JD 385 baler

[City Farmer]

Hi all, I’m considering buying a round baler and going to look at this one tomorrow. Can anyone tell me the good or bad with this machine? The owner says he put up 200 bales with it last year and he’s going back to squares for his horses. He’s asking $4200. I think something is out of adjustment because his bales look a little bit off.

I’d be pulling it with a New Holland 545D for now. 2WD - 63HP engine and 51hp at the PTO. My property is flat as a board. Eventually I’ll pull it with a Case 831. 64hp at the PTO. I would put up about 200 bales/yr and they would be for myself and not for sale.

Andy

 

[Tx Jim]

Round bale shape is determined by baler operator & shape/size of windrow. Rd balers of all makes have an operator ""learning curve"''. Some rd baler operators master the ""learning curve" & some operators never will master the learning process. Model 385 has no monitor box so one must look back at bale shape sensors in an attempt to form a level bale. The more time operator spends time looking back the more opportunity operator has to turn tractor steering wheel the wrong direction. The baler in photo has no converging wheels which causes operator more difficulty in making level/firm sided bales.

 

[5030]

That is the one BIG plus my Kubota round bailer has that my old NH didn't.

The Kubota bailer has a steering wheel superimposed on the bailing screen in the cab with me and the wheel indicates which way I need to move (drive) the bailer to achieve a symmetrical bale each time. If I ignore the steering wheel arrows will pop up and the monitor will beep at me to remind me to drive the bailer in the direction the 'steering wheel is indicating.

Because the bailer is a European design, the bale is completely contained inside the bailer and totally enclosed and is not visible at all from the tractor. There is no way to observe the bale being formed except the steering wheel on the monitor screen. Every bale I roll is (so far) perfect in shape. Don't need 'gathering' wheels on this one either like I did on the my old New Holland baler because it has an extra wide pickup with outboard screw augers on each end of the pickup that moved the hay into the throat of the bailer. They aren't even offered on this one and not needed.

Other thing I really like (and not sure if the JD bailer has it), is, the Kubota bailer has built in variable hydraulic density control. it's all self contained, no external springs at all. The bailer senses the density of the bale and 'squeezes' it according to the pre set parameters, hydraulically. I start them at low density so I can spear them easily and as the bale 'grows' the density increases accordingly. That way, the bale is fiddle string tight but the center is loose.

The entire bailer is totally enclosed so observing the bale is impossible until you eject it.

Farmer down the road has a JD bailer (not sure of the year) but he ran about a hundred wheat straw bales in net and every one was barrel shaped. The other issue with barrel shaped bales is it tends to off track the belts and causes edge wear on them. I have absolutely no edge wear on my belts so far, not even any frayed edges. My NH bailer always developed frayed belt edges from off tracking. Belts are staying in perfect alignment.

I will say my bales look a lot better than before and I don't have to watch anything but the monitor screen and the 'steering wheel'.

Now if Kubota just modified their net insertion from the duckbill design to what JD uses, it would be perfect.

 

[Tx Jim]

Farmer down the road has a JD bailer (not sure of the year) but he ran about a hundred wheat straw bales in net and every one was barrel shaped. The other issue with barrel shaped bales is it tends to off track the belts and causes edge wear on them. I have absolutely no edge wear on my belts so far, not even any frayed edges. My NH bailer always developed frayed belt edges from off tracking. Belts are staying in perfect alignment.

I will say my bales look a lot better than before and I don't have to watch anything but the monitor screen and the 'steering wheel'.

Now if Kubota just modified their net insertion from the duckbill design to what JD uses, it would be perfect.

As I previously stated rd balers of all descriptions have a learning curve. My JD 467 has extra wide pickup with no need for converging wheels. Whiskey barrel shaped bales are due to baler operator error not due to baler. Good wide even windrow causes level bales to be much easier to create. Although JD offers variable core pressure as an option my baler doesn't have that option. IMHO electronic devices are very nice until ""they FAIL""

 

[5030]

IMHO electronic devices are very nice until ""they FAIL""

Actually, the density control is 99% hydraulic, not electronic. It has only one electronic sensor that 'tells the variable hydraulic control when to increase or decrease the density. I do like the fact that there are no density springs involved and I did extend the warranty on it for an additional 3 years over the one year warranty period. I don't trust it completely but time will tell I guess. I suspect 4 years into it, if it was going to fail, it would. Problem is today, you are hard pressed to find a new bailer that isn't electronic controlled. Like the new tractors are and you know how I feel about the T4 final stuff.

 

[5030]

Hi all, I’m considering buying a round baler and going to look at this one tomorrow. Can anyone tell me the good or bad with this machine? The owner says he put up 200 bales with it last year and he’s going back to squares for his horses. He’s asking $4200. I think something is out of adjustment because his bales look a little bit off.

