I have purchased a 14T square baler that has been kept in a barn and maintained well to cut 8 acres of hay for personal use. Everything seems to work well except when it ties the knot the end of the string towards the back end of the baler is a loose knot and the end towards the front of the baler is just a tag end. This is the same on both sides of the bale. I am sure it needs an adjustment since both sides do the same thing. I have tried loosening and tightening the bale tension but nothing changed. See pics below. Any help would be appreciated. Hay is on the ground.
john deere 14t knotter problems
- Thread starter MMPron750
- Start date
- Views: 31052
Welcome to the baler fixit section. You have a slightly more difficult problem for a novice (both knots are bad !), but its actually an easier problem to solve for the experienced (both knots are bad). This is the number one problem in baler issues. Three possible causes: 1) The tucker fingers are not picking up the twine from the needles and delivering it to the billhooks. This is usually an adjustment fix. The manual explains how to do this real simple solution. Could be a loose or bent part, too. 2) The needles did not properly place the twine in the twine disk holders. If somebody replaced the needles or moved them, or bent them. They need to be readjusted back into proper position so the twine in placed right into the disk notch when they make their full rise position. 3) The hay dogs are not entering the bale case. These "dogs" or wedges or ramps hold the last flake in place while the tie gets completed. If the hay flops back out of the bale case and runs back to the receeding plunger, it can pull on the twine and yank it out of the billhooks or twine disk.
These are all adjustments best made like the manual says. Can be done in the field. I posted a video on YouTube showing a JD knotter running empty at idle speed if you want to see the action...
If you don't have a manual, get one. You will also need it to get to know the names of all the operationg parts: needles, tucker fingers, twine disk, hay dogs, billhooks and jaws, feeder forks, intermediate gears, etc.
These are all adjustments best made like the manual says. Can be done in the field. I posted a video on YouTube showing a JD knotter running empty at idle speed if you want to see the action...
If you don't have a manual, get one. You will also need it to get to know the names of all the operationg parts: needles, tucker fingers, twine disk, hay dogs, billhooks and jaws, feeder forks, intermediate gears, etc.
ddivinia
Elite Member
I just bought a JD 346. I ordered a video off ebay on how to rebuild and adjust the knotters. Just got it - watching it is somewhat painful...
D.
ddivinia
Elite Member
It sounds like a tucker finger problem. The tucker fingers are the half-moon shaped flat disks under the knotter. The tucker fingers should be in a forward-backward position in the "home" position when knotter is not tying. When the knotter is tying, the tucker fingers rotate approximately 1/4 turn clockwise to a left-right orientation and catches the twine brought up by the needles. There is a spring that pulls the tucker fingers back to home position and this spring sometimes breaks. The tucker fingers could be stuck and the spring can not overcome the friction to pull them back home. They could be out of adjustment. They need to be about 1/8" from the needle as the needle brings up the twine. If you take all the hay out of the chamber and trip the knotter, turn the flywheel over by hand and watch the tucke fingers move through their cycle. If they are too far from the needle, adjust them closer.
I appreciate the info from all of you. I have ordered the manual but it is not here yet. After reading your responses I went out and identified the knotter parts with a parts pdf I downloaded. I am glad to say that the return spring on the tucker fingers was broken. 1 spring later and all is knotting well.
Now, can anyone tell me how to tighten up the bale so that the strings don't stretch to your waist before the bale comes off the ground.
Thank's alot.
Ron
Now, can anyone tell me how to tighten up the bale so that the strings don't stretch to your waist before the bale comes off the ground.
Thank's alot.
Ron
Tighten down the bale case compressors (the two canks at the back end). Give each one a few turns (same amount each) at a time. If the bale is too long, you adjust this by moving the clamp on the end of the measuring wheel bar.
While you are at it, check the rest of the springs on the machine. There are some underneath the bale case that control the plunger stop. That whole area should be kept clear of dirt, chaff, sticks and other residue from past years. Get some spare shear pins, toom for insurance.
....This is exactly our JD14t situation: both strings produce partial/single knots that don't hold (as displayed in MMPron750's photo).
we'll be performing your 3-point check-list @ the crack of dawn today, but can you explain why-when we've cleared the chute of hay and hand hold the twine thru a cycle (mimicking a bale) BOTH knots tie & hold perfectly ?!?