# What PTO RPM is best for a round Baler?



## 32-0-0

I'm relatively new to the hay business. Have been producing my own hay now for about 5 years. I was baling this weekend and this question popped into my head as I watched the tractor fuel meter steadily fall - what is the best PTO rom to run a round Baler at? I've been running my Deere 467 at around 500 PTO rpm which requires the engine rpm to be about 2000. I bale tif ton 85 and Jiggs.


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## hog987

I run mine at 540 all the time.


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## chevytaHOE5674

Generally run it at 540rpm unless crop conditions dictate slowing it down (my 648 likes a little slower in super dry hay).


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## woodland

I run it flat out since we're usually keeping the baler stuffed as full as we can. This is a Deere 4430 on a 568 baler and I usually wish I had more ponies in the hills.


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## Tx Jim

I operate my 467 with my JD 4255 @ 450 pto rpm's. Last time I calculated GPH fuel consumption it was 3.2 GPH.


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## Tim/South

I run at 480-490 PTO RPM's.


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## rjmoses

I run 500-540. I need to keep the pickup speed high on my 780A to avoid plugging it up. I start a bale at about 400-420 for about the first 25 feet, then ramp it up.

Ralph


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## r82230

540 rpm, designed for 540 rpm, run at 540 rpm, is my thought (then again I am running a NH, not a JD).

There are some cases where you might run slower starting a bale with some balers (IDR which ones in particular) or if someone who didn't know what they were doing did the raking, is also a possibility of slower RPMs (and a higher gear, trying to feed the baler at a respectable pace). Or even a field that is rougher than an old washboard gravel road, could mean some throttle/gear adjustments.

This is in MY area, with MY hay crop, things can be different in YOUR area.

Larry


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## Beav

540 rpm is what NH calls for run it with a NH T495 bale right at 7 MPH works for me anyway.


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## Redbaler

I usually start a bale around 3 or 400 then ramp it up to about 500 after the core has started. I only really rev it up all the way if I'm in a giant windrow or I need the power on a steep hill. In light hay I've been known to bale all day at 1500 to 1800 rpm on the tractor.


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## haybaler101

I ran a NH BR780A on a NH 8670 tractor. Set the throttle at 1900 engine rpm (1000 pto rpm) when I started a field and never touched the throttle or the clutch again. Adjust power shift to 7th gear while bale was net wrapping and take off as end gate closes. As soon as hay hit chamber, up shift to 11th ton14th gear depending on field conditions. Baler is built for 1000 run at 1000 or if 540 run at 540!


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## clowers

569 deere = 540


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## Tx Jim

r82230 said:


> 540 rpm, designed for 540 rpm, run at 540 rpm, is my thought (then again I am running a NH, not a JD).
> 
> There are some cases where you might run slower starting a bale with some balers (IDR which ones in particular) or if someone who didn't know what they were doing did the raking, is also a possibility of slower RPMs (and a higher gear, trying to feed the baler at a respectable pace). Or even a field that is rougher than an old washboard gravel road, could mean some throttle/gear adjustments.
> 
> This is in MY area, with MY hay crop, things can be different in YOUR area.
> 
> Larry


I agree equipment is designed to operate at 540 or 1000 pto rpm's BUT down here in N Central Texas especially in drier years hay doesn't produce the tonnage per acre as in other places. Therefore I choose to operate my rd baler @ 450 rpm pto speed to help keep hay from breaking off forming bale & running up frt of baler especially when Coastal Bermuda is getting on the drier % of moisture content. Operating @ 450 rpm's not only saves fuel but it also saves wear(revolutions) per bale. I can make a 4X5.5 bale that normally weighs nearly or over 1000#s that one can't stick their finger in the side of the bale. So I guess what works for me doesn't for others.


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## somedevildawg

I suppose in ideal conditions I always bale at 540, but....

If I'm cleaning up a field after square baling, I may have some weak windrows to deal with....in that case, I always slow the baler down to match crop conditions.....same could be said for say a rough field with poor yield....I would slow down the rpm of the baler and increase speed to as fast as conditions allow, depending on that speed and the size of the windrows, I would slow the baler rpm to match crop/field conditions.

On another subject....and not to highjack, but why isn't spellcheck smart enuf to know when you spell "baler" we aren't baking a cake....just seems like after a few thousand times of correcting the spell check, it would recognize it and not offer a suggestion....like Ralph, just thinkin out loud....


