# John Deere 336 Small Square Baler.



## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

Hi. I’m thinking on going to look at a John Deere 336 small square baler. What can anyone tell me about them?


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

One of the best square balers ever made. Don’t know the price, but I’d ask for a demo to include making a few bales and tying knots.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

leeave96 said:


> One of the best square balers ever made. Don't know the price, but I'd ask for a demo to include making a few bales and tying knots.


 I personally think 336 is an OK JD baler but not the best. I think the JD sq balers with 6 instead of 3 hay dogs plus wider pickup with more teeth are better balers. Maybe I'm spoiled by my JD 347


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

I had an older International that had a short bale chute. Some of my hillsides haven't been worked up and seeded in probably 30 years so they are a native slick grass that doesn't have many leaves and doesn't yield much.It seems to go from a little to much moisture to bale to way dry with one good gust of wind. My fields are all small, misshaped with different types of grass in different parts of the same fields. many going from a very light windrow in the drier part to a fairly heavy one in the lower part of the field. We added extra wedges in the bale chamber but the tension was almost always screwed all the way down. Baling after the dew hit to get a tight (kind of tight- to fairly tight bale) wasn't unusual on the slick grass hills. I got a used 336 that had been used in alfalfa, so I tightened the tension down and went to bale. Blew the strings, loosened the tension, blew the strings, ended up loosened it way up and got good tight bales. Customers all seemed to think the bales were going to mold because they were a good bit heavier. I like the 336 because I'm hardly ever in the right gear to bale. With 50 hp it's hard to over stuff it without having to restart the tractor and unclog the baler. If I'm baling up against the governor it makes nice shaped, tight bales. If I'm going way to slow for the windrow size because the field is to rough, it makes fewer, nice shaped, tight bales.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Tx Jim said:


> I personally think 336 is an OK JD baler but not the best. I think the JD sq balers with 6 instead of 3 hay dogs plus wider pickup with more teeth are better balers. Maybe I'm spoiled by my JD 347


Agreed. The 336 seems to have a cult following. It's probabky a better baler than other balers of the same vintage so it should get some credit but even on pickup width alone it should be considered just okay.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Tx Jim said:


> I personally think 336 is an OK JD baler but not the best. I think the JD sq balers with 6 instead of 3 hay dogs plus wider pickup with more teeth are better balers. Maybe I'm spoiled by my JD 347





8350HiTech said:


> I have a JD 348 and like your 347, it is a hay eating, brick making machine. The wider pickup appealed to me too.
> 
> Agreed. The 336 seems to have a cult following. It's probabky a better baler than other balers of the same vintage so it should get some credit but even on pickup width alone it should be considered just okay.


I don't know. I cut my teeth on a JD 24t and that baler didn't seem like it could make a bad bale of hay. IMHO the 336 is a much better/faster baler. I see so many of the 336 balers out there, I've read tons or positive comments about them and youtube is full of videos of folks still using them - including some dairy. I still think they are/were a great baler. I would consider one for a back-up if price and condition were right.

JMHO...

Edit: my present go-to baler is a JD 348.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

How about the 338 model? Seen one advertised as well.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Bruce Hopf said:


> How about the 338 model? Seen one advertised as well.


It is a good baler too. Same 80 strokes per minutes as the 336 and 328. 338 will be newer than the 328, but could be 30 years old too. Later models and current production have green vs yellow pickup.

338 will have wider pickup, I believe it has 6 pickup tinebars, may have more haydogs than the 328, Can't remember. Later models may have the larger 8 twine ball twine box too - going on memory this morning.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

JD 338 only has 3 hay dogs but it has 78 double tine pickup teeth


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

leeave96 said:


> I don't know. I cut my teeth on a JD 24t and that baler didn't seem like it could make a bad bale of hay. IMHO the 336 is a much better/faster baler. I see so many of the 336 balers out there, I've read tons or positive comments about them and youtube is full of videos of folks still using them - including some dairy. I still think they are/were a great baler. I would consider one for a back-up if price and condition were right.
> 
> JMHO...
> 
> Edit: my present go-to baler is a JD 348.


