# anybody use a swather to cut hay



## BOBANDTOBY (Aug 19, 2011)

we use a versatile 4025 double knife drive on a 9030 bidirectional to cut hay, only takes an extra day and a half to dry down our only problem is that it wont cut fine hay and grass, plugs up the knife sure speeds things up


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

anybody use a swather to cut hay 
yes...Not sure of your question a little more detail?


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## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

The problem with your guard plugging is common to me. It used to happen all of the time, What I did was to change from standard guards to stub guards, they tip of the knife protrudes past the tip of the guard so it cannot build up and plug in the fine stuff. It sounds as though you are in for a knife and guards either way standard or stub. I heard the rumor that the herchel easy cut knife and guard would also solve this problem, but no one at the company or aven a salesman would gaurentee it, or even suggest that it might do a better job than the stub guards, only drive easier.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

Toyes. Are they more expensive? I maybe changing guards this winter but like the stub idea but do the sections break easily as the have less protection? Thank you. Martin


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## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

Martin, Not at all, if anything I would say that the stub grards are stronger for a few reasons: the guards are shorter so they offer less leverage to stones to bend things, the guards are casted thicker than the standard guards, and another benefit of the Hesston stub guards is the ability to adjust the clearance by turning screw in the hold down, and not screwing with shims. Possibly others manufactures offer this (adjustable hold downs) as well - but the Hesston lower guards are almost identicle to the NH, so I wonder if you could install the adjustable hold downs from a Hesston on a NH? It could be something worth looking into. Also if you do not have a Hesston dealer nearby CIH, or NH can get them for an 8370 CIH, which is the same as the Hesston 1160.
...and to the price issue, I do not know if they are more or less costly than standard. I know that the standard guards on my old NH would not cut fine grass at all, only plug the guards. As an added perk, with the stub guards you will never plug the knife while finishing a wedge in the field, because there are no long points for hay to get stuck on.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

TOYES. Thanks for info like you I run a H 1160. Haven't had any prob in grasses but for sections bent or broken occasions. Seems to me changing would be easier yet with open nose of the stubbies thinking I'll switch!


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## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

I was new to the 1160 this year and I was fairly concerned about the double roller arrangement, I had thought that a NH 499 was the way to go. Now that I have cut somewhere around 200 acres with it, I would not trade it for all of the 499s. Needless to say I like it, it cuts good (new knife, and set up guards), conditions very well because of the augers and the rollers, the 5 bat reel seems to make it possible to run 1 gear faster than the old machine, and it leaves a smooth, even windrow no matter what.
Just for comparison for you, I had priced the Herchel SCH easy-cut 2 kit for the 1160 (14'), with all guards plus 1 spare, and a new knife and the back roller bearings for $1000. But that would have left me with the standard type guards, so I passed.


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## Iowa hay guy (Jul 29, 2010)

I don't know what you guys call fine hay but stub guards will not cut fine wiry grass in this area no matter how hard you squeeze it down from the top and yes it was a new sickle and guard package from cih about 700 a few years ago I've since went to a macdon r80 and never looked back


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

Iowa hay guy. If you are talking about the wire grass we have here I will agree with you. on the 40 across the road I rent there is a patch of about a half acre thought it was gonna tear the sickle right out of the machine... So there is a patch that didn't get cut! I talked to some friends and they laughed and said short of a discbine, plow or a sprayer full of gas there is nothing else to do. 
Toyes. Yes i have both IH, Agco, Vermeer, JD, with in 20 miles and Ford...er NH is a bit further. Macdon is ??? not sure where


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## Iowa hay guy (Jul 29, 2010)

well im not sure where macdon is at but the usa headquarters and warehouse in in kc
most dealers will overnight parts to you 
my old sickle machine hated slew grass or anything thin it just wouldnt cut it off and looked like crap unless there was a stem to hold it up


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