# 660 New Holland Baler starting issues



## justbad7 (Oct 2, 2013)

We have been trying to bale since 5. Its now 8:30. The belts are loose enough that I can move then 2 inches in 1 direction. We just got threw putting new splices on the belts. It seems to me that the hydraulic tension cylinder isn't adjusting properly. How do I make the cylinder tighten up? When we put them on we lifted the tailgate and shut off the cylinder, then lowered the tailgate making the belts loose. We then put on the belts and I may have forgot to raise the tailgate before turning the knob back.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

What do you mean you shut off the cylinder? Doesn't exactly sound like the actual method for relieving the tension from the belts.


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Soinds like you have air in the density cylinder. You can bleed it off (at least on my 450) by cracking the uppermost fitting slightly and raising the tailgate until you have fluid coming from around the fitting and then retightening it.

NH recommends attaching a hose from one of your remotes and filling the cylinder first but I don't think you have to. Sounds like you just have a little bit of air in the cylinder.


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

8350HiTech said:


> What do you mean you shut off the cylinder? Doesn't exactly sound like the actual method for relieving the tension from the belts.


I wonder about that too. Relieving belt tension on a NH isn't by hydtaulically locking a cylinder, it's by mechanical means.


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## justbad7 (Oct 2, 2013)

The manual called to lift the tailgate 24 inches, then shut off a factory valve, and lower the tailgate back down. The manual is also "very" helpful


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## justbad7 (Oct 2, 2013)

This isn't my baler, but I circled in red the valve I turned off. Same model.


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Thats the density control cylinder and has nothing to do with belt tension (at least on my 450). My belt tension release is on the other side. It's a mechanicallly actuated by latch system. You raise the tailgate, release the latch and lower the tailgate to relieve tension. the lower the tailgate the the looser the belts get.

I bet you have air over fluid in the cylinder. You might try lifting and lowering the tailgate numerous times with the density control in it's l,owest setting to purge the air. Lowest setting is with the knob screwed out. The tighter the knob (handle) the higher the density is because density is controlled by how much oil passes the needle valve on the end of the knob (handle).

You said you relaced the belts or put new ones on... Are they the correct length?


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## justbad7 (Oct 2, 2013)

We relaced them. We cut them to th shortest one, then laced them. I was thinking we might have to loosen a roller, but the belts are loose.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

After removing and replacing the belts it is common for the belts to appear loose at the back of the baler. It is impossible to put the belts in and have all the slack in one spot, so it takes operating the baler to get the slack more or less in one spot so the take up arm can tighten them more or less evenly. Even then when the baler is empty there will still be slack at the back of the baler.

The density cylinders do not have any thing to do with the slack in the belts when there is no hay in the baler. The large springs on each side of the baler are what applies tension to the belts when the chamber is empty.

Open the endgate and watch the pressure gauge. If the system is operating properly pressure should build in the gauge as the tailgate is being raised.

You do not say what problem you are having baling which may be unrelated to the belts.

I would double check how you installed the belts to make sure they are routed right. Especially check the tail gate middle roll. Right below the middle roll is a reinforcing pipe and it is easy to route the belts behind this pipe instead of in front of the pipe.

For those not familiar with the 660, The density system is different than the newer balers and there is a shut off valve at the bottom of the left tension cylinder which locks the cylinders so as you lower the tailgate the belts get loose.


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## justbad7 (Oct 2, 2013)

I am trying to bake feed. I can't seem to start making a bake with the feed. The core won't start turning until the belts start to gt tight enough to grab the feed. I believe my metal roller with the iron bars on it is fine. The belts seem really loose. The spring is already all the way tightened up.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

Try cutting your engine speed in half and upping your ground speed.


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