Haying with compact tractor

SwingOak · Mar 31, 2014

powerscol said:
Well if things go as planned this unit will be with me soon.:thumbsup:

Wow! Looks expensive!

powerscol · Apr 1, 2014

Compared to my other low HP choices and the cost to rebuild this is a steal. This unit has had under 10K of bales through it, will fit the small fields, and I can get local parts and service. My tractor can run it. I want to be baling, not fixing things. Cost is reasonable - under 8K. I believe it also has the moisture electronics included.

msch2112 · Apr 8, 2014

My new NH 5060 is just dying to throw its first bale.

Mike

SwingOak · Apr 12, 2014

Just picked up a NH 256 rake. It needs a little work on the driveline but it was a good deal.

SwingOak · Apr 23, 2014

Tested the Haybine on some old tall dead grass, and it worked like a champ. I still want to replace the knives as I don't think it will work as well on green and growing stuff. The baler knitters also worked great. I think I'll sharpen the piston knife and top off the main gearbox but otherwise it looks like I'm ready to make some hay.

powerscol · Apr 27, 2014

Well my new to me Hesston 4550 baler is parked out front. I hooked it up and ran it up to speed. Runs very quiet and only a slight rock (forward and back) to the tractor. Once I have it completely cleaned and a few rust spots painted I will give it a test run. Overall it is in excellent shape. Dealer forgot to do part of the service, but will cover the cost if I cant do it myself. Delivery man went through it with me. They are making it up to me.

One question, do you folks oil the drive chains or not. I don't have the manual yet, so I don't know what it says. He recommended not to as dirt collected in the oil would wear the chain faster.

I was also able to get the parts needed to bring my new to me Ford 503 3pt rack back together. I had a welding shop fix the stripper and pull the rusted bearings, and frozen caster wheels. I don't think I did too bad with the $300 price and $200 in parts and labor. Now to reassemble.....fun

SwingOak · Apr 28, 2014

I lubed the chains on the Haybine with a spray-on chain lube that goes on wet but supposedly rejects dirt and dust. We shall see. I will probably not lube the timing chains that drive the knotters on the baler.

KEEPBALINTX · Jun 9, 2014

Drum mowers while not requiring much HP are VERY heavy for their size of cut. Make sure your tractor can handle that. I've got a 6'3" SFI drum mower that is 995 lbs. but cuts great. I can drive 8 mph. cut 10 acres in 2.5 hours

Jeff

flusher said:
My Massey Ferguson 124 baler (small squares, two-twine) would work with your tractor. The recommended pto hp is 34, but these balers have been run with much smaller tractors like a Farmall Super A that has about 17 hp (pto). These balers weigh in at 3000 lb so you'll be OK on level ground which is what I suppose you have in your subdivision. My 124 has both a slip clutch and an overrunning clutch (sprag clutch) on the baler itself. You can still get parts from Agco which owns the MF brand. The knotters on the 124 are called SureTie knotters and are somewhat simpler in design than the JD and NH knotters.

Haying 120 acres is quite a chore. If it were my job, I'd look for a drum mower which can cut much faster than a sicklebar, does not clog like a sicklebar, and is a lot simpler to setup and service. You can get a brand new 5-ft drum mower for $3K or so. When you're finished you can sell it and get your money back.

Good luck

powerscol · Jun 24, 2014

Well to all the naysayers I can only post this. Tractor handled the load fine. needed the full 540 RPM near max throttle. Rocking motion was not bad. used ow range, but probably could have used mid range as I did for clean up.

Equipment used to bale:
IH 1300 sickle mower - 9' bar
Rebuilt Ford 503 side delivery rake
Hesston 4550 baler - current model is MF 1835 I think.

SwingOak · Jun 25, 2014

I just finished rebuilding the driveline on my rake, and wrapped up putting fresh knives and a new bushing in the cutter bar tonight. Ready to mow again, if it will ever stop raining! I have about 1/2 an acre of clover that has been double rinsed since I dropped it on Sunday.

blaze 57 · Jun 25, 2014

I ran a brand new (friends) JD 348 baler behind my 28hp JD 870 no problems. I took it easy and never over loaded in big windrow but it didn't even strain it at all. I also have my own Abbrietta Italian baler that only requires 20hp and its no easier on the tractor than the bigger JD 348 baler when comparing the two....weird!

TractorToolsDirect · Jun 25, 2014

The Abbriata square balers are modeled after the older New Holland, International, and JD balers that were made when tractors had less horsepower. People forget that although the older (1940's through 60's) tractors - Farmalls, Fords, Masseys, etc. were large frame tractors compared to today compact tractors, many didn't generate much more than about 20-25 horsepower at the PTO.

Yes, you could bale at the same rate (bales per hour of the same size) with either the JD or the Abbriata. Where you will run into trouble with the bigger baler is 1) Trying to feed a bigger windrow into the JD baler with wider pickup at the same ground speed, and 2) baling on hills, because the 348's weight could dangerously push your tractor around.

tlm720 · Jun 25, 2014

Mowing first cutting with the 4120. This definitely consumes more power than the 14T baler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdMC1QYwnFc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Here's the not so compact 720 diesel raking. 1958 model but it has a little more PTO horsepower than 20-25!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_qV8UH5INU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

SwingOak · Jun 26, 2014

After replacing the knives and bushing on the cutter bar in the Haybine last night, I took it out for a test run tonight. The old girl cuts like a champ!

tlm720 · Jun 26, 2014

I've got an experiment going with the NH cutter bar bushings. I repaired a couple using Devcon Flexane castable urethane. A $40 kit will repair several bushings. I'll let you know if they hold up. Another week or two and it will be time for second cutting. Mostly waiting for the weather to dry up!

The haybine sure makes a lot of racket when a bushing goes.

aczlan · Jun 26, 2014

tlm720 said:
I've got an experiment going with the NH cutter bar bushings. I repaired a couple using Devcon Flexane castable urethane. A $40 kit will repair several bushings. I'll let you know if they hold up. Another week or two and it will be time for second cutting. Mostly waiting for the weather to dry up!
The haybine sure makes a lot of racket when a bushing goes.

Another thing that might work for that would be Amazon.com: 3M 08693 Auto Glass Urethane Windshield Adhesive Cartridge - 10.5 fl. oz.: Automotive there are those who are using that rebuild motor mounts.

One $12 tube should do a dozen bushings...

Aaron Z

SwingOak · Jun 26, 2014

Baled some red clover hay tonight. Looks like we'll have decent haying weather next week through the 4th. About time - my hay is getting old.

2458n · Jun 27, 2014

Nice to see ground dry enough to put bales on. Around Dayton Ohio we have Fields with standing water and first cutting of Hay waiting to happen. Good looking corn- beans wet since planting.

SwingOak · Jun 27, 2014

It's been pretty wet here too, seems to rain every day. This is double rinsed red clover hay. Good for cows or other ruminants. No good for horses, so it's no good for me. Hoping to move it quick. Send me a message if you are in central Wisconsin and would like 40 small squares of cow hay.

tlm720 · Jun 30, 2014

Second cutting is on the ground. The Devcon repaired bushings don't hold up at all. Ended up making a run to get parts! I didn't use the compact to mow though. The 720 got the job today.