# Vermeer 5400 question



## purplewg (Nov 4, 2009)

I finally had a chance to try out the new/used 5400. Don't know how the original owner ever cut his twine unless he did it with his pocket knife. The cutters were not being pulled back far enough by the twine arms to put the cutter blades on the twine. The left side (facing) was close bu the right side (facing) wasn't even close. I was able to extend the motion of the drive motor enough to get the left side to cut but the right side still didn't put the blade on the string. I was going to adjust the small turn screw for the right side but it was frozen and I managed to break it. Now I have to order a new one.

How are you guys adjusting these cutters? I see nothing in the manual on it.

Oh, and I wish Vermeer would offer online ordering of parts like most manufacturers.


----------



## gman1772 (Mar 20, 2010)

Vermeer never quite got the "rebel" series right. I never used one but I know a man that does in the area. If I can catch him I'll ask him about it. I do know he has to limit his bales to about 55". Any larger and he can't keep the shoulders square on the bale. Wish you luck with it and I hope you got it at a damn good price, you will need that extra money for parts.


----------



## purplewg (Nov 4, 2009)

gman1772 said:


> Vermeer never quite got the "rebel" series right. I never used one but I know a man that does in the area. If I can catch him I'll ask him about it. I do know he has to limit his bales to about 55". Any larger and he can't keep the shoulders square on the bale. Wish you luck with it and I hope you got it at a damn good price, you will need that extra money for parts.


Please explain what they didn't get quite right? This is not my first baler just like it isn't my first rodeo. Baler is fine, operator needs experience. lol I talked to guy who I bought it from. He bought a new Deere and wishes he had stayed with the Vermeer. He is not real happy with the performance of his Deere. He said much slower the Vermeer.

I think I know what may be causing my problem after having thought about it for a while. I just need to cut some hay and test it.


----------



## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

Every once in a while my 554XL will pull that. The twine arms don't retract back tot he blades and then the twine keeps wrapping on the bale and will get int he pickup if you don't pay close attention. I just get out and cut the twine and push the twine arms back into place. This might happen every 100 bales or so. It just seems to be a quirk of that baler. I am assuming the 5400 has a similar twine delivery system as the 554XL but I am not sure. It makes very nice 66" bales. My biggest complaint is that it plugs up easily, especially in damp heavy conditions. Wanna buy it? its for sale.....


----------



## purplewg (Nov 4, 2009)

Yeah, I could understand it missing every now and then. I am pretty sure I know what it is. I was thinking about it and the twine tensioners are super tight for the tiny plastic twine he was using. I swapped right away to sisal twine. I'm thinking since the sisal is bigger the twine it too tight and right at the end of travel of the twine arms they don't have the most leverage. I think the tension is putting just enough extra pressure on the arms to cause them to not fully retract. It just needs to go another inch. I will give it a go and see when I get some decent weather. Dang weather folks say 40% to 50% chance all week and then we don't get a drip. lol


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Had a 605 SJ that did that once in awhile.Sometimes the anti snap back thingy would be built up with twine and dirt causing to much tension on twine.

The Thingy that fits in twine tubes that is a piece of pipe cleaner about 3" long.


----------



## purplewg (Nov 4, 2009)

Thanks, I saw that pipe cleaner thing and was confused for a bit. Then I remembered reading about it in the manual. I believe we are on to it here with too much twine tension for sure. He had the tensioners as tight as they would go for the small plastic he was using.


----------



## purplewg (Nov 4, 2009)

Ok, finally had some lower chances of rain so I got some more cut. The first thing I did was loosen the twine tensioner for the side that wouldn't cut. It did not help. I then adjusted the adjuster for the timing of the arms hitting the cutter before I knew what it was for. lol I adjusted so that arm was getting pulled back further causing the knife to come out far enough to hit the string. It worked as I only had two miss fires. Later I was reading this adjuster is for the timing of the two arms to hit the knife holders at the same time and then there is another adjustment to make sure the twine arms come all the way back as they should.

And oh by the way I rolling the full 60 inches with square shoulders.


----------



## Cozyacres (Jul 16, 2009)

I don't know how the 5400 is set up but, I had a similar problem with my 604L not cutting most of the time. I fooled around with the twine arms, didn't help, then I changed both the cutting blades, which are just utility knife razor blades on mine, after that it cut every time the whole season.


----------



## purplewg (Nov 4, 2009)

Thanks cozyacres, I was going to do that. During one of my crawl under's to cut the twine I could see the one arm is not (wasn't) coming back far enough to put the knife in the path of the string. I could actually just pull the knife into the string and it would cut it. Saving me the trouble of digging my pocket knife each time.


----------



## midniteplowboyy (Jul 1, 2010)

Are you suppose to use the snap back retarder with sisal? Thought I read somewhere in the manual or maybe somebody told me not to use them with sisal. Maybe I'm crazy. My old SJ works fine without them on sisal, but wont on plastic.


----------



## purplewg (Nov 4, 2009)

Well, that is interesting. I can't say that I have read the manuals cover to cover but remember reading about the retarders and didn't see anything that said not to use with Sisal. Not that I couldn't have missed it for sure. I will have to read a little more I guess.


----------



## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

I lost my retarders last year and haven't had any trouble with sisal twine at all without them.


----------



## purplewg (Nov 4, 2009)

Took a look in the manual last night. I saw no mention of using or not using the retarders with/without sisal.


----------