I agree 336 is a better baler than a 24T. But don't pull a 336 in the same field with a 348 & expect to keep up with the 348.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Bruce, My first baler was a 336. I made ~12,000 bales with it with a Bale Basket in tow, but could never make it produce consistently. Misshapen bales were a constant issue. Had it worked on by a "mechanic" when I couldn't fix it without much success, either.
I switched to a newer NH baler and it worked better. 
I wouldn't dissuade anyone from buying a 336 though. It was a simple, rugged baler. 338 would be better with a bigger pickup.


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

I'm not sure twine box capacity is an early/ late production thing. I thought it was how the baler was spec'ed new. As I said I get good bales out of my 336, but I realize it doesn't have the capacity, pick up width, etc of other balers. One thing I like about 'Deere balers is parts availability. People who don't like green balers say parts are available because nothing has changed over the years. Maybe so. I'm not saying a green baler is better than any other color, and definitely I don't believe a 336 will compete with a new baler. What I do believe is if like me, you have a budget for a older used baler and plan on having it for years to come you can find parts. New parts, used parts, even some aftermarket parts. Last time I went to the dealership for International baler parts their response was "good luck". I realize a 30 year old baler isn't anywhere near new but for us guys that only put up a few acres a year it isn't falling apart either. Without parts sooner or later even the best baler is nothing more than scrap.


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## KS John (Aug 6, 2018)

Wethay said:


> I'm not sure twine box capacity is an early/ late production thing. I thought it was how the baler was spec'ed new. As I said I get good bales out of my 336, but I realize it doesn't have the capacity, pick up width, etc of other balers. One thing I like about 'Deere balers is parts availability. People who don't like green balers say parts are available because nothing has changed over the years. Maybe so. I'm not saying a green baler is better than any other color, and definitely I don't believe a 336 will compete with a new baler. What I do believe is if like me, you have a budget for a older used baler and plan on having it for years to come you can find parts. New parts, used parts, even some aftermarket parts. Last time I went to the dealership for International baler parts their response was "good luck". I realize a 30 year old baler isn't anywhere near new but for us guys that only put up a few acres a year it isn't falling apart either. Without parts sooner or later even the best baler is nothing more than scrap.


Same with my NH 575. Parts are available.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

My Neighbor has a 327, that his Dad bought new, hasn't been used in about 10 years or so, since his Dad passed away. He told me, that the 327, is the Newer updated model of the 366. 
When I baled with my New Holland 278 (until it flew apart in the Feeder Mechanism, and can no longer find find parts for it), I could bale 3 - 9 foot rows raked into 1, with it. Would the 327 handle that much volume, or should a Person, seriously look at the 338? Thanks again everyone, for all the help and advice.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Bruce Hopf said:


> My Neighbor has a 327, that his Dad bought new, hasn't been used in about 10 years or so, since his Dad passed away. He told me, that the 327, is the Newer updated model of the 366.
> When I baled with my New Holland 278 (until it flew apart in the Feeder Mechanism, and can no longer find find parts for it), I could bale 3 - 9 foot rows raked into 1, with it. Would the 327 handle that much volume, or should a Person, seriously look at the 338? Thanks again everyone, for all the help and advice.


IMHO the 338 is not a higher capacity baler than the 327, both are 80 stroke machines. You would have to move to the 347 or 348 to up the capacity via 93 strokes per minute.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

327 has 44 double tined pickup teeth while 338 with wider pickup has 78 double tined pickup teeth so IMHO has more capacity.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

I looked at my Neighbor's baler this morning. It has 4 rows of Time bars on the Pickup. I was wondering, how the pickup would handle Straw from a Rotary Combine.
Here's a few pictures of this baler. Any idea of what it's worth?


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

It’s the 327, I was asking about.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

That's a nice looking baler, if you plan on using the kicker, they are very good.

However...

The baler is over 30 years old, so be mindful of age related potential issues in your price consideration.

I'd have the seller bale/demo it or better yet, let you try it out.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

We had a 328 years ago. It would bale anything we threw at it including oat straw out of a rotary combine. It would out bale a 336. The 336 is a good baler though.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Bruce Hopf said:


> It's the 327, I was asking about.


