# 3x3 vs 3x4 big square balers



## aarondeere (Dec 24, 2013)

How much more capacity would I be able to see out of a 3x4 baler compared to a 3x3 baler. Currently using a Hesston 3x3 baler and would most likely stay with this brand. I am most concerned with the curing of the hay after baled. Talked to one guy that has used both and he said there is a huge difference in capacity with the 3x4 but with that also much more difficulty with the hay keeping in a bale. Around here especially this yr we have alot of moisture and is always something we have to watch. We have problems from time to time from hay ganging up under the tractor or that slug of hay that jams up the baler. From what other producers have told me the 3x4 with the bigger throat would be able to take that occasional slug in without jamming. Right now when the baler jams up it is a 20 minute job to get it unplugged and alot of work. My father usually bales and isn't getting any younger so I'm looking for ways to improve that. Our baler is in top shape with all the clutches adjusted properly so its more of a capacity thing. I'm just really concerned with the bale keeping with all the moisture concerns we have here. Also anyone know of the Krone balers. I hear they have some sort of clutch system that slowly engages when you get a jam. Does that work well. I guess that could be a option instead of going to a 3x4. Any ideas


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

> We have problems from time to time from hay ganging up under the tractor or that slug of hay that jams up the baler


Some plastic or tarp tied under the tractor will eliminate the bunching that can occur if the windrows are too big to fit under otherwise.


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## aarondeere (Dec 24, 2013)

Yeah that's on my to do list which will help but still doesn't solve the other times it happens.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Don't you guys ted out there in Maryland? I'm surprised if you do that wouldn't take care of slugs. Of course I have never run a tedder. How do you sell your 3x3 bales? Will you lose money by going to 3x4? For example here I would severely limit my market as many of my customers barely have the right equipment (though they think their 40hp lawn tractor with a small FEL is more then enough) to handle a 3x3 nevermind a 3x4. I know a 4x4 sells for the same price as a 3x3 as the only ones that take 4x4s are for the most part dairies, feedlots and other bigger cow operations.

I have similar problems to you with my MF 3x3. Not so much the slugs or plugging, but balling up behind the wind guard. But for me it's trying to go to fast for crop conditions. So many times I go slower then I really need to, but it's better then doing the 20 minute unplugging deal 2-3 times.

When I'm ready to trade our MF 3x3 baler I will surely look at a Krone 3x3. The only thing is the dealers are quite far away. An hour for the 2 Krone dealers. Though the 4 Rivers equipment in Cheyenne WY that is a Krone dealer will work through the 4 Rivers equipment store that is not a Krone dealer 20 minutes from me for any warranty stuff with the Krone rake I'm buying. Though I'm not nearly as concerned with service needs of a rake then I would be a baler. So much more to go wrong with a baler then a rake. In talking to the sales guy about the Krone rake I asked about the Krone balers. He said everytime they put one in a field next to a MF big baler the Krone sure outbales it. But that's sales speak. I did talk to a guy the other day that just bought a new NH big baler. He says it is fantastic. Better then the Hesston he traded in on it. And way better then the older NH big balers by far.


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## krone.1 (Jul 28, 2013)

I don't think I have seen a big difference between the 3x3 and the 3x4 as far as the hay quality after being baled. As dense as these newer balers will bale the crop needs to be right when it goes into the machine. If you think about it, any moisture that leaves the bale is going out through the cut side and both the 3x3 and the 3x4 are the same distance via the cut edge.

As Teslan mentioned, for the retail market is better suited for a 3x3 bale. Most consumers cannot handle a 3x4 size bale. Your crop on a retail tonnage basis will probably bring more in a 3x3 package.

3x4's have more windrow capacity at the same ground speed. In our area, fields are so rough that our ground speed is limited, so increasing windrow size is our best way to increase capacity. I think 3x4's handle really well. In addition to picking up a larger package, you don't have a middle row to contend with on your trailer deck. Being wider they are also more stable to stack. With 2 more twines it is not a critical if you break one. Bottom line though, no use putting it in a bigger package just to give it away or not be able to sell it because your customers can't handle it.

We just started a 1290HDP baler in wheat straw. The customer was weighing each load as it came out of the field. The bales averaged 1160#'s (94" long) in very dry straw. We were somewhat limited by the twine capacity. The customer was running two Deere combines with 30' platforms in 90+ bushel wheat and the baler could keep up with them.

We have a disc type slip clutch on the plunger. The pickup has a ratchet type slip clutch. The VFS (prechamber) has a cam type slip clutch that releases completely on in overload situation. When you disengage your pto it will reset. Usually you can clear the overload by thottling down and feathering (as best you can with these electronic pto's) the tractor pto. Most of the time it will feed the slug without have to release the chamber pressure. We use a shear bolt on the needle arm to protect it.


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## aarondeere (Dec 24, 2013)

Thanks for the replies. We do Tedder all our hay and have rotary rakes so roping isn't a problem and the fields are smooth so we can go fast. I am not planning on getting new rakes so will stick to 22-24' windrows. I would just like more capacity to handle the "oops" and large bunches of hay that happen from time to time. Selling the hay we process most of our hay into small bales. The difference is sold to large farms that can easily handle the larger package so I don't worry about harder selling.


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

krone.1 said:


> We just started a 1290HDP baler in wheat straw. The customer was weighing each load as it came out of the field. The bales averaged 1160#'s (94" long) in very dry straw. We were somewhat limited by the twine capacity. The customer was running two Deere combines with 30' platforms in 90+ bushel wheat and the baler could keep up with them.


That isn't in middle Tennessee is it?


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## krone.1 (Jul 28, 2013)

Yes, near eagleville.


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

He is a big customer of ours. I've been hauling him litter this week. His baler man said that new Krone can keep up with those two combines, where it took two New Hollands. Also said ground speed went from about 2.8 mph to about 6.5 mph and bale weight was considerably heavier


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## bensbales (Jul 18, 2011)

Hi Aarondeere how are you guys converting your big squares in to small squares?


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## IAhaymakr (Jun 4, 2008)

I think you will find a big jump in capacity going to a 3x4 baler of any brand. The machine is a third wider, how can it not take in more material? As far as plugging, the system Krone uses is nearly foolproof. Usually we can just back off the throttle when is slugs and it will clear itself. My baler is a cutter machine, so it almost always will slug at the cutter rotor first, which uses the same clutch as the VFS. The easiest way to get a slug thru is to drop the knives, slow it down, and it will clear itself. All from the tractor seat. It can be worse, if you do something stupid. I have had to dig it out by hand but that's rare, like once a year or less.
As far as capacity, windrow formation is everything. I use my oxbo merger and a Krone 1010 triple rotor rake to put 60' of hay together to keep the baler full. This week we baled 1.6 ton per acre second cut alfalfa at around 50% moisture. By the end of the day we had baled 310 ton 9.1 hours. The baler is a 2012 HDP x cut, so a newer machine with the active pickup and High Speed plunger would likely have done even better. That kind of productivity is hard to beat. It started raining again within hours of getting done....not every day can be this good but I won't complain.


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## aarondeere (Dec 24, 2013)

We are using a steffen systems 3400 resizer....like a compressor without all the high compression. Iahaymkr...that is a lot of tonnage in a day. Krone does look to make a nice machine. I would just be reluctant to go that way because we have very strong Hesston dealers here and I know their balers. I will have to keep researching and talking to people that have used both. I cater to the horse market so really have to have top quality hay and when their put into small square every mistake shows up.


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