# John Deere 338 Small Square Baler



## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

A little while back, I had posted a Post, asking for advice, on a 336 John Deere Baler. I also asked about a 327 John Deere Baler, but I found, and purchased a John Deere 338, with a 40 Kicker, and was asked to post some Pictures of it. I went on my Original Post, but I couldn't post any Pictures of my Baler, so I started a New Post.
Well I was able to bale some Wheat Straw with it. I was told, when I bought my Baler, to expect a few missed Bales, as the Twine Discs, needed to clean them selves up. It missed about 5, or 6 bales. Not a big deal. As I was baling, every once in a while, when the Kicker would kick the Bale, and the Bale would EXPLODE. 
Thinking that the geared spacer in the Bale Metering Assembly, was slipping, making the Bales too long, and the Bale would catch in the Kicker, causing the problem, I changed it,, to a New One. I tried baling Hay, on the Weekend, still had the same issues, with Bales Exploding, going through the Kicker.
I had inspected the broken Twine, always on the Right side of the Bale, thinking it was the Knot, but discovered, just after the Knot, is where the Twine would Break. 
The other day, I compared the Metering Assemblies, on Both my New Holland 278, and my John Deere 338, and the 338, was making a longer Bale, than the 278, so I adjusted the 338, accordingly.
I also investigated the Tension, between the 2 Balers, ands found that I had the 338, set away more tighter, than the 278, and I adjusted the 338, accordingly, as well. 
Well today, I'll be baling some more Hay, and see if my adjustments, I have made,, will make a difference. I'm also using New Holland 9,000 foot Sisal Twine.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Some people do okay with 9000 with a kicker but the first thing I would do would be to switch to heavier twine, either 7200 sisal if you have to have sisal or 190 or 210 knot strength plastic.

A break close to the knot could be a burr on your wiper arm. Assuming you got a manual with your baler there should be a troubleshooting guide with different breakage scenarios.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

We ran a JD 336 with a model 30 kicker for years and yes, when I bale pops in one, it's a mess. Do you know if the bale is broken before the kicker trips? That's what usually happened with ours, but it was often hard to see from the tractor seat. Typically when we had some bad twine, the bale wouldn't break until it landed in the wagon... still a mess to deal with though.

Another spot you might want to check is where the twine is laying back across the top of the bale. There may be a piece going across the top of the chamber there that could have a burr on it as well.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

You can read a free operators manual for the baler online at JD, but I think you have to order the manual for the kicker. I recommend the operators and service manual for the kicker. The trip finger at the pan can be adjusted for longer or shorter bales, I believe on 3 inch increments if I recall correctly.

I tried 9000 and 7200 sisal in my JD348 and with 42 pan kicker and the 7200 was actually worse. I have since switch to 9600/210 poly twine and literately have no broken bales anymore - except at the knot I tie at between the balls of twine... I have recently posted a video of my 348 baling in the 2019 picture thread and am using the poly twine in it.

Deere recommends a shorter bale for less distortion - which is something we do, for that and to lighten the load on our backs when stacking.

One thing we added to our baler was hydraulic tension and it is the cat's meow for consistent density bales throughout the day. If you have lumps and bumps in your field, you might consider adding a gage wheel.

That's a fine baler you have.

Good luck,
Bill


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

My NH baler was doing the same thing, you need to go back to the knotters and make absolute sure ALL the clearances/NEEDLES are correct and the twine fingers especially are not worn out or have burrs on them. I was blaming my kicker too for breaking the bales but it was all at the knotter. 
In the last month I have only had 1 string break and it was during a change over and just couldn't tie a knot with a knot lol. It had 6 9000/138 balls run through it before it lost one.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Can you add a picture of the broken twine? Might give someone a different input, seeing where the twine is broken at.

Larry


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## danwi (Mar 6, 2015)

If it is always on the same side and by the knot it is probably something with the knotters.


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

I would be looking at the knotters for the bale breakage issue. I also second the thought of a gauge wheel. I tend to lower my baler pick up until the wheel touches, then just a bit more. That way when the gauge wheel hits a hole the teeth stay out of the dirt and if the main baler wheel goes through a rut or hole the gauge wheel keeps the teeth from trying to be a primary tillage tool.