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## Wethay

The spell check may have a "add to dictionary" when it gives you options to correct as "misspelled" word.


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## 32-0-0

Tx Jim said:


> I agree equipment is designed to operate at 540 or 1000 pto rpm's BUT down here in N Central Texas especially in drier years hay doesn't produce the tonnage per acre as in other places. Therefore I choose to operate my rd baler @ 450 rpm pto speed to help keep hay from breaking off forming bale & running up frt of baler especially when Coastal Bermuda is getting on the drier % of moisture content. Operating @ 450 rpm's not only saves fuel but it also saves wear(revolutions) per bale. I can make a 4X5.5 bale that normally weighs nearly or over 1000#s that one can't stick their finger in the side of the bale. So I guess what works for me doesn't for others.


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## 32-0-0

TX Jim....you mentioned something above that maybe you could explain...seems you have experienced hay running up the edge of the outside belt loop and balling up...I've seen that happen with my baler too...sometimes it balls up at the top, and sometimes at the bottom. Is that an indication of something?


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## Tx Jim

32-0-0 said:


> TX Jim....you mentioned something above that maybe you could explain...seems you have experienced hay running up the edge of the outside belt loop and balling up...I've seen that happen with my baler too...sometimes it balls up at the top, and sometimes at the bottom. Is that an indication of something?


My only experience is with JD rd balers as other brands probably don't experience this problem BUT in short,thinner,drier Coastal hay the hay stalks that don't make it to forming bale or fall off forming bale in bale chamber can run up the belts in the frt of baler & lodge. Since I've experienced several dry/drought yrs I've just got into the habit of operating baler at a slower rpm. The largest quantity of the hay that runs up the belts in baler frt is normally when core of bale is being formed up to smaller diameter of bale.There are also other things that contribute to the hay running up belts such as lessening of aggression on steel starter roll & belt wear. I also add 14'' extra rods on each side of baler on steel starter roll and very rarely have any hay run up frt belts on my baler. I can't remember how many yrs it's been since I had to stop baler to clean out lodged hay in belts.


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## ozarkian

I run my JD 467 at a steady 540.


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## bluefarmer

Tx Jim said:


> My only experience is with JD rd balers as other brands probably don't experience this problem BUT in short,thinner,drier Coastal hay the hay stalks that don't make it to forming bale or fall off forming bale in bale chamber can run up the belts in the frt of baler & lodge. Since I've experienced several dry/drought yrs I've just got into the habit of operating baler at a slower rpm. The largest quantity of the hay that runs up the belts in baler frt is normally when core of bale is being formed up to smaller diameter of bale.There are also other things that contribute to the hay running up belts such as lessening of aggression on steel starter roll & belt wear. I also add 14'' extra rods on each side of baler on steel starter roll and very rarely have any hay run up frt belts on my baler. I can't remember how many yrs it's been since I had to stop baler to clean out lodged hay in belts.


Everyone should have to bale short dry Bermuda grass at least once in there life!! Nothing like it!


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## somedevildawg

bluefarmer said:


> Everyone should have to bale short dry Bermuda grass at least once in there life!! Nothing like it!


Just baled some last week, thankfully I was square baling and not rolling but it's still a PITA....


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## 32-0-0

TX Jim...could you elaborate on the 14" rods that you added to the starter roll? Maybe include a picture if you get a chance?


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## Tx Jim

32-0-0 said:


> TX Jim...could you elaborate on the 14" rods that you added to the starter roll? Maybe include a picture if you get a chance?


What model baler do you have?? I will try to get some photos of my shade tree installed rods.


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## Tx Jim

somedevildawg said:


> Just baled some last week, thankfully I was square baling and not rolling but it's still a PITA....


Or rd bale Coastal that's been cut on the ground & rained on for an extended period of time.


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## Tx Jim

Here's some photo's of my modification to the 467 starter roll & rotor fingers to aid feeding/starting a bale especially helps in short,drier Coastal. When 14'' rods were added they were straight but foreign objects have bent some of them


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## 32-0-0

TX Jim... Thanks for the pics...now I understand...gonna add some to my baler.

Guess I'll get to bale some rained on coastal...thought I could sneak a 8 acre cutting in before the next rain was forecast...only a 20% chance starting on Thursday when I cut...woke up this morning with 1.5" in the rain gauge. Some storms blew in over the Mexico border overnight. 
Ah well, now I don't have to worry about irrigating the other fields for a while.

