# Which square baler??



## alaskabuffalo (Dec 28, 2009)

We've got to get a newer square baler to replace our hunk-0-junk 14T.
But! Which is best, New Holland, John Deere, or??
Our tractor is just 35hp pto. What happens when you use a baler that requires more pto than the tractor has? I've been told "you just have to run slower" but does it eventually take out the pto?
Last question-- are there any good sites to search for Finding balers for sale? I live in Alaska and things are quite limited here. Will need to shop the Northwest/ British Columbia area.
thanks for any help!


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## Heyhay..eh (Aug 7, 2009)

I remember this question a few times in the past. If you look to this link it will take you to a short discussion on the issue.

http://www.haytalk.com/forums/f7/jd-336-vs-mf-124-a-1234/

Also if you follow this link you will get a lot of information about tractor hp & balers

small sq baler input HP - Page 2 - TractorByNet.com

I can only speak to JD 337 & 336 as I have & use a 337 and baled beside 336.

I find this baler to be very reliable and consistent in delivering a well made bale. Because of the pattern I mow the off set baler works best for me especially at the corners.

As for HP it is not so much about going slower it is more about handling the right amount of material needed to make a bale. You should always try to keep the throat full so you will have to vary your attack speed to accomplish this. With the throat full you will need to have the hp to operate the baler at its optimum. Some of the crappiest bales I have made were at slower speeds and reduced engine rpm (loss of power due to load).

I would think that to operate a newer model square baler you should be above 40 & closer to 60 pto hp. I thtink that with any equipment if you run it at capacity or over you limit its life in a general way, so pto, engine, clutches ...

If you can look in the Peace district of BC or Alberta there should be a lot of equipment there. Not to sure on availability in NW BC.

There were a lot of other threads on this site that went into great debate about small square balers ... I just couldn't remember them but if you have time to search them out you will read a lot of information from good forum sources.

Take care


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## Barry Bowen (Nov 16, 2009)

35 hp can run many balers, depending on what you are doing. With that hp you should be on relatively flat ground, and baling on the ground. Personally a pair of 336's and they are very dependable balers. From running your older 14T (had on years ago) you know that you want to see the hay running up the back wall behind the auger, but not coming over the top. If you can maintain PTO speed or at least 80-85% of it you will do fine.

Weight of the tractor is as big a concern as hp. I do not know of a 35 hp tractor that has the size to properly pull baler and loaded wagon, so be very careful there.

What kind of hay are you doing on the frozen tundra? Freeze dried?


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## enos (Dec 6, 2009)

Try to find an inline baler/ case ih/ hesston etc. they do seem to require less HP to run effectively. Should be some in the interior of BC, Kamloops, Vernon, Prince george. Douglas lake Equipment, Avenue machinery, and I think the JD is Greenline.


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## alaskabuffalo (Dec 28, 2009)

Freeze dried hay,,,,, maybe that would be the better way to go. Growing season is very short here. Rarely a 2nd cutting. We grow brome, some grow timothy. thanks for your help.


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## alaskabuffalo (Dec 28, 2009)

thanks heyhay. Searching for that past info could be a real good way to spend this minus40 day. thanks for your thoughts.


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## alaskabuffalo (Dec 28, 2009)

Enos, I see you are in Canada. Thanks for the names, I'll try to find them today. much obliged!


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## Heyhay..eh (Aug 7, 2009)

Hey Alaska
There are a lot of other threads on this site that speak to the issue of square balers and appropriate hp. Keep the differentiation between pto and engine hp up front as forgetting to take it into consideration can put you under the needed power.

-40c & 40 below f, is that not the meeting point of the two scales? Any way damn cold. Used to live in Yellowknife NWT. Went to Alaska in 74 for Arctic games (Anchorage). Good time!

Oh yeah freeze dried hay has been a topic on this forum given that many of us made hay right into Oct Nov and experienced a freeze/rain situation then a dry warming. Damn good hay actually. You might look for these threads in this forum as well. they would likely fall under weather and hay issues. Good option for your second cutting ... maybe. You would have to time your cuttings and take advantage of the long days and midnight sun.

Take care


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## alaskabuffalo (Dec 28, 2009)

40c and 40F is the same. too cold
thanks for the tip on the freeze dried 2nd cut. I'm giving up on the 2nd cutting. have to try something other than baling it. Finally getting enough fence up so we can try an alternative.
Lots of info on this website.
May have found a NH 565. Now how do you haul them? Are they an oversized load, do you know? Or can they fit in an enclosed van box/ commercial trucking.
Bet you would say that's been discussed here..........where?
thanks!