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## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

Good looking baler Bruce! I recently sold a twin to it and it was a great machine. I agree you might want to try some heavier twine, but because it is breaking consistently on one side, there is likely something going on there. Have a close look at the tucker finger on that knotter. Is it breaking on the front or rear side of the knot? ie; the side towards the tractor or the side towards the wagon?


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

The Sales Rep called me today, from my Local John Deere Dealership, where I had bought my Baler, the previous owner brought the Manual for the Baler, and the Manual for the Kicker, into the Dealership. So in I goes.
I took along a few Twines, that were broke, into the Service side, of the Dealership, and with the help of the Shop Forman, and a couple Techs, checked the Manual, and the description of the problem, figured it could be the wiper arm, as stated before, or a dull knife. 
So off to the Parts side, picked up a couple knife kits (planning on doing the job I'm Pairs), some fly wheel shear bolts, and some shear bolts, for the Needle assembly. 
I started reading up on the Baler, in the Manual, and I can't get over, how much it goes into Detail, of cause of problems, and how to Service the problem, compared to the Manual, for my New Holland 278, which basically tells you nothing, or very little, of the cause of the problem, or how to remedy, the problem.
I also picked up a gauge wheel, from a scrap New Holland round Baler, to put on the pickup, of my new Baler, like a few of you had suggested. I'll try and take a few pictures, of some broken twines, and post them on here, as well, see what everyone else suggests, as well.
I had one bale break yesterday, cleaned the pan out, drove ahead, and bale, the next bale, exploded, and when I cleaned out the pan, just before the bale exploded, the Twine, and knot, were good, nothing wrong with it, and every time the Twine breaks, it's on the Tractor Side, of the knot. I'm also using New Holland 9000/140 Sisal.


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

Is the bale exploding before the kicker sends it or as it exits the bale chamber?


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

skyrydr2 said:


> Is the bale exploding before the kicker sends it or as it exits the bale chamber?


As the Kicker hits the Bale, it explodes.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

The kicker is probably finding a weak spot in your twine from the tying action even though your bales are successfully tied before they hit the kicker. It doesn’t take much of a tiny weakness in the twine to break the bale when the kicker acts on it.


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## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

Weak twine could be an issue, but the breaks would likely be in more random locations. Seems consistently near the knot, on the tractor side of the knot every time. Without seeing a pic, it sounds to be about where the tucker finger would contact the twine to push it forward during the tie cycle. I would take a look at the tucker finger adjustment, and make sure it doesn't have any type of sharp edge.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

paoutdoorsman said:


> Weak twine could be an issue, but the breaks would likely be in more random locations. Seems consistently near the knot, on the tractor side of the knot every time. Without seeing a pic, it sounds to be about where the tucker finger would contact the twine to push it forward during the tie cycle. I would take a look at the tucker finger adjustment, and make sure it doesn't have any type of sharp edge.


In case you were referring to my comment about the weakness, that's exactly what I was suggesting. A small burr cutting through a few fibers and thus weakening the twine each time in the same place. Then the kicker will make that weak spot known far faster than dropping it on the ground.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

r82230 said:


> Can you add a picture of the broken twine? Might give someone a different input, seeing where the twine is broken at.
> 
> Larry


Here's a couple pictures of the Twine, one of each end.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

8350HiTech said:


> In case you were referring to my comment about the weakness, that's exactly what I was suggesting. A small burr cutting through a few fibers and thus weakening the twine each time in the same place. Then the kicker will make that weak spot known far faster than dropping it on the ground.


I'm in the process, of re-baling round bales, into small squares, have a couple orders to fill, with small squares. I had removed the bottom part of a couple of bales, as it was moldy, and when I had finished my re-baling of the Bales, I cleaned it up, the moldy part, with the baler, as it was in my pasture field, where I did re-baling, and didn't want my horses to get sick.
I started into a fresh bale bale, the other day, didn't have the wagon hooked up, and set the moldy hay bales, on the ground, with the kicker locked out. Once I had driven a head, as I baled, and the two, and part of the third, was on the ground, I drove a little further, and had a bale, explode as it hit the ground.


