# Setting NH discbine rollers correctly



## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

Question for you guys running NH discbines with rollers. Been a long time since I have run a roller machine and I honestly can't remember how we set the old 411 discbine and 489 haybines compared to the newer models.

Just traded on a new H7230 and finally got around to looking it over the other day. Seems like the roll gap was set really far apart and not the same distance on both sides - 1/2" on one end and 1/4" on the other. The manual says they should be between 1/64" and a *max* of 1/8". So this is what I adjusted them down to.

But was talking with the dealer today and was told that was way too close and I should keep them at a *minimum* of 1/4" for grass hay (I mainly have grass hay). So which is right, the dealer or the manual?

Also, it seems to me like the roll timing is slightly off because the book says the ridge of one roll should be pretty much in the middle of the valley of the other roller. On mine it is offset - not quite touching on the one side but close (see attached pics). I asked the dealer about this and was told this was no issue and didn't need to be adjusted. What do you all think?


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## SVFHAY (Dec 5, 2008)

Sounds like your dealer gets paid to sell machines and not by getting hay dry. Follow your instincts and the book.

I would center it and then gradually close the gap while turning till they touched then open a hair.


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

I wouldn't expect to have to adjust knives in a baler why are you having to do dealer setup on a new Discbine ?


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

Sound like your dealer is full of it! Definitely center your ridges and valleys, and do as SVFHAY said close them and then just barely enough to where there not touching. I bought a H7230 last year, got to noticing that I wasn't getting a even crimp across the rolls. After further investigation the bottom roll was bent from the factory, and had to have a new roll installed. Now it conditions really good! Something you might want to check. Also have had problems with streaking. The service guys came out yesterday and installed a header tilt extention. Also something to think about if you happen to not get a clean cut in the future. Hoping to test it out in the next couple weeks to see if it fixes the cutting problems. Will report back on haytalk about the results.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Here is a GREAT video showing roll adjustment.






Hope this helps.

Good luck,
Bill


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

Yeah have watched that video before. The video plus the manual is why I really questioned what the dealer was saying. This particular dealership usually isn't horrible (as far as dealerships go) but they don't like roller discbines. Period. They push flails really hard. I think part of that is because the setup and adjustments on flail machines are pretty simple.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

My only beef with New Holland rollers is they can crack, delaminate and loose chunks of rubber, an expensive fix - but IMHO, it's a roll of the dice if it will ever happen. I've known of 488 haybines with 20+ years age and hundreds of acres each cut and the rollers are still good. I saw a used 477 haybine which was made in the 70's - thoroughly used and abused, but the rollers were intact. So inspite of the roller issue, IMHO the chevron rubber roller design New Holland has used for so many years is about as good/versitle as it gets for hay conditioning.

I've had pretty lousy luck with dealers over the years. I almost celebrate when a warranty runs out so I can modify/fix whatever's wrong with having a dingbat dealer warn me I've voided me warranty. Happy to see my wallet open, uninformed about their product and expensive parts replacers on the repair side. Most frustrating - I feel your pain....

I think you set your rollers per the manual with a little common sense reality check. IMHO the ideal roller setup is rollers touching, but that's probably going to cause problems. Any clearance above zero through the runout of the roll would ought prevent roll to roll damage, closer the better. The manual says 1/64 to 1/8 inches. That's where I'd set them.

From your pics, I agree the roller timing (side to side intermesh/lug space) is off. I'd adjust that too.

Good luck.

BTW - Nice discbine you got - happy haying!

Bill


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

I would set it just as the manual says for the first reason if something was to happen the first thing the dealer would say is you had the adjustment wrong.
Secoundly you should get better performance if it is set by the manual.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

This the 3rd year with the H7220 and we checked the ends and the center with the "aluminum foil" method and they were about .050-.070", about 1/16" across the board. I measured the aluminum foil gently with a pair of dial calipers. If you run them at 1/4-1/2" you are going to be conditioning much of anything.

After 2 seasons of use, the H7220 probably needs to be checked again.

As you said the timing also looks off because one edge of the lobe is nearly touching and the other side has a big gap, maybe she was built on a Monday. I doubt your local dealer touched anything that they didn't have to like the dealers around here.


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

Yep I really doubt the dealer did anything much to it other than get it out of the crate and finish the minor assembly. I would like to think stuff would come out of the factory better than that, but especially should have been right when it left the dealer lot. I think I have it set around 1/16" right now. I'm going to fiddle with the timing then check everything again. The aluminum foil method does work well. Dealer told me to use card board and that the rolls should barely press on the cardboard...


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Cardboard isn't going to retain the crush height/gap. I'm not sure I would listen anything your dealer tells you.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Take em out, send em to Circle C, reinstall the rollers then take the stops out and throw those away.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Not trying to sidetrack this but be thankful they didn't try and sell you one that looked the one at the link below.

With a few adjustments you should be able to get it right. You really shouldn't have had to adjust them though.

http://www.haytalk.com/forums/topic/22184-new-in-kuhn-disc-mower-cond-is-in-looks-like-there-may-be-a-problem-with-the-rollers-grrr-pics-inside/


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

In defence of the dealer, it is easy to get complacent and not check the roll gap since it very rarely is not set right. In the twenty years they have had this design I probably could count on one hand how many I had to adjust during predelivery. Having said that, the last one I set up was very similar to what Trotwood2955 has shown in his description and photos.

The dealer should take care of the problem, but it is not difficult to do it yourself if you so choose. You can choose how much gap you want, but I would not let the rolls contact heavily against each other. If you can hold one rolll stationary and still move the other roll, even with moderate effort, you should be all right. Rotate the rolls and check at different points in the rotation. That is how I know I have got them as close as possible with out setting up unwanted vibration in the machine from the rolls contacting each other heavily. You can ignore the flashing on the rolls, when adjusting, since that will wear off


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

Grateful - luckily nothing as bad as your roll experience from a few years ago. I will say though this thing did come with a scratch or two and very minor cosmetic issues. I'm fairly picky and said something to the dealer about it. They said they have been having lots of issues with this and said the equipment is showing up at the dealership like that. Don't know if that's true or not. But whatever the cause it is a little irritating, especially when the ten year old model I traded in has hardly a scratch.


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

Mike - can you explain your comment about holding one roll stationary and still being able to move the other? I didn't know they would have this much play in them. Or were you meaning when I'm setting the timing not the roll gap?

And I doubt the dealership did check before it left. I wish they would have been a little more helpful when I talked to them but like I said they don't think much onlf roller discbines. I could probably complain and get them to come out to go over it but I expect I'll have just as good of luck setting myself.


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

Yea, center those rolls - the one drive should be slotted for just that reason. You want the rolls to touch the hay, not each other. I think the 1/16 is good, but you could go less if you wanted. Grass hay wears them faster than alfalfa, and if you do a lot of alfalfa, then I'd run them even tighter.

Rodney


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

There is a small amount of rotational movent between the two rolls because of the backlash between the gears in the roll gearbox. It is a very slight movement. Before adjusting hold one roll and rock the other roll and you will see that one roll can move slightly. This is the movement I was writing about.

The roll gap may vary some as you rotate the rolls because the rolls are formed and not machined. You should also see a "H" marked on one lug of each roll. This is the high side of that roll.


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