# changing knives on new holland 276 baler



## aldent (Mar 15, 2015)

I have a new holland 276 baler and it needs new knives, I bought them and the one looks rather simple to get to, but the other one on what I call the plunger looks interesting to change. It almost looks like I need to take off the top piece above the chute that creates the tension on the bale with the two adjustable cranks and the little star wheel assembly that is behind the knotter. If I remove these two things it would make it simpler to get to. Any Ideas.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.


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## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

I've changed several on a NH 273. I always just reached through and changed them . Make sure not to shim the stationary knife out beyond the lower guide rail. Results will be catastrophic ,


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## aldent (Mar 15, 2015)

I was messin around with it and lookin at the best way to do it and noticed that if you raise the front of the baler up higher and lower the pick up head down and roll the fly wheel around so that the plunger is toward the front more you can almost climb in the area above the pick up head were the hay all goes up in there. Mind you I am not the skinnyest guy so might be interesting. But you can almost get right to it, if need be.

Thanks for the advice so far.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

IMHO - you should pull the plunger out to both change the knife on it and also to check the plunger bearings. Typically pulling a plunger is not a hard job - but well worth the effort.

Good luck,
Bill


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Ditto what Bill stated on pulling PH & checking brgs!! I've pulled plunger head on sq balers in less than 10 minutes then one can change PH knife without becoming a contortionist.


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## aldent (Mar 15, 2015)

Thanks for the advice, I didn't think of pulling out the plunger, I am assuming that you just disconnect the front of it from the crank. how far back will it come back I couldn't imagine it sliding all the way out of the baler, but I honestly have never had to tear a baler down that far, Knock on wood.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

It'll come out the back easily after you loosen the plunger and remove your wedges. *not so easily if anyone with a belt thrower is reading.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

A bale thrower never entered my mind as none were sold down here that I'm aware of.


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## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

Also wedge the hay dogs to get them out of the way. I have pulled 2 plungers and changed the bearings on them. I did one by myself. However the plunger is pretty heavy. The reason did not pull the plunger one time was, I was just sharpening the knives. I have also laid all up in the pickup but I only weigh about 150# .


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## aldent (Mar 15, 2015)

Well mine has the belt thrower I was looking at it today with the ideas about pulling the plunger out and thinking about the thrower being in the way. I think if I pull it back as far it can come out and I should be able to pull the knife off and check some of the bearings. Well see how well that works I do like the idea about shimmying my fat ass up in the pick up That might be interesting especially if I get my fat ass stuck in there.


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## thendrix (May 14, 2015)

Have somebody standing by with a camera.......and for safety's sake of course


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

While it may be a good idea to pull the plunger to check the bearings, it is not neccessary to remove the plunger knife.

Turn the flywheel in the direction of travel until the plunger knife and the stationary knife are directly opposite of each other. Reach down trough the opening between the tension rail and the top side of the bale chamber to remove the nuts and lock washers from the plunger knife boltls. Now turn the flywheel in the opposite direction. This will move the plunger towards the front of the baler. Turn until the plunger knife is below the opening for the feed forks. Reach in from the front and remove the knife.

To install the plunger knife just reverse the steps.

A couple explainations and helpful hints.

The reason you want the knives directly opposite of each other is so after the nuts and washers are removed the bolt heads will not slip out of the plunger knife and get caught on the back side of the stationary knife when you move the plunger forward.

Do not try and put the shims or the nuts and washers back on the plunger knife until the knives are again opposite of each other. You will need to be watchful when moving the plunger rearward so the bolt heads do not hit the stationary knife. Just take it slow and push the bolts back in when they reach the stationary knive.

To hold the plunger in place with the knives oposite of each other, take a heavy tapered punch and push it down between the flywheel and the bale case.

Your wrench may not fit in the opening for the top plunger bolt nut. I just ground the width of the box end down until it would fit.

The operators manual gives a good explaination of adjusting the plunger and knives. It may not make sense with the first read through, but take the time and read each paragraph until you understand what is being explained.


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## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

The way mike10 describes is exactly the way I have done it many times on 273's. Maybe the 276 is much different, but I doubt it.I keep 2 sets of sharp knives handy and simply swap them out, at least once at the beginning of the season, and usually once during the season depending on use and crop. Lots of good reasons to keep nice sharp knives in the baler. Just keep in mind that you may need to adjust shims for different sets of knives since they are not all exactly the same thickness.

Regards,

Steve


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## aldent (Mar 15, 2015)

got knives changed and now trying to figure out the correct distance between them with the shims or with out so I know which and how many shims to put in place or just put the same size back in that came out even though the new knives are a slight larger since they are new. I am going to order a manual to help with this this week


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

The manual for my New Holland 68 calls for a clearence between the plunger and stationary knifes to be 1/32 inch.


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## aldent (Mar 15, 2015)

I ordered a manual for my 276 this should help a lot I spoke with the baler mechanic at a new holland dealer and gave me a lot to work with. After talking with him, He thought I may have more than dull knives. I have a little side to side movement which could explain the gap between my knives. I pulled the plunger back all the way to the thrower to inspect all my bearings and they are all good but I possibly could adjust the two of them to keep the plunger closer to the knives I will wait to see the manual when it comes first though.


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## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

The 273's also call for 1/32" clearance. I use a .032 feeler guage to check. I also slide a small crowbar between the chamber wall and the plunger on the off side from the knives to make allowance for any side to side movment. Not unusual to have a small amount. If excessive there is an adjustement on the chamber where one of the bearings rides. The bearing is mounted on a cam that can be adjusted to move the plunger over closer to the knives. A manual spells it out pretty well.

Regards,

Steve


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## aldent (Mar 15, 2015)

got my manual today have to read up on it all I saw the cam since I pulled the plunger back all the way to inspect all the bearings I am going to take apart the parts that are adjustable and make sure they are not seized up, so that I can adjust them if necessary while it is in the chamber. I just don't want it screwing up while we are baling all though that is the true test

Thanks to all


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## bjr (Jan 24, 2013)

I replace the plunger bearings on a NH 269. I died of sticker shock when quoted the price on the bearings at the NH store. Wound up buying Six of the Seven(import bearings) from a vendor called "Locate Bearings". There's one bearing that has a stud mounted in it and I did have to buy that one from NH. There was a tin shield mounted to the plunger that I replaced all shiney and new and two hours into baling the shield snagged on something and it was very folded mashed up piece of junk. I was able to pull it out of the bale chamber and kept on baling. Don't have that baler no more, went to a inline machine. bjr


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## aldent (Mar 15, 2015)

Success Success so far. Put it all together and gauged it according to the manual It is close to .030 between the knives I have a video on my phone of it moving if I can figure out how to put it on here I will

Hopefully it works good come hay time. This is my spare baler but it has the potential to be the good one.

So far my 273 has not let me down. Eventually I want to buy a newer baler but till then these will work.

Thanks for everybodys help and advice. My advice to any one is buy a manual if you don't have one.


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