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## okhillbilly (Jun 18, 2009)

I have run the NH 565. It's a good hobby farm baler. I'm not trying to run it down any because I put up 4000 squares a year with the one I had. I got a deal on a 570 NH and I'm glad I got it. It's more of a commecial baler. If you run 10,000 or more bales a year it will last alot longer. They are pretty wide, close to 9 feet so hauling it may be hard on a regular sized trailer.Specs for the new balers the smallest one should be the same model with the new numbers. Hay-and-Forage-Equipment New Holland Small-Square-Balers - Models, technical data and characteristics


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## Heyhay..eh (Aug 7, 2009)

alaskabuffalo said:


> 40c and 40F is the same. too cold
> thanks for the tip on the freeze dried 2nd cut. I'm giving up on the 2nd cutting. have to try something other than baling it. Finally getting enough fence up so we can try an alternative.
> Lots of info on this website.
> May have found a NH 565. Now how do you haul them? Are they an oversized load, do you know? Or can they fit in an enclosed van box/ commercial trucking.
> ...


Never saw it discussed here. All the guys I know haul their equipment behind a truck. Sometimes they travel up to 1000 miles for a piece and it is a slow return trip. That's why I try to either buy close or include delivery in the deal. Towed a round baler a few hundred miles and that was a pain.

Can't help you on the transport.

Take care


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## enos (Dec 6, 2009)

Where is the baler you located? Where are you? As other have said it is probably over 9 feet wide and a PITA to haul. Commercial guys will charge you over width, permits etc.With the reach removed and bale chute off would it be under 8 feet? At my dealer they come from the factory on their side on a pallet, some assembly required. If it is under 400 miles, repack bearings and mount up pickup tires for the baler rims, safety chain and lights and its road trip time. Just take some one that is good to BS with or you'll end up counting mooses on the road.
Enos


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## CATTLEMAN (Jun 19, 2009)

I hauled a NH570 on my flatbed gooseneck. I put it on at a little bit of an angle to make the tires both fit on the trailer. I was a little over width; but I ran after dark, so I had no problem getting pulled over. That baler should fit on an 8 1/2' trailer deck. I don't think I even had to take anything off the hitch or the bale thrower. I just pulled the thrower over to the side as far as I could, and used chains.binders and ratchet straps. 
Take a pickup and flatbed gooseneck, and go pick it up!!


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## Va_plowboy (Jan 12, 2010)

We use a JD 336 at the farm where I work and it makes A real nice, tight bale. On my farm I have a '68 ford 532 and have never changed anything but pickup teeth, u-joints and belts. We've had it since new and it was bought by my great granny. Been a great baler and makes a good heavy bale. A little wider bales than the 336 though. Dont know about the NH balers, never used one or seen one used but I hear good about them so...


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## alaskabuffalo (Dec 28, 2009)

thanks okhillbilly. The 565 seems to be harder to find than the 570. You seem to think the 570 is a better way to go. I get confused on the pto requirements. more homework to do here..... ahhhh, and so little time!! thanks


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## alaskabuffalo (Dec 28, 2009)

seattle to alaska. guess we'll have to look into a barge. pain in butt and about $3,000


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

I baled for about 5 years with a 35 hp tractor and it did just fine. You can FeEl each stroke of the Plunger. Makes it easy to count strokes per bale.


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## enos (Dec 6, 2009)

Do you have any dealers close by at all Buffalo? Some of the finacing on new stuff from all three is pretty cheap. The freight to get there is killer.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

We traded in a JD 328 that only had about 6000 bales run through it for a JD 448 Round Baler. The 328 was great baler the absolute only problem we had with it was over feeding it a couple and clogging it up where the rigid bar tines hang over the pickup teeth. At least it's a quick release piece and you clear it out in matter of minutes. It was one smooth running baler. I hated to trade it but we needed a round baler and still have a good JD 24T for doing a couple hundred squares a year for stable feeding in addition to our rounds. As far as HP we've never baled with anything less than 53 PTO HP so I can't answer that part.


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## Heyhay..eh (Aug 7, 2009)

Hey alaska

I was looking at some potential opportunities for you and the closest JD dealer in northern BC seems to be Dawson Creek which is just about in Alberta.

Here is the link Haying Equipment

They might be able to bring something pretty close to you depending how they are delivering and picking up from customers. They might use you as a back haul if they can arrange it. They have a square baler in Kamloops which is in the interior of BC. They might be able to get that closer if they are moving equipment between dealerships. Worth the ask. The real issue is how do you see the machine before you put the money down. Maybe a trip to Kamloops? or if you knew someone who could look at it for you! I'm too far away to help, like a 20 plus hour drive one way.

Take care


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## PeteH1001 (Jan 25, 2010)

I'm still using an old IH #27 baling about 3000 bales a year. My neighbor has baled hay with Ford 1910 4wd, pulling an older IH kicker baler and 20' kicker wagons! After about 10 years, he just had to rebuild the engine...all 26.8hp. 
Regular maintenance and lots of grease...only a handful of mistied bales last season. Fortunately I have a spare baler for parts.
I hope to upgrade to round baler this year...getting too old for stacking all that hay.
Pete


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