# Vermeer 504M



## oldhayroller (Aug 10, 2013)

I have a Vermeer 504M round baler. I have been thru 5 starter rollers in 2 years. The end sprocket wallers out and rounds off shaft of starter roller. Has anybody else had this problem? Anybody got a fix for my problem?


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Send swmnhay a personal message. He's the Vermeer guru on this site.

Regards, Mike


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I have a 504 M and do not have a starter roller problem.

Is the roller loose? Just wondering if the bearings are out and causing slop.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Obviously something else is loose or out of alignment, but as a side note, I would never buy a new roll because of a mangled shaft. That's what machine shops are for.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

When you put in a new roller are you also putting in new bearings and sprockets?. If the sprocket is coming loose it could be a key way set screws etc. What process do you use when you put the new roll in? Just woundering how you put it in. Believe me or not how you set your bearings when putting in a roll can cause thing to not be set true or premature bearings faliure, wobbles on the shaft etc.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

I've never had that problem on a 605M or SM.

So the sprocket comes loose,and wobbles on shaft and ruins it?

So is it a tapered hub sprocket that locks it self to shaft with 3 bolts?

You are referring to the bottom roller/drum that starts the bale?And basically sits on entire time of baleing process?

It's possible it may be different on 504 then the 605??


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## oldhayroller (Aug 10, 2013)

Each time the roller bearings were replaced. I have been having the repair done at a Vermeer dealer. The sprocket does not get loose. It strips out and then rounds off the shaft. The starter roller is just above the pickup and hay scraper bar. Shaft is a octagon like shape.


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

You're octagon shaft, is getting rounded off??


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

oldhayroller said:


> Each time the roller bearings were replaced. I have been having the repair done at a Vermeer dealer. The sprocket does not get loose. It strips out and then rounds off the shaft. The starter roller is just above the pickup and hay scraper bar. Shaft is a octagon like shape.


OK,Now I am following you.The stub shaft that sticks out of the roller threw the bearing is Hexed shaft.

Holy crap.Something has to be seriously wrong for that to happen.And I've never heard of a hex shaft & bearing getting rounded off.

I presume everthing is running true.

I'm wondering if the hex shaft was welded in properly?Perfectly true?I have had a weld fail on another hex shaft and fail.But the bearing went out from running crooked not the hex.

This is a stretch but are they putting a round hole bearing on a Hex shaft??Or wrong sized bearing?


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## oldhayroller (Aug 10, 2013)

Rounds off the inside of sprocket and shaft. It appears to be running true.


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## AndyL (Mar 9, 2013)

I seems something isn't fitting right. Even if it were not running true, with the proper fit, the hex shaft shouldn't round off. That would seem almost impossible, with all parts that fit as they should. Are they using a hex shaft sprocket or a round?

Seems a far out question, but something doesn't fit.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

AndyL said:


> I seems something isn't fitting right. Even if it were not running true, with the proper fit, the hex shaft shouldn't round off. That would seem almost impossible, with all parts that fit as they should. Are they using a hex shaft sprocket or a round?
> 
> Seems a far out question, but something doesn't fit.


Agreed

There should be spacers on the shaft and then a big washer with a bolt in center of shaft holding everything tight in place.Are the spacers missing?and the sprocket eventualy wears the shaft?


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## oldhayroller (Aug 10, 2013)

According to my parts manual, everything looks right. My dealer checked it out. The dealer contacted Vermeer Manf. and was told to spot weld the sprocket to the shaft or to use thread lock on the shaft. I don't think that solves the problem though. It still does not solve why the sprocket spins the the shaft end off. Something seems out of time or excessive pull. You would think the chain would break before the shaft would round off.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

oldhayroller said:


> According to my parts manual, everything looks right. My dealer checked it out. The dealer contacted Vermeer Manf. and was told to spot weld the sprocket to the shaft or to use thread lock on the shaft. I don't think that solves the problem though. It still does not solve why the sprocket spins the the shaft end off. Something seems out of time or excessive pull. You would think the chain would break before the shaft would round off.


Yea seems strange.I'm wondering if something is rubbing on the spirals causing it to jerk causing more wear then a constant pull.


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## oldhayroller (Aug 10, 2013)

I even thought about wrong sprocket teeth count but dealer says its right. The thing is that I rolled over 19,000 bales without a problem. Mechanic replaced starter roller bearing and noticed that my starter roller had a slight bend which made me believe that a bent roller would cause my bearing to go out. Mechanic replaced shaft and bearing and since then all heck has broken loose. I am at 25,000 bales now and the 6th starter roller. I have a real deal on slightly used starter rollers. I guess I need to get someone to rebuild the shafts.


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## AndyL (Mar 9, 2013)

Maybe have someone ride along side you while you're baling. Maybe then they can see where something is jerking/binding (or them lil iron worms slip in there and chew it up) as it loads up.

I'm really curious to know what's wrong.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

Is the starter roll it self straight???? If it is out of wack even just a bit than it might not matter if you replaced the shafts.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

This was on a 604M, not 504, but I have heard of the rubber coming off of one of the belt drive rolls and causing undue wear on driveline components.


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

One question has not been answered. "Are they using a hex shaft sprocket or round" I agree sounds far out, but?? Nothing makes sense. I have seen a hex shaft on a Jd baler get rounded off, but that was cause bearing went out an wore that inner race off an got into the shaft. That's why they use hex so that when a bearing locks up it don't spin on the shaft like a round one would.


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## oldhayroller (Aug 10, 2013)

Well I hope the dealer mechanic would know the difference but I would'nt bet on it. I'll check on that though.


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