I’d be pulling it with a New Holland 545D for now. 2WD - 63HP engine and 51hp at the PTO. My property is flat as a board. Eventually I’ll pull it with a Case 831. 64hp at the PTO. I would put up about 200 bales/yr and they would be for myself and not for sale.

Andy

I see it's a twine baler. Once you run net, twine becomes only for emergencies. Granted net costs more but with net bales, they keep their shape better and you can store them outside with little spoilage. I've always kept my round bailers with both net and twine (poly) in the twine box 'just in case'....

 

[Hay Dude]

Hi all, I’m considering buying a round baler and going to look at this one tomorrow. Can anyone tell me the good or bad with this machine? The owner says he put up 200 bales with it last year and he’s going back to squares for his horses. He’s asking $4200. I think something is out of adjustment because his bales look a little bit off.

I’d be pulling it with a New Holland 545D for now. 2WD - 63HP engine and 51hp at the PTO. My property is flat as a board. Eventually I’ll pull it with a Case 831. 64hp at the PTO. I would put up about 200 bales/yr and they would be for myself and not for sale.

Andy

As TxJim said, his bales are most likely off because hes not raking properly and/or not steering his tractor properly over the windrow.
How many bales are on it? Take a look ar sprockets & chains for wear. See if theres evidence of frequent greasing (old grease & new grease). Look at the pickup bands & look for unusual wear. Look at the belts for damage or wear.
$4200 is very reasonable for a running baler. Does it have a CV joint? check for wear on it and pto shaft wear to u-joints. Plug it in and make sure monitor functions work. Monitors can be very expensive.
Good luck!

 

[Tx Jim]

Actually, the density control is 99% hydraulic, not electronic. It has only one electronic sensor that 'tells the variable hydraulic control when to increase or decrease the density.

Any way you care to visualize your baler 1% electronic control is still electronic controlled & I'll bet bale tension is more than 1% electronically controlled on your Kubota baler. There's the density sensor you mentioned PLUS A ELECTRIC controlled valve that controls bale tension. And lets not forget the monitor that I'll bet is involved in bale tension

 

[Tx Jim]

As TxJim said, his bales are most likely off because hes not raking properly and/or not steering his tractor properly over the windrow.
How many bales are on it? Take a look ar sprockets & chains for wear. See if theres evidence of frequent greasing (old grease & new grease). Look at the pickup bands & look for unusual wear. Look at the belts for damage or wear.
$4200 is very reasonable for a running baler. Does it have a CV joint? check for wear on it and pto shaft wear to u-joints. Plug it in and make sure monitor functions work. Monitors can be very expensive.
Good luck!

JD model 385 has no monitor. Bale levelness is determined by operator needing to look back at bale level indicators on baler. 385 parts catalog shows it has a CV driveshaft.

 

[5030]

No choice Jim and I agree the hydraulic and mechanical aspects are all intermingled but it's that way with every new implement today and tractors. The thing that rubs me the wrong way is, only the dealer can access the computer via an access PIN and they won't tell you what that is.
\
JD is the same way and I suspect all the other manufacturers are. Why I put an extended warranty on it. When it works, it's fantastic. When it don't (hopefully never) it would suck big time.

All that applies to vehicles as well today. Least with vehicles, a good (expensive) scan tool can at least access the ECM to see what has failed and most times you can replace the failed component but sometimes you cannot.

Welcome to the age of solid state controls.

 

[5030]

On the Euro Style BV Kubota, like I said, you cannot see the bale being formed at all, it's entirely enclosed within the machine so you have to rely on the electronics to tell you exactly what is transpiring inside far as the symmetry of the bale and density of it. No choice. So far so good. Time and use will tell. Hopefully, the integrated circuits aren't run of the mill Chinese stuff that can fail without advanced notice, kind of like what goes in automobiles and light trucks today. I am quite satisfied with the 'steering wheel' on the monitor screen, much better and easier to deal with than the New Holland fill arrows. I get nice symmetrical bales, wrapped in net or twine (my choice) every time. One other interesting aspect is, I can wrap with twine initially and then over wrap with net if I want to. That works with wheat straw bales really well as dry wheat straw tends to peel off a formed bale in the field quickly while the bale is rotating in the bale chamber so a quick twine wrap followed by net keeps the majority of the wheat straw in the bale and not on the ground. Have not used it yet but probably will next year.

 

[City Farmer]

Thanks everyone for the help, I really appreciate it. I went and looked at it and it’s a fairly clean unit. Not having a monitor doesn’t bother me, I can mount a back up or blue tooth camera and see behind me for <$100.

The good.
1) sprockets looked brand new
2) the round bars on drum looked great with no wear. I’d bet they’re original because of the way they wrap around the drum.
3) duel twine
4) all the pickups were there
5) brand new tire on one side
6) he said the PO bought it new in 94 and put new bearings in it last year just before he bought it.

