Who’s getting hay equipment prepped?

[Tx Jim]

Computers make things hands free until something fails as happened to Kubota 4180 SS baler that the photo I previously posted originated from.

 

[zzvyb6]

Just picked the Baby up at an auction. New Holland Super 1049. 160 bale capacity. Ford 351 Cleveland, 4 speed manual, 2 speed rear end (just like me). Gotta drive it home today...

 

[5030]

Another high maintenance machine. Problem is, it don't eliminate the manual labor involved in handling small squares. They reduce it but don't eliminate it.

 

[5030]

Computers make things hands free until something fails as happened to Kubota 4180 SS baler that the photo I previously posted originated from.

I agree and what the warranty is for but then no one wants to breaK down in the field. I had issues with mine net related and the regional rep for Kubota had to pay me a visit to get it corrected. Appeared as though the net mechanism wasn't leaving adequate tail for the next initiation of the wrap cycle. Interesting however was the machine would automatically switch to twine if the net failed without any input from me. My NH could never do that. The 'brain' did it all by itself and her reprogrammed it to leave a longer net tail and that cured the issue.

Candidly I despise computers as much as emissions compliant tractors and I can avoid the emissions tractors, I cannot avoid the computer controlled implements however, well I could if I ran an old whipped on bailer that would require hands on fixing frequently, so I't one or the other and my preference is a new or newer computer controlled machine with a warranty and technical assistance. Do I like it, NO. I deal with what is, not what may be.

 

[CliffordK]

Another high maintenance machine. Problem is, it don't eliminate the manual labor involved in handling small squares. They reduce it but don't eliminate it.

It depends on how one's feeding and storage feeding is organized.

When we had the cows, most of the hay ended up in the loft. So, one would have to take the bale wagon, drop a load near the hay elevator, and then run the bales up the elevator and restack.

Ideally one would design the barn around the stacker. So one could just drive in, dump the load, and head back into the field.

Still, the bale wagon might cut the time in half from running around chasing a trailer in the field.

Of course, the loft was handy, just dropping bales down into the stanchions to feed.

 

[zzvyb6]

Another high maintenance machine. Problem is, it don't eliminate the manual labor involved in handling small squares. They reduce it but don't eliminate it.

Not for me. I get to drop off the large stack's in a customers pole barn with a very tall roof line. I also have a 1012 pull behind. Only maintenance I do is some WD-40 and air up the tires. Been that way for 15 years.

 

[5030]

Computers make things hands free until something fails as happened to Kubota 4180 SS baler that the photo I previously posted originated from.

Jim... Keep in mind that if a piece of equipment is running kosher, you will never see any comments about them on any site, however if there is an issue, the posters jumps right on the 'it's junk' bandwagon and that applies to all equipment, both powered and non-powered. All you have to do is peruse the new threads to see that. Sadly we live in a world of whiners today. The 'get it done' mantra went away, replaced with the whiners....and people who post on here with issues that are really non issues as well. I had my issues with the Kubota BV series Sileage Special but between my dealer and Kubota, the issues were handled. Having said that, my discbine has been issue free, other than replacing consumable parts likke knives and lift plates. Having said that however, this fall, all the skid plates come off and get hard rodded because the sandy loam we have here, erodes the skids and they aren't cheap. Much more prudent to hard rod them for a bit longer life. The NH skids are less however than the JD skids are.

Ine thing I'll rarely do is come on here and whine about equipment issues. If I have any, they get addressed immediately and again, neither my NH centerpoint disc bine nor my Kuhn Matesterdrive rotary rake has ever had any issues that weren't self inflicted. Yes, I always buy new simply because buying used is buying someone else's issues for the most part.

Only thing that don't apply to is my prime movers but that is because I'd never buy a post 4 tractor. In fact if someone gave me one, I'd still pass.

 

[Hay Dude]

Jim... Keep in mind that if a piece of equipment is running kosher, you will never see any comments about them on any site, however if there is an issue, the posters jumps right on the 'it's junk' bandwagon and that applies to all equipment, both powered and non-powered. All you have to do is peruse the new threads to see that. Sadly we live in a world of whiners today. The 'get it done' mantra went away, replaced with the whiners....and people who post on here with issues that are really non issues as well. I had my issues with the Kubota BV series Sileage Special but between my dealer and Kubota, the issues were handled. Having said that, my discbine has been issue free, other than replacing consumable parts likke knives and lift plates. Having said that however, this fall, all the skid plates come off and get hard rodded because the sandy loam we have here, erodes the skids and they aren't cheap. Much more prudent to hard rod them for a bit longer life. The NH skids are less however than the JD skids are.

Ine thing I'll rarely do is come on here and whine about equipment issues. If I have any, they get addressed immediately and again, neither my NH centerpoint disc bine nor my Kuhn Matesterdrive rotary rake has ever had any issues that weren't self inflicted. Yes, I always buy new simply because buying used is buying someone else's issues for the most part.

Only thing that don't apply to is my prime movers but that is because I'd never buy a post 4 tractor. In fact if someone gave me one, I'd still pass.

You dont use equipment enough to have any issues.

 

[5030]

You dont use equipment enough to have any issues.

I used to, not now and no 'used' equipment here anyway, unlike you...

You buy someone else's issues when you buy used and of all people, you should know that... So tell us, what has broken for you this year to whine about????

