# best small square on the market ?



## tw30

Want to see opinions on what is the best small sqaure baler on the market . I noticed most makers have 3 models . I want to compare the

Jd- 348
Challenger Sb-44
Case IH SB551
New Holland BC5080
Claas ?

I was looking through the challenger manuals and was wondering if it's contuer options were standard on other balers


----------



## pltarpl

I would for sure go with the New Holland. I have had a New Holland 575 twine baler for 3 years and baled close to 150,000 with it and just a week ago put about $500 in it and is still baling great.


----------



## aussiehayman

Is the Challenger the same as Agco/Heston/MF? we have a new MF inline, the inline has so many benifits over the offset balers. Its a very good baler.


----------



## BCFENCE

You do know that the bc5080 makes a bigger bale than the bc5070, It has a bigger bale chamber.


----------



## STRAWBOSS

I think the 5080NH is the updated version of the 575. We run a 575 every day baling wheat straw (around 250,000)/year. You can run about 100-150K through it with out any problem. After that you need to replace the guides and the shims on the plunger. i havent run a jd or any of the others mentioned but the NH has been some good balers. "New Holland makes the square baler and John Deere makes the round baler" that about sums it up in my opinion.


----------



## mlappin

Figure in who's the best, easiest to work with dealer in the area as well. No point in having the best baler around if the dealer for it never stocks any parts and could care less about supporting it.


----------



## cattleman4170

I guess it depends on what you are baling and how many bales you run through it.
I had a 1975 model JD 336 that I used for the past 29 years, with regular maintenance I had very little problems. I replaced it this year with a new JD 328. I'm sure it will last the rest of my life. I keep it in the barn and cleaned out when not in use. I don't do the volumn that Strawboss does, I sell to the local horse market in Alabama. JD works for me.


----------



## saltwater

I notice that you did not mention the Freeman although last time I checked you could buy 2 NH for one of them.


----------



## Rodney R

BC had it right - the NH BC5080 makes a 16x18 bale. A BC5070 is a 14x18 bale and replaced the 575. the Hayliner BC5070 has a longer bale case (and other things), but it still makes a 14x18 bale. The CIH versions are the same as the NH versions, cept for the wheel color (They come down the same assembly line)

Rodney


----------



## rob_cook2001

In my opinion the Inlines (hesston, agco, mf, cat) are the best all around machine out there. They are much more consistent, less leaf loss, easier to work on, much more maneuverable, easier to transport and just make a good looking bale. The NH's will bale a little faster in thick windrows, but in my mind that is there only benefit. I don't like JD's Small squares at all but that's me. 
Robert


----------



## The Hay Farmer

seems to me the best square baler on the market depends on what you're going to do with it? 150K bales a year gives you some clear answers, 10k bales a year probably doesn't make a lot of difference, except cost... kicking? if so capacity probably not as important and kicker mechanism might be... of course tractor size and cutting width/raking width also important determinations... constrained on these, then smaller capacity versions of the ones above might be worth considering...

For big volume: I baled with JD 348 and NH 575 at same time, hay and straw, and NH 575 consistently ate the JD up... capacity wise my experience was NH was clearly better... if not doing big volume then not as important, though when rain is coming it always is...

if kicking, you get different opinions over belt NH vs pan JD's... think I like the pans better as belts can burn twine sometimes if not feeding consistent, ie at the end of windrows...but belts have a little better control, IMO in placing it precisely in the wagon...

case and NH small squares are now essentially the same, I believe..the two you mentioned are the bigger 16 by 18 balers and I think the exact same baler... the NH BC5080 is similar to the NH 580... (though the BC5070 isn't similar to the 570 but instead the 575)...the 575 was 14 by 18...

heard good things about the inline balers that were hesston developed, now marketed as agco/challenger/mf; never used them myself... theory makes sense... folks that had hesstons always swore by them like most NH folks do...

always heard the freemans were the commercial cadillacs for small squares, but no personal knowledge, and seems like you'd have to do lots of volume to justify the expense...company was bought out several years back, I believe

good to have local dealership support, but if you're knowledgeable and do you're own work you can get parts from major house overnight, though having a dealership within driving distance for critical parts is a huge plus. And IMO, if you rely on dealer for service, very important to match up with who'll support you when you're broke down in the field..

hope this helps...


----------



## maknhay

20 years ago I would bale along side a neighbor who had a couple NH's (can't remember the model) and I had a 348 JD. Seems I would always travel a bit faster. The one thing we did notice between the two makes is the JD with the auger would churn in bleached hay and the bales would come out greener than the NH with it's feed forks that would make a striped bale. Also in straw the NH had troubles with feeding the plunger with those forks. I eventually went to a 468 that was a good buy that I accidently fell onto. I now have a Freeman self propelled 270. That thing will bale tree branches if you so desired. I have absolutly no local dealer support but I can take care of anything it needs myself. I do have the cell phone numbers of the service techs and they are more than willing to help out anytime. Parts are just a phone call away for anything I don't have in my inventory. I'm 2 hours later than they are so if I call by 6 PM and have them red label it I can pick it up at 7:30 the next morning here in town. I have been around an inline my buddy had and I was impressed on the capacity of it too.


----------



## manveru

challenger of the ones listed, but as mentioned its a hesston. We bought a new holland and ran it side by side with one of our hesstons, the next year we sold the new holland and replaced it with another hesston, the quality of bales just isn't comparable.


----------



## tw30

i think i like the challenger sb44 . probably go see one at the dealer


----------



## Cliff SEIA

This is our fifth season running a Heston 4590 after running a NH 310 for 20 years and IH balers before that. I think a NH 575 will bale more tons per hour by a little bit but the bale quality of the inline is amazing and I don't see us going back to a side pull baler anytime soon.


----------



## wilsonrov

After all the info here I will look at the M/F 1800 series inline balers. There is a good dealer near by with good service. No N/H near by. Also thinking of getting the bale kicker and pulling a hay wagon behind baler help save my old back. I know small squares are more labor but here in SE.TX small squares are bringing good $$$ verses round bales


----------



## customhaystacking

We operate a early model Freeman 200 baler and added a late model Freeman 270 a few years ago, they do a great job, although it would be nice to also have a Agco inline baler too. We have a great Freeman dealer with excellent support, but most of the hay producers in our area have switched to big square bales, so the small bale producers are small farms and the Agco baler's see to be getting more popular.


----------



## bullet81

Does New Holland even make a 3 twine baler anymore?????????????


----------



## OneManShow

We have a NH 575 and a Hesston inline. The NH is a good baler and I like not having to look right behind the tractor while baling. BUT the hesston lets me bale easier since it isn't offset, and it makes a much nicer bale with a lot less fussing around. W are planning on buying another baler and it will be an inline. But which one is best? I don't think anyone will agree on that one.


----------



## hayray

I have been running an inline for almost 20 years and I am sold on them. Like others mentioned, the Deeres and NH probably eat more hay but I bought my second in-line a few years back because of the bale quality and ease of transport and goes perfect with my bale basket set up.


----------



## Rodney R

There is no NH 3-tie listed on their website. Last one I had seen was a BB900.

Rodney


----------

