Square baler parts

[hardtime]

Like many others I am toying with the idea of doing my own hay. I will be going with a used square baler . my question is which balers are repair parts still available and those that are not.

 

[Hay Dude]

In most cases, you can get baler parts for almost any baler. Even ones long ago discontinued have parts availability from AG scrap yards, which are all over the country.

Generally speaking, Deere, New Holland, Hesston, Case-IH, etc. are balers with better parts support.
Not a guarantee, but more common than long gone balers like International Harvester, Ford, New Idea, etc.

 

[sea2summit]

Any reason not do do rounds? The round balers are actually MUCH simpler.

My square baler was in storage for the last 12 months due to my job and I’m getting ready to bale. I’ve put in almost 12 hours over the last four days getting it all ready and have final timing and chain tensioning still to do. This is a two year old basically new baler, hasn’t even broken 10k bales yet. In 12 hours you can replace all the bearings and belts on a round baler. Just food for thought.

 

[hardtime]

In most cases, you can get baler parts for almost any baler. Even ones long ago discontinued have parts availability from AG scrap yards, which are all over the country.

Generally speaking, Deere, New Holland, Hesston, Case-IH, etc. are balers with better parts support.
Not a guarantee, but more common than long gone balers like International Harvester, Ford, New Idea, etc.

Thank you for your reply. I have been kicking this around and I am aware used gear will need attention and don't want to make this any more difficult or costly than possible.

 

[hardtime]

Any reason not do do rounds? The round balers are actually MUCH simpler.

My square baler was in storage for the last 12 months due to my job and I’m getting ready to bale. I’ve put in almost 12 hours over the last four days getting it all ready and have final timing and chain tensioning still to do. This is a two year old basically new baler, hasn’t even broken 10k bales yet. In 12 hours you can replace all the bearings and belts on a round baler. Just food for thought.

As I have limited acres, (50) my intentions are to concentrate on as high quality forage as possible.

Although with squares the hand labor is much higher as well as time required to process but my thinking at this time is after the equipment is gathered and made field ready and after finishing mine I can contract this service out to other small farms close by.

I am in n/c Arkansas and no commercial cutter is interested in these small parcels. My guy never even showed this year. I am getting ready to brush hog mine now. Lost this years yield and fertilizer/ labor/ fuel.

Hopefully I can recoop the equipment cost in 4 or 5 years if I can keep the initial cost down and if it doesn't pencil out I have the option of selling th equipment off to the next small operator.

 

[Hay Dude]

Not surprised your guy didn’t show. He’s probably overextended himself, or has insurmountable equipment repair costs.
Probably not a bad idea to do it yourself.
Hay farming is difficult to make a profit in unless:
1. you are a very large operation.
2. you inherited all the equipment and barns so you have low equipment costs
3. you are a small timer/hobbyist with a full time job or spouse has nice income.

Inflation and high interest rates from the last few years is causing farming operations to go under in numbers this country has never seen.

 

[Tx Jim]

I think JD small sq balers would be a good choice on models 336/346 to present models. Most of the parts on these models are interchangeable & very little has been changed between models so I think parts acquisition if needed won't be a problem. JD small sq balers I'm referring to have only 2 chains to contend with, not multiple chains similar to other brands. JD small sq balers have a long history of making SQUARER bales than some of the older competitive models.

 

[Hay Dude]

I had a 336. Good little baler.

 

[CH4Ohio]

My square baler was in storage for the last 12 months due to my job and I’m getting ready to bale. I’ve put in almost 12 hours over the last four days getting it all ready and have final timing and chain tensioning still to do. This is a two year old basically new baler, hasn’t even broken 10k bales yet.

Just curious . . . Why the need to adjust timing and tension chains if it was working ok when you put it up? I'd think you could grease it and lube it up and hit the field.

I know that the last thing I want to do with a small square baler is mess with the timing if it's working properly. Is it because your baler is so new and the initial break-in includes chains stretching more?

