# John Deere 457 roundbaler help



## beefmasters (Aug 3, 2015)

Hoping someone can give me some ideas to help with this baler.The baler has megawide pickup,best monitor and variable core ability.Twine only.

I recently purchased the baler from a relative who does a little buying-- selling of equipment.He purchased the baler directly from a farmer who supposedly had the dealer go thru the baler every year after harvest.It has had some bales thru it but does look super slick.

Anyway,the first field i baled was eastern gamagrass and everything went well.The next field was a sudan-sorghum field and i had nothing but problems.The baler did not want to start a bale with the pickup clogging up.Once it did start it made a nice bale.However,after six bales i had to shut it down as hay had wrapped around the top idler roller.This roller is the largest roller on top right above the bale forming chamber.It was primarily under the 2nd,3rd and 4th belts from the right side of the baler.This roller has the rough part of the belts against it.

I ended up baling the field with my old jd 510 baler and had no problem.If you have ever used a 510 they are a finnicky baler so anything it could bale the 457 should have had no problem with.I do have the compression rods off of the 510 over the intake.The 457 has its compression rods adjusted as high as possible.I thought maybe the next time i try it i could remove most or all of the compression rods ?

I was told by someone to check the cam bearings on the pickup which i will try to do when possible.I have never run as modern a baler as the 457 even.Newest i have ever run is a jd 435.

IF anybody has any ideas i would appreciate it.I just don't understand what could cause hay to wrap up around the top idler roller besides the problem with the pickup.


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## Circle MC Farms LLC (Jul 22, 2011)

How many bales are through the machine do you know by chance? It's very possible that it needs to be rebuilt.


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## beefmasters (Aug 3, 2015)

Suppose to have about 13,000 bales thru it.


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## Bazooka (Sep 17, 2013)

There are a lot of differences between the 510 and the 457, but the hydraulic tension versus the springs are probably the most radical.

The hydraulic tension could be part of the problem. I'd try the soft core mode or back the tension down a little or maybe quite a bit, then adjust it back up til you like what you are getting. IMO, a couple soft bales are better than unplugging.

I think Tx Jim may be able to help you out ' cause he has first hand experience with these balers, but i'm not sure about with sudan grass.

When I had trouble in grass, I would take the windrows perpendicular until I got a core, like maybe three or four windrows, then take it normally and that eliminated my problems. I also had the compression rack out. ANYTHING to keep from plugging.

Good Luck


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## beefmasters (Aug 3, 2015)

Bazooka,

Appreciate your ideas on the baler.I did accidentally have the variable core turned off on my first bale but turned in back on for the other few bales i got to make.It will be probably another week before i have some more hay ready to bale to try a few things differently.As you mentioned i will remove some or all of the compression rack rods to see if that will help.

I never thought about going sideways against the rows to get the bale started--but hey,any port in a storm.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I've had no 1st hand experience with a 457 but if a 510 can bale the hay in question I see no reason a 457 wouldn't bale the same hay seeing as a 457 is open throat while a 510 is closed throat. Was hay conditioned? For hay to wrap top roller then it's not wanting to start forming a core. I would think decreasing core pressure would help. Another thing that I think would help is to weld on leading edge of contoured rods on starting roller. Because I bale in sandy soil I've welded on starter roll rods(bars on older balers) several times on every JD rd baler I've owned.. I even weld 14" rods on each outside edge in between the existing rods. In coastal that gets a little too dry from the high 100 degree temp days I don't get hay running up frt belts plus problems starting a core is nearly non-existent.


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## beefmasters (Aug 3, 2015)

Tx Jim,

Appreciate your taking time to comment.The roller that is wrapping is the top idler roller which is the roller right under and beside your blacked out roller in the picture on top.I think you are on to something in the idea of the roller wrapping because of not wanting to start a bale.As i see it the belt is coming from the bale forming chamber directly to this top idler roller where the rough side of belt is against the roller in a tight (u) so any hay still on the belt when it gets to the roller has a good chance of getting caught against the roller.

In answer to your question was the hay conditioned-i assume you mean was in run thru a crimper.No it was not run thru a crimper as i don't have one-wished i did.It was just cut and let lay a long time and turned etc to dry it.I know sudan should be crimped if possible as it is very hard to cure without it.I worked on haybaling crews back when the old 510 balers first come out(so you know how long ago that has been) and we would have never considered trying to bale sudan without crimping it.

