# Guy told me he doesn't oil chains on round baler!!!



## JCRFARMS (Feb 8, 2012)

As I was on my was to the barn to get ready to bale about a month ago I saw a local well known hay man on the side of the road at a field he was about to bale. I stopped to make small talk and get a little advise as I'm always open to suggestions. As I was leaving I said all I had to do was oil the chains on the baler and I was ready to go. He told me that he wasn't telling me not to oil them but the baler he had previously he oil chains regularly and was always replacing chains and sprockets, etc. He had always run John Deere balers that I could remember and currently has a JD467. He said he stopped oiling them and has about 30,000 bales now and has only replaced one chain on his current baler. He said he guessed the oil made the dirt stick and wear out things faster. Now he does do custom baling and bales peanut hay also where I only do grass hay. I kind of figure all the dirt from the peanut hay is probably what gets him by oiling chains. I was just wondering if anybody else did this or had any thoughts?


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Sounds reasonable on Peanut hay......I dont doubt that a bit and if he is a long timer I expect he is probably right on in his analysis. If you are doing grass only, I would think it would be beneficial to oil your chains periodically.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

90% of what I bale is crop residue, and it seems like oil + soil dust = worn chains. I replaced some chains this summer that had only 2700 bales on them. Daido chain by the way. I was not impressed. O-ring chain seems like the best way to go for me.


----------



## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

I never have ever seen my dad oil a chain my entire life on our small balers and I never remember any breaking. Sure they get a little looser. But never have broken. We bale mostly alfalfa and grass.


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I know better than to argue with another person's success.
I wonder if the type oil and when the chains are oiled makes a big difference?
On the square baler we always used chain saw bar oil.
On the new round baler I decided to go with the spray lubes designed for chains.
I also do not oil the chains when they are hot. I was told the heat pulled the dust into the chain with the oil.
I also lube chains the day before I bale. This allows time for excess oil to shed.

I do not have the confidence or experience to stop oiling my chains. It is an option to file away and consider if I ever begin to have chain/sprocket issues.


----------



## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

I know a guy with the same philosophy about chain oil. He ran a JD round baler and a Hesston in-line and just blew them out. You could probably eat off his equipment, it was so clean. Myself.....I oil the chains.


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

As Haywilson likes to remind us....what works HERE doesn't necessarily work THERE.....and thats what makes this world go around.









Regards, Mike


----------



## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

I oil mine with a dry graphite lubricant that is sold at TSC and other places that sell CRC products. I have never replaced a chain in all the years I've been baling and my chains stay in good shape. I sure don't know a thing about peanut hay but it sounds interesting. I'm not saying it's the right thing to do but it has been as sucessful for me as the guy that doesn't put anything on his. I just think that the chain you get nowadays is crap from never, never land. Mike


----------



## johndeerefarmer (Jun 22, 2009)

My Deere 457 has the auto oiler on it, so it does the oiling for me. I use used motor oil in it. In 8 years I haven't had any trouble other than breaking one chain and having to put a half link in it.

Makes sense that sandy soil would wear out your chain and sprockets faster than baling coastal or other grass pastures


----------



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

One of my manuals claims that you can oil them or not but if you oil a chain, then you need to do it often enough to flush any dirt out of them. This year we didn't oil any of the planter chains before starting, but they were oiled before it was stored last year. In extremely dusty conditions the oil attracts dust and it acts like an abrasive.

This is the third year for my BR740A, it has the auto oiler, won't own another baler without it. I have only had to adjust the chains once in three years. Most of that was taking a little bit of slack up in the spring tensioners.


----------



## fredro (May 12, 2012)

i use dirt bike chain lube 605 m vemeer i oil while hot at the end of day ready to go next day also have 2 2.5 gal, water fire extinguishers on board added a little soap also sprinkler would be nice never burned a baler next door neighbor burned 3 over the years


----------



## aussie hayman (Nov 8, 2008)

Gooday i have a JD 348 baler i oil the chains especially the hyd oil pump chain for the auto bale compression as its made in China ,stamped on the chain. Good old JD.
Regards Mick


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

We always oiled the round baler chains but I don't on the square baler. Just grease it all really well. The chains stay clean without oil.

Strange enough we oil the hay conveyor chain when its gets noisy just cause its the ways its always been done.


----------



## HL649 (Jul 23, 2009)

I use the Chain Lube in a spray can. Designed for chains and it holds on real good. I bale mostly alfalfa and grass here. Haven't seen a problem with excess dust sticking to the chains. I give a the baler a real good blow down after every season to get rid of the excess.


----------

