square bales, hook the baler to your tractor and run it while you hand feed hay into the pickup and watch the knotter's perform. You need to get the operator, service and parts manuals pronto.

BTW: my baler is an old Massey Ferguson 124 (1960s vintage). I bought it right out of the field from the previous owner who used it the day before to bale about 30 acres and was "upgrading" to a JD336.

Good luck.

 

[jd110]

On the side that is not tying, is there a knot on one end of the twine? If so, which end? The string on top of the bale or the string being brought up by the needle? What type of twine are you using? Sisal or plastic? 7000 or 9000 ft?

 

[slowzuki]

336 was built through the 70's, not really into the 80's but some would have been sold new off dealer lots in the 80's.

 

[AGRIMAN]

The 336 were good balers, we owned one back in the early 80's. When working on the knotters you can also clean out the bale chamber, then reach down between the divider and pull the twine up through hole.

Pull enough through so that you can get a good grip. Hold some back pressure against the twine and have someone turn the flywheel over by hand (trip the lever to engage the knotters). This helps if you are working on it in the shop or don't what to mess with feeding hay into it, this also helps to slow down the process which sometimes helps to find the problem.

You can do both knotters, but most of the time I will cut the twine on the working one and just do the problem one.

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Had a new 336 inthe early 80's. For me it was a mixed bag, maybe because of how hard I worked it. At least during the early yrs, the info in the manual was incorrect for setting the timming on the needles. I think I broke about a half doz of them before the baler mechanic at the dealer informed me of the error. After setting the timming to what the mechanic said, all was OK. Knoter frame broke early in the first season. Replacement was somewhat generic as it came with a sheet of paper telling what mods needed depending upon which model baler it was going on. The big end bearing on the plunger failed on a reg basis. Always had to carry a spare or two. Went through 2-3 bearings a season. Tongue jack on the early ones were a widow maker with the loose handle. Oh on the bearing, custom for JD Had a unique bore size and only available from JD. I made a bushing so I could use a std size bearing. Bought bearings at local bearing supply company. Cost was about a thrisd of cost from JD.

When it was working, it did turn out a lot of hay fairly quickly.

 

[ctlguy]

mfg from 1971 to 1980.

 

[Tx Jim]

Mickey_Fx
I worked on and owned JD sq balers for years. They have no history of crankshaft brg failure such as you stated. As far as needle breakage if the plungerhead stop had been functional on your 336 "no needles would have gotten broken" from needles being out of time with the plungerhead. The plungerhead stop would have saved the needles. I'm curious can you scan the incorrect needle timing instructions in the operators manual and post that incorrect info on this site???

 

[AKfish]

Mickey_Fx
I worked on and owned JD sq balers for years. They have no history of crankshaft brg failure such as you stated. As far as needle breakage if the plungerhead stop had been functional on your 336 "no needles would have gotten broken" from needles being out of time with the plungerhead. The plungerhead stop would have saved the needles. I'm curious can you scan the incorrect needle timing instructions in the operators manual and post that incorrect info on this site???

Tx Jim;

When I worked over my "new-to-me" 336 baler - I seriously considered replacing the plungerhead stop. It had been beaten and slammed nearly into submission!

Whoever owned the machine before had problems enough with the knotter assemblies (worn out pinion gears) that the thing must have been jumping out of time and bringing the plunger to a full stop - pronto!

Probably should really get a new/used one as the latching edge is just about shaved off and might not really stop the plunger under full power.

But, she's been working so good the last 2 years - I hate to do anything besides sharpen the twine knives and clean up the stationary knives on the plungerhead and a little grease!

AKfish

 

[Tx Jim]

AKfish
The normal reason the plunger head stop(parts key #1) gets worn from contacting crank arm isn't baler getting out of time but the stretching of the angle of the lever(I call it the boomerang parts key #12) from the needle frame slamming into it when needle frame returns to home position. The stretching of the lever angle allows the stop to start clipping the crank arm on every stroke of the plunger head. Back when I worked for a JD dealer multiple numbers of those levers were replaced for the reason I described.

 

[AKfish]

AKfish
The normal reason the plunger head stop(parts key #1) gets worn from contacting crank arm isn't baler getting out of time but the stretching of the angle of the lever(I call it the boomerang parts key #12) from the needle frame slamming into it when needle frame returns to home position. The stretching of the lever angle allows the stop to start clipping the crank arm on every stroke of the plunger head. Back when I worked for a JD dealer multiple numbers of those levers were replaced for the reason I described.

Well... that's a good "nugget" of information! Thanks! :thumbsup:

(I looked at that plungerstop -- and... man, I was glad I wasn't in the field when that baler did whatever it did to cause that!! )

AKfish

 

[Tx Jim]

I'll give you another "nugget of sq baler info" if you'll send me an "Alaskan Gold nugget"!!!!!!!!!
Seriously the stretching of the angle on the lever can cause the lever to bind on the pivot bolt bushing therefore rendering the PH stop inoperable although mechanism will appear operable.

 

[AKfish]

I'll give you another "nugget of sq baler info" if you'll send me an "Alaskan Gold nugget"!!!!!!!!!
Seriously the stretching of the angle on the lever can cause the lever to bind on the pivot bolt bushing therefore rendering the PH stop inoperable although mechanism will appear operable.

Hmm... every season, I pull the baler into the shop and go over everything and then hand bale a couple of bales with it before hitting the field. I fire the baler up - "dry" for a few minutes at 150 rpm or so and look it over - then actually bale with it a 540rpm.

Have to admit - I've never actually watched the plunger arm cycle past the stop mechanism.

I will this year... Thanks.

And, I'll be lookin' very closely at that "boomerang" lever, too.

AKfish

 

[Tx Jim]

Have to admit - I've never actually watched the plunger arm cycle past the stop mechanism.

I will this year... Thanks. :AKfish

To see anything but fast moving PH stop you'll have to cycle tying mechanism slower than 540 rpm pto speed. At 540 rpm(80 strokes per minute) PH stop will be a BLUR while its moving.

 

[AKfish]

To see anything but fast moving PH stop you'll have to cycle tying mechanism slower than 540 rpm pto speed. At 540 rpm(80 strokes per minute) PH stop will be a BLUR while its moving.

Very true... that's why I just watch everything workin' at a pretty slow rpm! Then when it's apparent that all systems are a go - I'll fire it up and bale a couple of bales at full rpm's.

AKfish

 

[vovhick]

Hello! Prompt that can such be. The problem in that that tears the right side of a bale, or doesn't fasten. You don't know in what there can be a problem?

 

[Tx Jim]

Twine or wire tie?