Any tips you can pass on for baking rained on coastal?

Thanks again for the pics.


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## 32-0-0

Typo warning...meant tips on baling coastal, although baking tips will be appreciated as well...wonder how a coastal salad would taste like?


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## mlappin

540 always unless in very dry light grass or cornstalks, other than that full throttle and jam it in as fast as it will take it. I bale anywhere from 4mph to 11mph.


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## Tx Jim

32-0-0
I would still like to know your balers "model #"????? Slower pto rpm's because rained on hay that has been on ground for a while get's very brittle after it dries.


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## 32-0-0

TX Jim....I've got a JD 467...2002 model if I remember correctly...has had around 11,500 bales run through it.


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## Tx Jim

32-0-0
Does your 467 have Megawide pickup? Does your baler have netwrap attach?


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## 32-0-0

Yes, it's a mega wide with net wrap, Run it with a JD 6415.


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## Aherbold

I run my 1000 PTO 567 at about 680 PTO rpm. This corresponds to 1500 engine rpm. (John Deere 4440 tractor) years back I was having net wrap problems and a few other issues. I attended a Deere baler clinic and the men putting it on said I'd never need to run it at full speed. Said 1500-1800 tractor rpms is the sweet spot. It did clear up a bunch of issues, and I feel like I'm not working the piss out of it anymore.


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## 32-0-0

Aherbold said:


> I run my 1000 PTO 567 at about 680 PTO rpm. This corresponds to 1500 engine rpm. (John Deere 4440 tractor) years back I was having net wrap problems and a few other issues. I attended a Deere baler clinic and the men putting it on said I'd never need to run it at full speed. Said 1500-1800 tractor rpms is the sweet spot. It did clear up a bunch of issues, and I feel like I'm not working the piss out of it anymore.


That's kinda been my thought...if you don't have to run the hell out of it, then why do it? If you can get the job done adequately and safely by running the baler at a lower rpm than capacity, then do it that way.


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## haybaler101

32-0-0 said:


> That's kinda been my thought...if you don't have to run the hell out of it, then why do it? If you can get the job done adequately and safely by running the baler at a lower rpm than capacity, then do it that way.


My New Holland dealer told me when I bought my first 688 that the baler was engineered to operate at 1000 rpm's and that is where you operate it at. And basically drive it as fast as you can stay in the seat, as Marty said, 11 mph was not out of the realm of possibility.


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## clowers

32-0-0 said:


> Yes, it's a mega wide with net wrap, Run it with a JD 6415.


Thats a good tractor, I got one.


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## 32-0-0

clowers said:


> Thats a good tractor, I got one.


I have no complaints about ours. Only thing I have changed is the seat...the factory seat was tearing me up, so replaced it with an air ride seat. Rides like a Cadillac now.


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## JMT

Aherbold said:


> I run my 1000 PTO 567 at about 680 PTO rpm. This corresponds to 1500 engine rpm. (John Deere 4440 tractor) years back I was having net wrap problems and a few other issues. I attended a Deere baler clinic and the men putting it on said I'd never need to run it at full speed. Said 1500-1800 tractor rpms is the sweet spot. It did clear up a bunch of issues, and I feel like I'm not working the piss out of it anymore.


JD rep at a field day told me the same thing. I run my tractor at 1700 to 1800 rpms. Not sure what the PTO rpm is but is less than 540. Baler is a 540 PTO 568, can't find a windrow to big for it running at 1800 engine rpms.


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## Tx Jim

32-0-0 said:


> Yes, it's a mega wide with net wrap, Run it with a JD 6415.


Since you baler has netwrap you must be careful when welding on starter roll so net won't catch on welds. When I took pictures I noticed my welder didn't get very good weld penetration on the added rods that got bent.


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## Tx Jim

JMT said:


> JD rep at a field day told me the same thing. I run my tractor at 1700 to 1800 rpms. Not sure what the PTO rpm is but is less than 540. Baler is a 540 PTO 568, can't find a windrow to big for it running at 1800 engine rpms.


I was told same thing at a JD baler field day that 540 pto rpm wasn't always required . IMHO baler operator is wasting fuel & accelerating wear @ 540 pto rpm especially if baler is accepting hay at near maximum pickup capacity


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## swmnhay

bluefarmer said:


> Everyone should have to bale short dry Bermuda grass at least once in there life!! Nothing like it!


maybe similar to wheat straw or even worse soybean straw ran threw a rotary combine??


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