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

I’m guessing you need 7200 twine if you don’t want to switch to plastic. Since switching to 210 plastic I have eliminated most broken bales. I get it sisal is much easier on the hands and better for the environment but plastic is more consistent on quality.


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## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

Bruce Hopf said:


> Here's a couple pictures of the Twine, one of each end.


I assume we are looking at the tails in the first pic, and the twine broken directly where the knot was tied?


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

paoutdoorsman said:


> I assume we are looking at the tails in the first pic, and the twine broken directly where the knot was tied?


Correct.


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## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

Bruce Hopf said:


> Correct.


Probably not a tucker finger then. It would press on the twine a little further back from the knot.

On the bales that don't break, is their usually more crop/is the string tighter on the side of the bale where the string is breaking?


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

The crop is about the same. The Sales Rep, told me, when I bought the Baler, it sat outside in their Yard, for a little over a year, when the previous owner, traded it in. He told me, as well, that it'll take a few bales, to clean up the Twine Discs, and to expect a few broken bales.
I was talking with him the other day, and he told me, to check the Twine Discs, might be causing the troubles. It sends a broken bale, every 4, or 5 bales, and it's fine, again, till the next 4, or 5 bales. Going to take the Leaf Blower, to the Baler, tomorrow, and once I have things cleaned up, I'll examine everything tomorrow, and go from there.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Bruce Hopf said:


> The crop is about the same. The Sales Rep, told me, when I bought the Baler, it sat outside in their Yard, for a little over a year, when the previous owner, traded it in. He told me, as well, that it'll take a few bales, to clean up the Twine Discs, and to expect a few broken bales.
> I was talking with him the other day, and he told me, to check the Twine Discs, might be causing the troubles. It sends a broken bale, every 4, or 5 bales, and it's fine, again, till the next 4, or 5 bales. Going to take the Leaf Blower, to the Baler, tomorrow, and once I have things cleaned up, I'll examine everything tomorrow, and go from there.


On our old baler (back before I actually learned how knotters worked) we had the twine needle out of adjustment and it wouldn't bring the twine far enough into the twine disc to let it tie the two ends together as well as the twine disc being out of adjustment. Given that the picture you showed is not a simple knot in the end of the twine, I don't think this is the case. My point is, you might want to sit down and really study all the different adjustments/checks that the knotter needs and then have someone help you roll the baler over by hand as you check each one. It could be that you have a couple different things going on at the same time.

Also check all the different mounting points for things, the problem with our 336 started because one of the bolts holding the needle yoke to the side of the bale chamber had a head that was worn so much from hay over the years that the needle yoke was actually loose.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

To me it looks like it is breaking about the same point that the wiper arm would coming into contact with the twine. If so, then the amount of pressure the wiper arm is applying to the twine might come into play, is my next thought (figuring wiper arm has been checked for rough spots). So is the tension on the twine greater on the breaking side and/or is the bill hook tension higher by chance?

Then again I could be way off base (and it won't be the first time, for sure ).

Larry


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Twine will almost always break at the base of the knot if its is over stressed. That is why twine is always rated by "knot strength". The first thing I would do is go away from sisal twine. That stuff is fragile. I can't believe any sisal twine can survive a thrower. Try a 170 plastic twine and see what happens.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Granted my baler has a belt thrower and you are talking pan kicker, but I had to give up on sisal about 4 years ago after the big twine factory fire in Brazil. I was using NH7200 and could not get sisal twine any longer that I could keep bales from breaking. Switched to 190 Bridon. When I use it up, will go to 210 knot strength bridon. That stuff is tough.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