4 tooth bar pickups don't handle heavy straw/hay as well balers with 6 tooth bars


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

I went to my local John Deere Dealership Yesterday, to look at the 338, I was asking Advice on. It had a lot wider pickup than that of the 327, and the flitting on the auger, was a different design, of the 327, that had been mentioned previously, and I seen that the flitting on the 327, could cause problems, possibly in heavy rows. 
When I Bale Hay, I like to have 3 - 9 ft rows, into 1, and could plug up the Baler, which was also mentioned. Plus, the 338, had the 6 rows of bars, for the tines, and a wide pickup, like my old New Holland 278. 
Also, with my experience balling with an old International 47 Baler, trying to bale heavy Wheat Straw, behind today's combines, even a Conventional Combine, if you didn't take a 5 Bar Hay take, and just Nudge the one side of the row over a little bit, that row was just too wide, for the pickup of the baler, and had a very hard time, feeding the baler. I was afraid of the narrow pickup, on the 327, having issues with it, doing Straw.
The 327, had a long handle on it, that you had to Manual turn, to adjust the kicker, for turning the corners, with the 338, it was all done by, an Electronic Joystick, and could be controlled, from inside A Cab of a tractor, where the 327, and that long handle, could have been a more difficult, with a tractor with a cab even with the back window open.
The 338, had a more updated and a lot heavier PTO Shaft as well, other than the 327, with a lot lighter PTO Shaft, so if I wanted to, which I'll more likely will do, is run the Baler, with my 2-105 White. It's a lot faster on the Road, than my other tractors, for traveling to do Custom Work, and the A/C in the Cab, will make it nicer, as well to bale with, and keep me, out of the Dust.
Another thing, the 327, is an out of date number, probably could still can get all the parts for it, but what I learned with my New Holland 278, some of the parts for it, are now Obsolete, or some parts are close to being Obsolete, they Jack the price of the Parts, to being close to Double, I'd not More than Double, in Price, and I'm afraid, I could run into the same problems, with the 327, but the 338 model, is still being made, today. 
I'd like to thank everyone, for their Help, and Advice, especially Tx Jim, the Different Diagrams, he posted, showing the difference, between parts, especially the Feed Augers, that helped me out a lot, in seeing different possible issues, I could face, while balling.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Bruce Hopf said:


> I went to my local John Deere Dealership Yesterday, to look at the 338, I was asking Advice on. It had a lot wider pickup than that of the 327, and the flitting on the auger, was a different design, of the 327, that had been mentioned previously, and I seen that the flitting on the 327, could cause problems, possibly in heavy rows.
> When I Bale Hay, I like to have 3 - 9 ft rows, into 1, and could plug up the Baler, which was also mentioned. Plus, the 338, had the 6 rows of bars, for the tines, and a wide pickup, like my old New Holland 278.
> Also, with my experience balling with an old International 47 Baler, trying to bale heavy Wheat Straw, behind today's combines, even a Conventional Combine, if you didn't take a 5 Bar Hay take, and just Nudge the one side of the row over a little bit, that row was just too wide, for the pickup of the baler, and had a very hard time, feeding the baler. I was afraid of the narrow pickup, on the 327, having issues with it, doing Straw.
> The 327, had a long handle on it, that you had to Manual turn, to adjust the kicker, for turning the corners, with the 338, it was all done by, an Electronic Joystick, and could be controlled, from inside A Cab of a tractor, where the 327, and that long handle, could have been a more difficult, with a tractor with a cab even with the back window open.
> ...


Bruce, I have found "speed" to be an underrated aspect in farming. Weather squeezes our time down to what seems like to me, just a handful of good baling days per cutting. Last year, I think we had maybe 6-8 ideal baling days the whole season!

Buying a 338 not only puts you into a less obsolete baler, but it also puts you in a faster baler. Fast beats weather issues. Like you mentioned, it also "forces" you into the bigger, safer, more comfortable and faster tractor.

Took me a while to learn as much as I enjoy being in the fields and working, you really have to find ways to speed up your operation to be successful in hay farming.

Good luck with that 338 and post up some pictures! Would like to see it.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Bruce

You're welcome but I don't remember discussing the feed augers. Due to the fact JD hasn't changed the sq baler design very much since the introduction of the 336/346 models I think parts availability will not be a problem. I think you'll be much happier with the 338 over the 327.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

Tx Jim said:


> Bruce
> You're welcome but I don't remember discussing the feed augers. Due to the fact JD hasn't changed the sq baler design very much since the introduction of the 336/346 models I think parts availability will not be a problem. I think you'll be much happier with the 338 over the 327.


Sorry Jim. Must have been on Yesterday's Tractor, you had posted diagrams, of two different augeas, as I Too was on there, looking at different posts made, on these balers.


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