# NH 315 square baler plunger removal



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

Hey gang

I've about got my old 315 I bought in Louisiana done but need to remove the plunger & replace the right bottom track. I plan to check the rollers, etc. of course while it's out & replace any that are needed. Any tips, tricks, etc. on the remove & replace? I have the OM that covers adjustments but nothing on removal & replacement.

Oh, also how many wedges do you guys use that bale coastal bermuda?

Thanks!

Lew


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## DKFarms (Aug 11, 2008)

I took one out of both my old 273 and 269 balers. They come out fairly easy, putting it back in is where your stamina, fortitude, self confidence, and belief in a higher power is severely tested. Remove the pitman arm from the crankshaft first. Remove the wedges from the bale chute. You should be able to leave the top hay dogs in place. Remove the bottom hay dogs because although they won't hinder removal, they will be problem when you go to put the plunger back in. Slide the plunger out the back of the chamber. When it falls off the rails it will be DEAD WEIGHT so its handy to have something to tie a come-along to so that you can have help pulling it out. Remember, it's HEAVY and awkward so have 2 people there to lift it off the end of the bale chute.

Going back in is, obviously, the reverse process. Getting it back in the chute ain't bad but getting it back up on the rails is just about the equivalent of brain surgery or rocket science. You'll need at least 3 people to put it back in. One to push from the chute side, and one person reaching in from the feeder side and one underneath, each with a small pry bar to lift the plunger onto the rails, back first, then front. If you replace the rails and bearings, then the tolerances will be really tight. Be patient, work together, provide lunch (cause the baler will be eating it). After this process, you will be very keen on maintaining the plunger bearings because you won't want to be doing this again anytime soon. Don't forget to adjust the bearing clearances as per the manual. Good luck, my friend. ;-)


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## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

Thanks for the info! I have a little forklift i can roll it out onto; replacing it may be the problem help is so hard to find. I'm thinking about grinding some little wedges to place against the rails & serve as "ramps" for the rollers; pull it back in with a cumalong? i'm sure some prying will be necessary tho. I'm hoping the rollers are mostly ok; they are pricey! It has to come apart tho; the bottom rail on the right is loose on the front so has to be replaced; can't tell what's supposed to hold it down.

Lew


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## Greyhorse (Jun 22, 2009)

I haven't done it myself yet but I think it would also be smart to remove the knives.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

The suggestions you have received are basically all you need to do. However there are some tricks that make the job easy and a one man job. Taking out the knives is a good idea. All the haydogs will interfere when you reinstall the plunger especially the top right. Either remove them or pull them up and put a thin piece of metal under them to keep them out of the bale chamber. Remove the center top tension rail by taking out the two 1/2 carriage bolts at the front of the rail and unscrewing the tension springs in back or unbolting the tension spring cross bar from the tension rail. Doing this allows you to use a crow bar to help extract the plunger and you will not be fighting it. As others have stated remove the hay wedges and remove the two attaching bolts at the crank arm. Give the connecting rod a good fast shove to push the plunger the first step in the way out. The connecting rod mounting plate will proabably end up in the slot at the bottom of the bale chamber. Just put a piece of metal under it straddleing the slot. Now go to the back of the baler and using a crow bar you can pry the plunger back by sticking the crow bar down from the top and behind the face plate of the plunger and prying it out. If it is not far enought back you can stick the crow bar into one of the haydog slots to initially get the plunger out. AS the plunger moves rearward you can pry at different locations on the plunger and also using the metering wheel as a prying location. Once the plunger bearings are past the guide rails, stick the crow bar into the plunger through one of the needle slots and hook the plunger where the verticle reinforcements end and just pull it the rest of the way out.

When installing the plunger use the crow bar again only this time insert it into the slot for the bottom center hay dog and when you lift the other end of the crow bar the plunger will lift and slide farther into the bale chamber continue doing this until you hit the lower right bearing rail. IF the plunger goes in crooked just reach town and straighten it out since the tension rail is out of the way. At that point go around to the front and reaching in over the pickup lift the front of the plunger so the side plate bolted to the plunger is on top of the lower right bearing rail. Return to the back of the baler and continue to pry the plunger back. When the bearings reach the rails it will just pop right up onto them if you follow my directions on prying the plunger back into the bale chanber because when you pry this way you are lifting the plunger. If you install new bearings you may need to loosen some of the rails so there is clearence for the bearings to enter between them.


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## DKFarms (Aug 11, 2008)

WOW!! If mike10 had been around when I removed my plunger, it would not have been a 3-day event complete with news coverage, catered meals, and a cussing contest like it turned out to be. Great advice. I have copied and pasted this in my nice-to-know file.


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## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

Well the plunger is out. I threaded a chain thru 2 openings in the plunger & hooked a cumalong to it and the forklift (forks set just narrower than the bale chamber) & it slid right out onto the forks. I'd removed the dogs and wedges; and also had to release the bolts on one side of the metering wheel; one of the points bound the plunger otherwise. i'd tied the top tensioning bar up out of the way before starting to pull. Amazingly all the bearings I checked were fine but I knew I was missing one. It was very near dark so after coming in I looked at the parts diagram & the one I'd missed is the cam follower that's apparently on the bottom of the plunger. I'll check it in the morning & can then order my parts; if that cam follower is ok my order will be bout 100 bux; much better than i was afraid it might be.







Mike that crowbar stuff is GREAT info; I'm hoping I can do this by myself as help is very hard to come by around here!

Stay tuned for updates









Lew


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