JD 336

[DLMaine01]

I have a lead on a John Deere 336 square baler. I have heard good things about them here (FWJ) and from others elsewhere. But what do I look for in a used unit? I will ask the presant owner to make it run, but where are the ware points? Any help appreciated. Thanks!
Dave

 

[farmerjim]

i would def look at the pick up make sure its not all beat up from running it too low and hitting any rocks. make sure the knotters look to be all in place and not damaged, also i would check any drive chains for excessive play as well as the driveline. don't be afraid to ask the owners if they would let you run it as well as cut the strings off some bales and run them through to make sure the timing seems correct as well as let it tie a bale or 2, if they wouldn't let you do that i would seriously probably walk at that point. does it have a "kicker"? if so def inspect that. also be sure to look at the bale chamber. i would say the most important thing to look at is the knotters. i'm not too familiar w/ the 336 but i have had a 14t and now 24t. good luck,jim

 

[slowzuki]

I have a 336 myself. The driveline is very expensive to replace so check it over well. The knotters can be impossible to fix if they are really worn, the components should be fairly tight on their shafts. Don't stick your fingers in there while it is running!

Check the needles to see if they have been welded. If they have chances are the plunger has smacked them. Check the main bearing on the plunger, it can be expensive to fix.

If it has a thrower, crank it up to full power and see how far it throws, new they could fill a second wagon behind the first one. If it dribbles the bale out 15 feet she is nearly done.

 

[DLMaine01]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful. No kicker on this one so I don't have to worry about that. Supposed to go look later this week so I'll see how it works out.
Dave

 

[AKfish]

DL -- like to keep hearing about how you came out on the baler. Keep us posted, please.

Always interested in learnin' about balers and what to keep an eye on, etc. so, it will be informative to hear about your experiences.

As well, have you found a resource that provides info regarding PTO horsepower requirements, etc. for different baler makes and models?

It would be very helpful to learn specs about weight, size, etc. to get an idea about which models would be reasonable to load on a trailer or have to be towed ---.

Best of luck on the baler.

AKfish

 

[DLMaine01]

Thanks for the interest AKfish,
The deal did not happen. The baler owner had a "package" of hay equipment for sale and would not seperate it. The package included the baler for 2k, a 12' Frontier rake for 4k and a John Deere 525 9' MoCo for 15K. I could have done the baler and the rake but had neither the money or the tractor to run the MoCo. Beside I want a rotary rake.
Pto hp to run the baler is small, 30 or 35 max. My 45 pto hp tractor weighs in at just over 7k lbs so I can pull the baler with a hay trailer behind it in "most" conditions.
Balers are hard to ship without dismantling, to wide and to long to turn sideways. So I am trying to buy local. Problem is most balers in Maine have been worked long and hard so good deals are hard to find.
This a long term project for me, I just placed my 2008 hay order with my supplier who is in Canada. The numbers are scary.
The search continues.
Dave

 

[AKfish]

Sorry to hear that the deal fell thru... (The MoCo price sounds real high to me, though.)

I'm on the long-term track for hay equipment, too. Tryin' to figure out what model - makes of balers are worth the investment and other pertinent info.

Hay up here (timothy, timothy-brome) is most likely gonna be $9.50 a bale in the field this coming season (wouldn't be a shock to see $10, though either). Last year it was $8 and $8.50. We need around 400 bales a year.

We give the pigs a little hay to mess with and the chickens always get some to peck at, too. We've been considering a steer or two as well --- so, the hay budget (at least on paper) is expanding.

Might just be that after all the research and sharpin' pencils, etc. it'll make more sense to turn the fields into fairways and sandtraps...

Time will tell. Thanks for the reply.

AKfish

 

[zzvyb6]

Manufacturing our own hay is one product that the Chinese won't be able to take away from us. I suggest to you all that tomorrow's economy will define who survives and who doesn't by their ability to feed their own food supply and heat their homes in winter. I'm even gonna start looking at what it takes to grow sugar cane for a biodiesel cooker.

 

[AKfish]

zzvyb6 --- point taken.... there is increased awareness that "close to home" is a more sensible approach to food production in the future.

Farmer's markets and U-pick 'em small farms are beginning to take root even here in Alaska.

The coming year's will find it less attractive to fly in papaya's and pineapples for the store shelves.

Have to suffer with blueberries, cranberries and raspberries...

And I won't be feedin' a butcher steer corn, either. A little oats and some barley will have to do along with the timothy hay.

AKfish

 

[slowzuki]

Curious what part of Canada you're buying from? Some of my neighbours export hay pretty far south, and the strong dollar and fuel is killing them.

We had some hay go to the US as road works erosion control hay but it was a loss to sell it for that.

Ken

Thanks for the interest AKfish,
The deal did not happen. The baler owner had a "package" of hay equipment for sale and would not seperate it. The package included the baler for 2k, a 12' Frontier rake for 4k and a John Deere 525 9' MoCo for 15K. I could have done the baler and the rake but had neither the money or the tractor to run the MoCo. Beside I want a rotary rake.
Pto hp to run the baler is small, 30 or 35 max. My 45 pto hp tractor weighs in at just over 7k lbs so I can pull the baler with a hay trailer behind it in "most" conditions.
Balers are hard to ship without dismantling, to wide and to long to turn sideways. So I am trying to buy local. Problem is most balers in Maine have been worked long and hard so good deals are hard to find.
This a long term project for me, I just placed my 2008 hay order with my supplier who is in Canada. The numbers are scary.
The search continues.
Dave

 

[DLMaine01]

Ken
This hay is coming from Elmwood, New Brunswick. Is this near you? This has been very good hay for us, good quaility, 700-800lb round bales that have never been wet.
I got sick of running all over Maine for poor quality, small bales that have sat outside for months. Even at that somtimes the guy selling the hay would not show up as agreed upon or would change the price once it was loaded on the trailer.
The guy from Canada shows up when he says he will with 34 round bales in my door yard and all I have to do is unload.
Yes the weak dollar and fuel is a problem. He told me he had just raised his price last fall when I bought my first load from him. I just bought another load to be delivered next month at the same price. He told me he would stick to the current price as long as he can.
Dave

 

[slowzuki]

Its only about 50 or 60 miles away, I understand you live west of Bangor? About a 3-4 hour drive for him?
Ken

 

[DLMaine01]

I am a little south and east of Bangor, not far off the Airline. Yes a little over 4hrs for him, an easy trip for him he says.
Dave