Most of the fields we have the sudan on we are trying to slowly renovate to permanent hay meadows with grasses such as b dahl bluestem etc so was trying to avoid getting a crimper if possible.If sudan was something that was going to be a permanent fixture for the future i would try to pickup up an old crimper(maybe should anyway).

I have no experience with this series of balers but it just floors me that the old 510 can bale something that this baler cannot.As i said it is kind of embarassing to have to limp this baler out of the field and drag out the old 510 to do the job.Besides the fact the looks the wife is giving me about buying this baler but still having to use the old one.

Thanks for your help.


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## BROWNT (Jul 19, 2015)

interested to see what yall come up with on this one. I have had the same trouble with mine. The wrapping of the rollers makes me think there might be some moisture there. Have seen and done that on mine. The startin on a roll is what has had me baffled. Last week finally started trippin pickup clutch on start then would run like the devil.Replaced clutch did'nt change much. I've already welded on the main roller. Did'nt help. Have noticed also the problem is mainly 1 variety of sudan. Others not so much and coastal almost never. Im all ears. I hope somebody can come up with a fix b/c my JD rep sure can't.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

It's difficult to get uncrimped stalks in crops such as Sudan or even mature Johnsongrass to bend to start a core. My guess since Sudan was uncrimped is that the stalk moisture content was way too high. It surprises me that you could bale this same Sudan with a JD 510. What size are the windrows & how many bales are being produced per acre.

I'm glad my wife's concerns are the washing machine,vacuum cleaner & the cook stove so she leaves the farm equipment operation/purchases for ME to worry about.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

BROWNT said:


> I've already welded on the main roller. Did'nt help. Have noticed also the problem is mainly 1 variety of sudan. Others not so much and coastal almost never. Im all ears. I hope somebody can come up with a fix b/c my JD rep sure can't.


What model baler? Does it have most of the PU teeth intact? How many bales have the belts baled?? Did you weld on leading edge of bar or rod?


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## BROWNT (Jul 19, 2015)

JD 457. All teeth intact. 7500 bales. original owner. welded on leading edge. I put a bead about 3 inches long inline with each belt. So far this year the Gotcha plus seed has givin me the most trouble. Redtop, BMR, Klein, and coastal no trouble. or not much. Coastal keeps climbing belts on left side. JD wants to put a kit thats basically a auger in between the belts. Told them go ahead but then they sent wrong parts, so we will see.


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## beefmasters (Aug 3, 2015)

Tx Jim,

The hay averaged about 3.5 bales to the acre with the old 510.Windrows are small,just one 9 foot rake width with windrow about 30 inches wide.Always found this easiest with the old 510 so that is what i am used to.

BrownT,I baled gotcha plus last year with the old 510.I have some gotcha this year that we are just grazing.The sudan i am trying to bale this year is called Go Man Go.It seems to have a smaller stem than the gotcha but i am also trying to cut it smaller than the gotcha i had last year.

I am going to be gone until later this evening so if i don't answer anything it is not for lack of interest.


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## BROWNT (Jul 19, 2015)

*By the way I am new here to posting. Been reading for couple years. This topic just really struck a cord. That 457 has really been pissin me off. Anyway thoroughly enjoy reading here. Not many producers in my area and its really nice to read about others successes and problems. Beef- not sure the smaller stem is the problem. Last week had some Redtop that was thick and small stemmed and it rolled just fine. I may be way off but that Gotcha just seems extremely "slick". I don't know. I keep trying to blame my trouble on the baler but it may be the loose nut behind the wheel.*


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

BROWNT said:


> JD 457. All teeth intact. 7500 bales. original owner. welded on leading edge.


7500 bales is barely broken in. The belts shouldn't be the problem with that low bale count.. On subject of Coastal climbing the frt belts what pto rpms are you operating baler? I operate my 467 at 450 pto rpm's most of the time.and no Coastal climbs the belts. I've welded a 14'' rod on each side in between the original rods on the starter roll.


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## BROWNT (Jul 19, 2015)

I run it a little faster. 500 to 510. I will sure try adding some extra rods. Thanks


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