Besides at 76 years old, I don't want to bust my arse anymore. When you get to be my age, your perspective on it will adjust accordingly as well, but then maybe not. All depends on how greedy you are actually.

Just a hobby now that actually pays well. One customer is all I want. Cut it, crimp it, rake and bale it and it vanishes.

Got 6 free admisson tickets to the rodeo this year, box seats too.

 

[5030]

Better get that mulch mushroon hay cut as your 'shroom' customers will be gtting antsy...

 

[5030]

Not for me. I get to drop off the large stack's in a customers pole barn with a very tall roof line. I also have a 1012 pull behind. Only maintenance I do is some WD-40 and air up the tires. Been that way for 15 years.

Kind of surprised you use WD40 as a spray lube, in as much as it has little to no lubricating value at all. It's a water dispersant (WD), not a spray lube. I use rattle cans of motorcycle chain lube, a grease gun and dielectric grease in my connectors, never WD 40. In fact I have a full gallon of that stuff on the shelf, I've never used. Battery posts and clamps get Fluid Film.

 

[5030]

No airing up implement tires here, they are all foamed.

 

[zzvyb6]

Kind of surprised you use WD40 as a spray lube, in as much as it has little to no lubricating value at all. It's a water dispersant (WD), not a spray lube. I use rattle cans of motorcycle chain lube, a grease gun and dielectric grease in my connectors, never WD 40. In fact I have a full gallon of that stuff on the shelf, I've never used. Battery posts and clamps get Fluid Film.

I use graphite lube on the 1012 chains. If you add transmission fluid to the WD-40 mixture it works fine. I have a separate pressurized spray canister to do the job.

 

[5030]

Motorcycle chain lube is much more convenient, goes on liquid so it penetrates the rollers and dries to a harder film once the carrier evaporates. Not need on my new bailer as it has a pressurized chain lube system on board so I just use 30 weight motor oil now. The lube system meters the oil out and preset intervals. It has centralized greasing as well minus the rotating pto shaft. Was an option I get when I purchased the bailer 2 years ago. How my square bailer was also. The knotter stack had one point greasing plus the knotter blowers to keep the chaff from fouling knotters, especially a PITA when square bailing wheat straw. The 575 I sold carried 8 twine balls in the storage bin. I did one wheat straw bailing job for the local road commision, they purchased an entire field of combined wheat straw. All I had to do was bale it, they picked up the bales. Started at the crack of dawn and finished at dusk.

Had to reload the twine box 3 times during the day. If I remember correctly, between dawn and dusk, I bailed 4500 small squares, long 1/4 mile windrows. Was a turn key job with no bailer issues what so ever. Drove the tractor in the climate controlled and stipped for lunch. The 575 at the head end of the windrows, I had to back down the pto as the 575's heavy flywheel and the bale piston would still toss me around on a headland turn. The 575 had the 'super sweep' extra wide pickup. Nice bailer and I recommend them. All I ever had to do to it was replace the twine knives a couple times and one pickup belt drive.

Amazingly I sold it on Tractor House for what I paid for it new and it looked new as I keep all my tractors and implements inside the barn when not being used. Listed it on a Monday and sold it on Thursday, cash sale and the buyer had it picked up by commercial carrier, permitted load because it was wide. Only missing paint was on the ends of the pickup fingers.

Was the best contract bailing job I ever did because it was no touch the bales and they paid me 50 cents a bale on the bale counter. 2 grand plus ain't bad minus the twine and fuel so I basically cleared 2000 bucks for a soild day's work and did it all in the comfort of an air conditioned cab. Probably ran 30,000 bales total on the machine in the time I owned it and I had also bought a FEL mounted bale accumulator so I'd load 20 squares at a time on flat racks. Putting them in the barn was the issue as the hayloft in the big barn is elevated which necessitated the use of a bale elevator and hired labor.

Bailer went to Illinois accumulator went to Indiana. I think the accumulator was a Kuhn if I remember correctly.

 

[5030]

Still have the flat racks though I have a buyer interested in them presently. All 4 are tandem axle repurposed sileage wagons. Very heavy duty with oil filled hubs and running lights as well. Bought the sileage wagons used at auction, stripped off the boxes and sold them to the local scrap yard back when scrap was high so I basically broke even on the wagons after scrapping the boxes and the mechanical parts. I believe they were Giehl sileage wagons.

 

[CliffordK]

If one is tossing bales from the ground up onto a hay trailer by hand, then it is best to start with the trailer as low as possible. I.E. Axles with fenders.

Years ago Dad built a custom hay trailer. Full width in front and behind the fenders. Fenders were square, and I think 14" tall, so bales fit between the fenders, then the next row sits on top nicely.

Unfortunately, one year Mom just decided to sell it to the neighbor for $100.

I have tried the automatic bail tossers, and while they work OK, but I prefer standing on terra firma, rather than on a moving trailer or truck.

 

[5030]

Not something I ever want to indulge in again. Rounds in net for me are the way to go and my lone hay customer who buys all of it and has for the last 5 years prefers 4x5 net wrapped rounds anyway.

 

[5030]

Guy down the road had a JD with a bale thrower in it and almost got killed with it as well. He no longer runs hay as he's missing a good part of his right hand, just another reason I won't bale idiot cubes.