Ok, I had time to get the Baler, out today, took the Leaf Blower to it, and cleaned out the areas, of the Baler, I was going to be working on. Grabbed a couple cans of brake Cleaner, and cleaned the right hand knotter, and ok the air line, amd Blow Gun to it, and cleared the crap, and grease, away from everything, so I could see what was going on.
I checked the wiper arm, and wiper plate, they seemed fine. I checked the Knife, that thing was dull, had Knicks, and burs, in the blade, I installed a new blade.
I also checked the clearances, for the Twine Discs, compared them to the other knotter, of the Baler, and noticed the adjustments, were different, so I adjusted them, the same as the other other knotter, of the Baler, ass I didn't have any issues, with that knotter. Now just to try the Baler out, and see if I made progress.
The other knife, was just as bad, as the knife I had replaced for the knotter,so I changed it out, as well. I also added the guide wheel, to the pickup, of my Baler, that I got off of a burned out New Holland Round Baler, last week.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

Farmerbrown2 said:


> I'm guessing you need 7200 twine if you don't want to switch to plastic. Since switching to 210 plastic I have eliminated most broken bales. I get it sisal is much easier on the hands and better for the environment but plastic is more consistent on quality.


210 plastic, is that the breaking strength of the Twine, or breaking strength of the knot? Is that in 9,000 ft, or what length are you getting? 
Last May, my Local New Holland Dealer had a special on Sisal, and my Old 278 New Holland, was having troubles with a knotter, tying 9,000/130 plastic, the guys in the shop, told me I should switch to 9,000/140 Sisal, not expecting my Old Baler, to have a Kaniption Fit, and Blow Apart, I bought 6 Bales of Sisal.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

I have always been told the strength rating of twine is knot strength. I don't have experience with throwers, none whatsoever. But when we still handled small square (a lifetime ago it seems) we always used plastic twine. My dad would sometimes buy straw bales from my uncle who used sisal twine exclusively, in fact still does today. I was always reminded to be careful with sisal bales (we stacked everything by hand) as the sisal wouldn't tolerate the abuse that plastic would. That is why I am surprised sisal can survive a thrower at all.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

Gearclash said:


> I have always been told the strength rating of twine is knot strength. I don't have experience with throwers, none whatsoever. But when we still handled small square (a lifetime ago it seems) we always used plastic twine. My dad would sometimes buy straw bales from my uncle who used sisal twine exclusively, in fact still does today. I was always reminded to be careful with sisal bales (we stacked everything by hand) as the sisal wouldn't tolerate the abuse that plastic would. That is why I am surprised sisal can survive a thrower at all.


A friend of mine, has a New Holland 273, with a thrower, all he will ever use, is Sisal. He said that with those old Balers, everything gets worn, and with Plastic, he said it's either a Hit, or a Miss, with the knotters. He said he always had better Luck, with Sisal, and very hardly, misses a bale. I drove his tractor, and baler a few years ago, for a couple of days, for him, never skipped a beat, with 9,000/140 Sisal.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Bruce Hopf said:


> 210 plastic, is that the breaking strength of the Twine, or breaking strength of the knot? Is that in 9,000 ft, or what length are you getting?
> Last May, my Local New Holland Dealer had a special on Sisal, and my Old 278 New Holland, was having troubles with a knotter, tying 9,000/130 plastic, the guys in the shop, told me I should switch to 9,000/140 Sisal, not expecting my Old Baler, to have a Kaniption Fit, and Blow Apart, I bought 6 Bales of Sisal.


It is knot strength. You can buy it in a two ball bale of 9600' or a single of 6500'. You might buy a single of 7200' as well.

I have no idea why if you were already running plastic someone told you to switch to sisal before suggesting you switch to a thicker plastic instead.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

We are running 9600/210 plastic twine in our JD348 baler and have zero issues now with twine. If you try a bale of this twine, I'd say you can rule out any twine issues if you have bale breakage and focus on potential knotter problems...


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Bruce, one thing to check on before you switch to plastic twine would be if the knotters have the multi-twine bill hook or the sisal only bill hook. Most JD balers these days have the multi-twine, but I think the sisal only style are still available. Unless you're running really thick sisal twine, the multi-twine should work fine.