Either way, it's my experience that it doesn't take much effort to get a small square baler ready to go to work. As long as it's kept in the dry, chaff and dust blown out, and greased properly you should be able to go to work with just a quick greasing and tire check. (At least that's all my old JD baler seems to need.)

 

[hardtime]

Not surprised your guy didn’t show. He’s probably overextended himself, or has insurmountable equipment repair costs.
Probably not a bad idea to do it yourself.
Hay farming is difficult to make a profit in unless:
1. you are a very large operation.
2. you inherited all the equipment and barns so you have low equipment costs
3. you are a small timer/hobbyist with a full time job or spouse has nice income.

Inflation and high interest rates from the last few years is causing farming operations to go under in numbers this country has never seen.

Profit would be great, but I think the best I can really hope for is to break even and pay for the new used gear, supply my own fodder, and eliminate unnecessary cliping.

 

[hardtime]

I think JD small sq balers would be a good choice on models 336/346 to present models. Most of the parts on these models are interchangeable & very little has been changed between models so I think parts acquisition if needed won't be a problem. JD small sq balers I'm referring to have only 2 chains to contend with, not multiple chains similar to other brands. JD small sq balers have a long history of making SQUARER bales than some of the older competitive models.

Thanks for the recommendation. My hope is to find a used unit before winter and hopefully have it ready for next year. After the baler ill concentrate on the cutter and rake.

I am handy to have around if I do say so myself and have the tools to do the job and am not afraid to get grease on my hands. At this point to me finding something decent to start on and priced accordingly may be the highest hurdle.

 

[hosspuller]

What is your market for hay ? Horses or cows ? Even goats...
That will determine your equipment and hay type. Hay is NOT a generic produce. Dairy farms demand a certain quality. Cattle another quality. Horse people demand quality, form, timing, etc. but they pay a high price. (Sometimes)

Otherwise you're growing stuff and then trying to sell it. A sure street to disappointments

 

[5030]

Myself, I prefer New Holland small square bailers and the newer ones are 90% gear drive. Sold my 575 High capacity with the extra sweep pickup, hydraulic bale tension, hydraulic tongue swing and quarter turn bale turner for more than I paid for it, last year on Tractor House, in 3 days. You can get any and all parts for NH bailers from any NH dealer.

 

[sea2summit]

Just curious . . . Why the need to adjust timing and tension chains if it was working ok when you put it up? I'd think you could grease it and lube it up and hit the field.

I know that the last thing I want to do with a small square baler is mess with the timing if it's working properly. Is it because your baler is so new and the initial break-in includes chains stretching more?

Either way, it's my experience that it doesn't take much effort to get a small square baler ready to go to work. As long as it's kept in the dry, chaff and dust blown out, and greased properly you should be able to go to work with just a quick greasing and tire check. (At least that's all my old JD baler seems to need.)

Two parts, first I was in the middle of the last cut last year when I got notice I was leaving. Barley had time to get the hay picked up and didn’t do any end of season maint on equipment so it’s all getting special treatment this year. Second, the newness and everything stretching. I had to tune one knotter slightly and polished up the blades but other than that so far haven’t changed anything. Still takes a long time to get all the covers off and at everything.

 

[5030]

I keep all my tractors and implements inside, always.

 

[CH4Ohio]

Two parts, first I was in the middle of the last cut last year when I got notice I was leaving. Barley had time to get the hay picked up and didn’t do any end of season maint on equipment so it’s all getting special treatment this year. Second, the newness and everything stretching. I had to tune one knotted slightly and polished up the blades but other than that so far haven’t changed anything. Still takes a long time to get all the covers off and at everything.

Understood! Thanks.

 

[Hay Dude]

Profit would be great, but I think the best I can really hope for is to break even and pay for the new used gear, supply my own fodder, and eliminate unnecessary cliping.

Definitely.
Do the hay yourself a while and see how it goes.