2001 JD 567 - Good Deal?

[hoffmtim]

I'm looking to bale about 100-150 round bales a year. My JD dealer just took in a 2001 567 baler. Local unit, always shedded, mainly used for custom baling straw bales. The down side is it has had 35000 bales through it. He says its in great condition, belts are good, it's ready to go.

It has:

Pickup: Mega Wide Wrapping: Twine Only PTO: 1000 Width of Bale: 5 Feet Precut Knives: No MegaWidePlus Pickup Hydraulic pickup lift


My tractor needs 540 on the PTO, he's will switch it. He's asking $5950 + tax delivered for it.


My first thought is to stay away from it due to the number of bales it's baled. I don't want something breaking down after every other bale. However, at 100-150 bales per year I won't be overworking it.

What do you guys think? Good deal or run away fast? I trust my dealer, if he says its in great condition I believe him.

I've attached a picture of it he sent me.

 

[AKfish]

That's a pretty low price based upon what I've been looking at on Machinefinder and Tractorhouse and Fastline. Although, @ 35K bales it's probably reasonable. Couple of questions: when were the belts changed? Ask your dealer about the rollers and bearings. Before you load it up on the trailer to bring it home - hook it to a tractor at the dealership and run it @ pto rpm's for 20 minutes. Shut down and check all the bearings for temps. If they're high-warm to hot; change them out. Could save you some real aggravation in the middle of hay season and possibly save you from a fire!

Check the chains and sprockets for thin teeth and no adjustment left on the chains. If the chain adjustment is maxed out - get some new ones. And, if the sprockets are OEM and you're putting new chains on - I ask for some new gears, too.

Good luck.

AKfish

 

[hoffmtim]

Good advice AKfish, as always. The price for the unit is actually $7500, but the price he quoted me is my discount for buying the 5093e from him. Assuming the answers to the questions you suggested are positive, I'm going to purchase the unit contingent on it going through the shop and having all bearings chechecked and replaced if worn along with it being switched to 540. He did say belts are 2 years old.

 

[bigbull338]

thats not a bad price if the baler isnt wore to bad.we just bought a 2006 567 twine mega wide with less than 2500 bales for $17000.see what the dealer really thinks about the baler.

 

[Tx Jim]

Tim
If I were you and only wanted to bale that low of number of bales per year I'd jump on that baler.GOOD DEAL

The worst scenario you'll have is a brg go bad or a roller or cam on the pickup attachment to fail. In 2006 I had 2001 model 467(twine only with 30K bales) and I sold it(quick sale) to an equipment wholesaler for $10K just so I could buy my neighbors 2005 467 with netwrap with 2000 bales on the counter for $17K. I've seen JD 430/530's still baling hay with holes worn in the side sheets(untold # of bales). If you buy it mount a fire extinguisher on it.

 

[hoffmtim]

Thanks guys. You've calmed my fears about the number of bales. While not insignificant, the price is worth the gamble to own a newer JD baler. I noticed once I got a bigger picture of it that it's a Silage Special as well, which if memory serves is a little heavier built than the standard 567.


Some more pics...

 

[Tx Jim]

It's too bad your tractor doesn't have the 1000 rpm pto option as 1000 rpm relieves some torque from baler drive shaft. Silage baler would be a good option if one had access to a wrapper.

 

[bigbull338]

not to try to scare you but a fire extingser wont help you if the baler catches on fire.the baler an tractor will burn up if that happens.we got lucky our baler started a fire years ago but we was lucky.we kicked the bale out as it was on fire an saved the baler.

 

[Tx Jim]

bigbull338
Yes it's difficult to extinguish a large fire in a baler. I've witnessed a rd baler I had been operating burn. I thought I had the fire put out on 3 different occasions and then extinguisher ran out of water. But I also put out several smaller fires on more than one occasion. Bright side is my insurance adjuster was happier to see an empty fire extinguisher laying by the burnt baler. Funny thing rd balers that have burnt come in all colors(brands). There's 2 options my rd hay baler will have before it bales a bale of hay. That's comprehensive insurance and the 2-1/2 gal. fire extinguisher.

 

[AKfish]

It's too bad your tractor doesn't have the 1000 rpm pto option as 1000 rpm relieves some torque from baler drive shaft. Silage baler would be a good option if one had access to a wrapper.

That's good info, Jim. Did not know that... Thanks.

AKfish

 

[Tx Jim]

That's what I was taught way back when I started selling new JD rd balers(430/530 models)

 

[bigbull338]

i dont know what brands of balers catch on fire the most.but ive heard of 2 or 3 baler fires last year an 1 or 2 was jds.1 of them being a new baler.

 

[Tx Jim]

Rd balers that catch on fire can be any color. I think I've seen all brands that have burn't. Where I live it wouldn't be difficult for burnt JD balers to outnumber any other brands because JD rd balers do 90+ % of the hay baling

 

[AKfish]

Thanks guys. You've calmed my fears about the number of bales. While not insignificant, the price is worth the gamble to own a newer JD baler. I noticed once I got a bigger picture of it that it's a Silage Special as well, which if memory serves is a little heavier built than the standard 567.

Looks to be a fairly straight, clean baler. Maintained.. newer strippers - means somebody was paying attention! Can still see the chevron pattern on the belts. So, they're not smooth with wear. Look for punctures, holes and any frayed edges on the belts. Gettin' tired when that shows.

I'd still run it for at least 20 minutes - maybe even 30 if they'll let you. Bring 10 gallons of diesel with you and top off his tractor - seriously!

And, yes the SS is a heavier duty machine. Rollers, bearings are beefier.

That's a good price - if you don't have to replace a bunch of parts.

AKfish

 

[Tx Jim]

And, yes the SS is a heavier duty machine. Rollers, bearings are beefier.
AKfish

Are you sure rollers & brgs are beefer on a silage special?? I breifly researched the parts catlog and didn't find much variation in the brgs & rollers but I know SS has some added scrapers.

 

[AKfish]

Are you sure rollers & brgs are beefer on a silage special?? I breifly researched the parts catlog and didn't find much variation in the brgs & rollers but I know SS has some added scrapers.

So, the part's numbers for the high moisture kit is the same as the standard bearings and rollers? Haven't compared... but, I'd have to think that it wouldn't make sense for Deere to even offer that upgrade if it was the same..?

Unless, of course my understanding of the High moisture kit being more or less equal to the Silage Special bearings, rollers is incorrect.

AKfish

 

[pjbci]

Im not sure about the bearings and rollers either but i helped a neighbor install the High Moisture kit on his new 567 last year. The kit is just a simple knife edge scraper for the bottom roller and all the mounting hardware.

 

[Tx Jim]

467 SS has added augers not available on 567 SS. I think the SS has these spiral strippers(2nd photo) on the belt staggering roller.

 

[pjbci]

His must be an SS then because it had the spiral on the roller.

 

[AKfish]

467 SS has added augers not available on 567 SS. I think the SS has these spiral strippers(2nd photo) on the belt staggering roller.

Ok... so, the rollers on the SS are different - at least on the 467. They have those spiral strippers that help to increase roller traction on the belts to move that high moisture (and slippery) hay through the baler and better maintain the belt tension under heavy loads.

Sound right..?

Have to take a look at the 457SS. I've been looking at those balers as maybe an upgrade to our hay operation.

Wonder if the bearings are different, too?

Thanks for the pics, Jim.

AKfish