The bad
1) both gate cylinders have a small leak
2) one belt is smoked. Half the belt is worn right down.
3) needs hydraulic lines

I make all my own hydraulic lines and a rebuilding a couple cylinders is easy enough. He was firm on his $4200 which I think is fair. I’ll give it a day or 2 to make up my mind. I’m pretty sure net wrap balers are way out of my price range. I’ll post back with pictures if I decide to buy it.

Thanks again,
Andy

 

[5030]

Belts are not easy to replace. You have to have a lacing jig depending on what style the splice is and a crimper to crimp the splice. I suggest taking it to a dealer, preferably one who sells the brand of bailer and let him replace the belt, In reality it should hold more than 2 twine balls and you need to run 110 test poly. I don't use twine but I keep 2 NH brand Mega Balls in my twine box and threaded just in case. You want about 30 pounds of resistance on the twine to wrap a bale tightly.

You aren't all that far from me actually. I'm just north of Toledo off US 23 near the Cabelas store.

 

[Hay Dude]

Thanks everyone for the help, I really appreciate it. I went and looked at it and it’s a fairly clean unit. Not having a monitor doesn’t bother me, I can mount a back up or blue tooth camera and see behind me for <$100.

The good.
1) sprockets looked brand new
2) the round bars on drum looked great with no wear. I’d bet they’re original because of the way they wrap around the drum.
3) duel twine
4) all the pickups were there
5) brand new tire on one side
6) he said the PO bought it new in 94 and put new bearings in it last year just before he bought it.

The bad
1) both gate cylinders have a small leak
2) one belt is smoked. Half the belt is worn right down.
3) needs hydraulic lines

I make all my own hydraulic lines and a rebuilding a couple cylinders is easy enough. He was firm on his $4200 which I think is fair. I’ll give it a day or 2 to make up my mind. I’m pretty sure net wrap balers are way out of my price range. I’ll post back with pictures if I decide to buy it.

Thanks again,
Andy

Those are easily fixable items. Cylinders repacked, replace belt.
I’d still say you’re money ahead if thats the list. A net baler might be possible for 8-10k, but it’ll be a fixer-upper, too.

Edit: Andy, did you end up buying it?

 

[Tx Jim]

One other interesting aspect is, I can wrap with twine initially and then over wrap with net if I want to. That works with wheat straw bales really well as dry wheat straw tends to peel off a formed bale in the field quickly while the bale is rotating in the bale chamber so a quick twine wrap followed by net keeps the majority of the wheat straw in the bale and not on the ground. Have not used it yet but probably will next year.

I fail to see the importance or need of putting even ONE wrap of twine on a bale when netwrap can be applied to formed bale in ONE BALE REVOLUTION then more wraps as baler operator desires. One could only put one or 2 strings of twine on bale PER EACH BALE REVOLUTION. I know 1 layer of netwrap will restrain more wheat straw on bale that 1 or 40+ wraps of twine. BTDT wheat straw with both types of wrapping.

 

[5030]

Actually, neither do I. All I'm saying is, it will. I don't bale wheat straw any more, or cornstalks for that matter. Just feed hay and not mulch hay.

 

[5030]

One thing I am curious about Jim and that is, how do you initiate the wrap cycle with no in cab control?

 

[Tx Jim]

Actually, neither do I. All I'm saying is, it will. I don't bale wheat straw any more, or cornstalks for that matter. Just feed hay and not mulch hay.

And all I will state is I'd like see in writing where Kubota explains the need to wrap twine on a bale of straw prior to applying netwrap. Sounds like a waste of time & $$$$ for twine to me.

 

[Tx Jim]

One thing I am curious about Jim and that is, how do you initiate the wrap cycle with no in cab control?

If you're referring to the JD 385 rd baler mentioned in this thread twine depending on type wrapping option can be applied via electrically with a simple toggle switch operating an actuator arm or hydraulically utilizing tractor scv to control hyd cylinder.

https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/78424/referrer/navigation/pgId/100483860

https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/78424/referrer/navigation/pgId/100483854

 

[5030]

And all I will state is I'd like see in writing where Kubota explains the need to wrap twine on a bale of straw prior to applying netwrap. Sounds like a waste of time & $$$$ for twine to me.

They don't. What I am saying is, I can twine wrap and then over wrap with net via the monitor. Just a matter of switching from manual actuated twine to auto wrap with net. I don't particularly like twine anyway. The wrap cycle is way too long versus net. Twine is about a minute whereas net is about 30 seconds per bale. My customer prefers net and so do I. If I was running wheat straw (which I don't) I would to keep the bales from falling apart while rotating in the bale chamber.