The 348 I run now had plastic in it when I bought it, but we run sisal now and had no problems switching types. Our old 336 (now the backup baler) has always been sisal... tried plastic in it once with really bad results. I think it may have been a combination of the wrong twine (my ignorance of plastic twine types) and the knotters being worn out.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Bruce Hopf said:


> I also added the guide wheel, to the pickup, of my Baler, that I got off of a burned out New Holland Round Baler, last week.


Looks like you need to get some paint out before you end up with a color war, that wheel might not like supporting green painted stuff.  :lol:

As far as plastic twine, I'm in the Mike10 camp, anything less than 170# knot strength, is a gamble at best.

Larry


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

r82230 said:


> Looks like you need to get some paint out before you end up with a color war, that wheel might not like supporting green painted stuff.  :lol:
> 
> As far as plastic twine, I'm in the Mike10 camp, anything less than 170# knot strength, is a gamble at best.
> 
> Larry


Yes, that wheel, does look out of place doesn't it. LOL.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

OK, yesterday, I got the Tractor and Baler out, in my Back Yard, set it up to bale, locked out the Kicker, so it wouldn't move, or kick, when a Bale activated it to kick, and ran a few bales through it, to see if the adjustments I made the day before, helped with anything.
Well I re-baled 7 Bales, never had any more issues, Kotter never missed a beat, and the Knots were the exact same shape, as the Knot, on the other side of the Baler.
Now the reason, I was using Sisal, instead of Plastic. Back in March, I had to re-bale a bunch of Round Bales, into Small Squares. I was using Plastic, in my Old New Holland 278 Baler, seemed like every other Bale, the one Kotter would miss a Bale, only forming 1 Knot, on the Back side of the Twine, and the Tractor side of the Knot, would pull through.
I took a twine one day, to my Local New Holland Dealership, and went into the Service Department. The Service Manager called in his Small Square Baler Expert, a man well into his Late 50's, early 60's.
He looked at the Knot, a d told me, that possibly, my problems were the Twine, Itself, because the Twine, was so Thin, and he figured it was slipping out of the Twine Discs, and not forming the Knot Properly. He suggested either a thicker Plastic, or Sisal, to run in my Old Baler. 
I had ran Sisal years ago, with my old Baler, and never had an issue with it, so I went back to Sisal. Reason I went to Plastic Twine, was the Price Difference, between the two Baler Twine. Sisal jumped up in price, by $20.00, $30.00 a Bale, a few years ago.
Now with that all being said, I appreciate all the help, and advice about switching to Plastic Twine, with a Higher Knot Strength, but switching Twine, wouldn't help, in this case, until I had everything figured out, to what was causing the problem, but now I have the Baler set Correctly, I know it'll handle any Twine, I throw at it, as the Baler, is equipped with Multi Twine Bill hook, and when I'm almost out of Sisal Twine, I'll probably switch my Baler, over to Plastic Twine. Thanks again, for everyone's Help, a d Advice. It was Greatly Appreciated.


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## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

Sounds like you might have it Bruce. Out of curiosity, was the twin disc so far left or right that the twine wasn't falling into the cup?


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

paoutdoorsman said:


> Sounds like you might have it Bruce. Out of curiosity, was the twin disc so far left or right that the twine wasn't falling into the cup?


To be honest, I studied the knot, on the Right side (side I was having issues with knotter), looked way different then on the Left side (side I wasn't having issues with), of the Baler. So I figured get the Tape Measure out, and do some measuring.
I had discovered, that the adjustment but, for the Twine Holder, on the Right Side, was out a fair bit, compared to the the Left side of the Baler, so I adjusted it accordingly, with the Twine Holder, on the Left side.
I then measured the adjustment of the Billhook, compared those measurements, with the Left Side, of the Baler, and it too, was out a fair bit, as well, so I adjusted according to the Billhook, on the Left side. 
After running a few Bales through the Baler, I checked the Twine, and Knot, to see if the Adjustments I had made, did anything, checked both the Twines, and Knots, and compared them. They were Identical, to one another.
The nut, on Both the Twine Disc, and Billhook, had to be tightened up. I didn't pay attention to which side of the Twine Disc was out, I just took a few measurements, and I made the adjustments, and everything worked out.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

