# New Holland 688 round baler Help Please



## Toondaddy (Sep 2, 2016)

I just bought a New Holland 688 twine with Auto Wrap (not Bale commander or whatever it is called) I got it cheap from a jockey. He didn't know anything about it and it looked pretty good and I heard it run but no hay so I couldn't make a bale to see how it ties. It also did not come with a buzzer for when the bale is full. My dilemma is I want to try it this weekend but it will take several days to get a manual from my dealer. I stopped by there with it on my way home and the New Holland guy told me a little about how to operate it. He said I don't need the buzzer, just watch for the string to start feeding when the bale is full. I tried it today on some grass hay and once the bale was full it didn't tie automatically. So I kicked it out in the pasture untied to let the sheep eat it. The twine was real hard to pull so I rethreaded it so it pulled easier (I don't know how it is really supposed to go, I'm just guessing) I tried another bale but it wouldn't tie either and while I was making it one of the belts twisted and another one flipped over. Can someone give me some advice on how to fix the belt and how to trip the auto wrap. Even if I have to do it manually to get some bales made. Also a diagram on the correct way to thread the twine would be very helpful. One other thing, while I was greasing it I could not find the fitting near the large sprocket on the left side under the big shield. There is an indicator that there is supposed to be one there but I can't find it or one that is broken off. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

I am attaching some pages from the operators manual to answer some of your questions.

I want you to check the operation of the auto-wrap without the tractor running. Remove the auto-wrap drive belt by raising the idler and pulling the belt out of the pullies. Out the front of the baler is a handle to manually trip the auto-wrap. Pull down on this handle to trip the auto-wrap. As soon as the auto-wrap is tripped the knives should open. If they do no open then gently tap the side plate that has two slots visible on the right side and has two rods sticking through it with springs on the top side. There is also a spring at the bottom to help open the knives. It is normal for the knives to stick if the baler has not been used for awhile.  You can lubricate the shaft, where the shaft goes through the side sheets, that the knives are attached to.

Now rotate the large pulley by hand counter clockwise. The pulley will engage the clutch dog and start driving the worm gear. After you make a couple of rotations the twine tubes should drop. If the twine tubes do not drop then just nudge them and they should drop. Continue to turn the pulley and the tying cycle will complete when the clutch dog disengages. If this is all successful then reinstall the belt, start the tractor and pto and trip the auto-wrap with the handle in front. Watch if the knives open and if the twine tube drop. If the knives do no open then shut the tractor off and lubricate the pivot point, the slots in the side plate and then manually open and close the knives to free them up. Once free start the tractor and pto and continue the cycle. Repeat until every thing is working.

If the auto-wrap is not tripping when the bale is full, then you may need to readjust the the linkage as shown in the atttached file.

Belt flipping and belt tracking is an operator error and usually occurs during core formation. When you start the bale you need to do a quick weave with the baler so hay gets under all the belts. If you just drive straight down the windrow the belts with no hay under them will get loose and that is when the belts start to wonder and flip. Once the core if formed then you can stay on one side a certain amount of time and then switch to the opposite side. Most people will not get over far enough to fill the left side so most of the twisted belts are on the left side.

The baler probably has the switch for the bale alarm. It is at the bottom of the auto-wrap gear box where the stop flag is located. You can rig any type of alarm or horn for the tractor. Run the hot wire to the horn and then run the ground wire from the horn to the baler connector. Run another wire from the second terminal of the baler harness to a ground on the tractor. Now when the auto-wrap trips and the flag opens, the alarm should sound.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

After seeing your post on another forum I realized you need information on how to remove the tension off the belts so you can untwist them. Be sure to engage the hyd lock out valve before entering the baler.


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## Toondaddy (Sep 2, 2016)

Thank you for your help. That is exactly what I needed.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

On my old baler (I don't have anymore), I also rigged a light with a flasher in the line to the alarm. Of course I was baling with an open cab, Oliver 1850 and my hearing isn't what it use to be, so if I didn't hear the alarm, at least a light was flashing, to alert me. But, with a little loss of hearing, it can be a good excuse not to hear what the better half, might be saying about me (or even to me). :lol:

Larry


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