Small tractor hay baling???

[Hard Knocks IV]

If you're into antiques Allis Chalmers made a small round baler back in the 60s that is easy to pull and easy on the drive train. Makes a bale from 35 to 70lbs. and can be had for under $500 usually I have bought several at auctions for $5 each.

 

[slowzuki]

The rotobaler, well hated by everyone who used it!

If you're into antiques Allis Chalmers made a small round baler back in the 60s that is easy to pull and easy on the drive train. Makes a bale from 35 to 70lbs. and can be had for under $500 usually I have bought several at auctions for $5 each.

 

[ahoude]

But at 5 bucks, can you beat it.

 

[Hard Knocks IV]

Those Allis round balers were a little hard to get used to but once you understand how they work they are really pretty simple and will run for years
for just a few $$$ in maintence costs. Nothing will put up better quality hay as the hay isn't damaged in the baling process like with a square baler. I baled thousands of bales of hay with a AC Roto Baler hooked to a AC
WD45 back in the 60s. There is a guy near me that has a flat he bales every year with a Roto Baler and a a small Yanmar that has about 20HP,I
have baled with 21HP Allis B.

 

[floridahay]

From what I have heard I would not recommend using compact tractors to run square balers. The local Massey dealer is a close friend of mine and his service manager has told me that several people has asked about running them with the 1500 series compacts and he has advised against it because he says the drivelines on these tractors are just not heavy enough to take the stress that square balers can place on the driveline. He advise them to use a 431 or 451 that is designed as an ag tractor with heavier rear end castings that are cast iron as opposed to the aluminum castings on the compacts.

 

[Hard Knocks IV]

Could always just buy an old WD Allis Chalmers and leave it hooked to the baler can usually pick up a good one between $500 and $1000 with the run in oil hand clutch they're a great tractor to square bale with.

 

[VistanTN]

Just the late night musings of a mechanical engineer .... square baler drive train has a LOT of mass being started and stopped twice for each packing cycle ... all the square balers I know of reduce the drive train stress by adding a bodacious flywheel. Biggest problem with lighter tractor/baler combo is the flywheel does nothing to change the large amount of momentum changes in the fore-and-aft direction. Net result is the tractor (and operator) is pummelled forward and back about once a second. Heck of a "massage." Wonder if some spring/shock absorber comb in the hitch arrangement would help that out? Still wouldn't want to operate an old square baler with a CUT without loaded wheels or even with loaded wheels on any significant hills. I pull my IH Model 46 with a Mahindra 6500 4WD and wouldn't consider smaller on my terrain.

 

[ToadHill]

I can't remember who made the baler we used years ago on the dairy farm I worked but it had it's own engine and the tractor just pulled it along in the field. We used a 35 hp tractor and while it was a rough ride. it got the job done.

 

[slowzuki]

Most balers had or have options for an external engine. It is still the rocking problem. The external engine really helps those with only a single stage clutch as well as those with no pto.

I don't know why but my JD 336 doesn't jerk the tractor as hard at our neighbours MF224 or the other neighbours MF228. Maybe our plunger is lighter.

These modern balers do kick the tractor at 90 strokes/min vs old balers at 60 strokes a minute.

 

[gf5205]

Most balers had or have options for an external engine. It is still the rocking problem. The external engine really helps those with only a single stage clutch as well as those with no pto.

I don't know why but my JD 336 doesn't jerk the tractor as hard at our neighbours MF224 or the other neighbours MF228. Maybe our plunger is lighter.

These modern balers do kick the tractor at 90 strokes/min vs old balers at 60 strokes a minute.

I think it's because your flywheel is larger.