Ok, here's an update on my Baler. I've been re-baling Round Bales, into Small Squares. Studied to why I was having so many issues, with the broken twine strings, just after the knot, as the bale goes through the Baler. 
I had Discovered, that the Hook, on the Bale Hook, wasn't letting go, of the Twine, as it tied the knot, thus breaking the Twine. Didn't matter how much I had adjusted, the Bale Hook, on either side of the Baler, it would break the Twine, just after the Knot.
I decided to replace the Bale Hooks, and also put new Drive Gears, for the Bale Hooks, as this Baler is a 2000 Model, and been on a Dairy Farm, Since New, so I figured, that the Bale Hooks, were probably getting worn out, had a lot of Slop in them, so went with new ones.
I tried it out, the other day, the twine on the right hand side, didn't have Any Knots, at all in the Twine. I had removed the Knife, that cuts the Twine, when I changed the Bale Hook, and I didn't put it in the right way, put it in upside down. Figured I did something wrong, when I put the Bale Hook in, so when I lifted the Knotter Up, I noticed the Knife, was Bent, like a Fish Hook.
Put a new Knife in, tried the Baler again, figured I still had done something wrong, so I lifted Both Knotter assemblies up, to compare, as when I discovered, I had the Knife in Wrong, again, I corrected the problem, tried the Baler again, and had No more issues, with the Baler. Just hope I got everything in order now. Thanks again, for all the Help, and Advice.


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

Glad it's working for you. A knotter that won't is a very good example of things that cause frustration.


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## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

That sounds like good progress Bruce. What process are you using to re-bale?


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

I found this home made bale spinner, on line. It's built out of a 1 ton truck axle, with a bearing. The spear is welded to the centre of the Hub, and a round plate, for the bale to sit on. The Base is built out of 2 X 2 square tubing, and is set on 4 Coster Wheels, so it can be moved around, where ever it needs to be moved to.
I set a bale on end, on top of some 4 X 4's, use the fork lift bucket, set the bale spinner, so it's in line with the centre of the bale, set the bale down, over the spear, and since I only have a concrete floor, I lift the hole outfit in front of the Baler, turn the spinner, as I pull a bunch of hay off, and use the pitch fork, and fork the hay, into the Baler. Kind of a slow process, but gets the job done.
One nice thing about this Baler, I don't have to grab the bales, from the back of the Baler, and pile them, the Kicker tosses the bales into the kicker wagon, I have parked behind the Baler, just have to unload the kicker wagon, when it's loaded.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

Well, I'm still having the Odd issue with the Bale Hooks, not releasing the twine, on my Baler, once the knot was made. I lifted up each knotter assembly, noticed that the Wiper Plate, each side (this time looking with the Ole Cheaters, Glasses), needed to be adjusted, so I set them to according to speck, ran a few bales through it, and worked pretty good. 
One nice thing about re-baling this Hay, I can find all the issues, while baling in the Shed, able to take my time, understand what the Baler is telling me, what's wrong with it, instead of Hay being down, out in the Field, being Pressured to figuring it out, with the Threat of change in the Weather. Then the Mad Dash, to swap Balers, Small Square Baler, for the Round Baler, as I only use the one Tractor, for running both balers.


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## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

Yeah that's a definite advantage!


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## SwingOak (May 19, 2014)

I found that a lot of my bale blowups when hitting the kicker came from a combination of things, one of them being the hay knives on the plunger and bale chute. They have to be SHARP and set up with the right clearance. If not, you get hay that's not cut completely and connects two bales together, sometimes significantly. Then when you throw a bale, because it is attached with hay to the next bale in the chute it will pop the twine on the bale being sent out of the thrower pan.

On a JD baler, the tucker fingers are an important feature to make sure the twine handles correctly in the knotters. I installed the Green Baler Parts tucker finger upgrade and it was worth it, and make sure the hay needle gap is set so they come as close as possible to the tucker fingers and twine plates as you can get it without dragging. Twine knives also have to be razor sharp.

I use 7200 sisal twine and rarely have missed a tie or had a blowup after going through everything and making sure all the knives are sharp and everything is set up and aligned properly.


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