# NH BR740 jamming on hay pickup??



## greenhorn (May 9, 2010)

Hey all... Been a while but I was able to put up some hay last year with the equipment I bought







But..... Ever since I bought my BR740 the pickup jams with hay. I have a 100hp tractor and in 2nd gear so I wouldn't think I'm going too fast because I've seen guys clip around pretty darn fast. It seems like I should be able to go even faster but it just keeps clogging up.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!!!


----------



## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

My 780 will jam up if I am running too slow a PTO RPM and too high a gear for the windrow size, poorly formed windrows or if there is a little too much moisture in the hay. I have learned over the years that the pickup is my most reliable moisture tester--when it jams, it's time to quit baling.

But you might also want to check the pickup top guard height. Mine hangs from a pair of chains.

Hopt this helps.

Ralph


----------



## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

More information would be helpful. Assuming the windgurds are in place and not missing tines.

If the hay is being spit back out of the baler and onto the pickup, then you need to cut your engine speed down and increase your ground speed. You need to keep enough material going in and the bale rotation slowed down so as the bale spins it doesn't break up and come back out the front. You find this in dry short and small windrowed hay

If you are slipping the pickup slip clutch in regular sized windrows, then it probably needs to be adjusted. The clutch components, not the jaws themselves, that were used on your baler wear extremely fast if slipped. If it slips one time the clutch will be loose. On the earlier balers they used a nylon wear ring that would wear away.

If you have overly wide windrows you may be hairpinning in the corners of the pickup and causing the clutch to slip or just plugging the pickup corners. If you have hydraulic pickup lift on your baler, raise the pickup up as you cross over a windrow when starting the bale. Once the pickup is fully over the windrow lower the pickup and go.

In exteme conditions I believe you can weld square rods to the floor roll to make it more agressive.


----------



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Another thing I've had problems with in the past, baling hay that was raked with a bar rake. My cousin is real bad about raking too soon then the bar rake makes a tight windrow that hides any slugs really well. I can run at least a gear faster in the same yielding hay when I rake with my wheel rake compared to his bar rakes.


----------



## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

If your tractor drawbar is low the baler is tilted forward and closes off the pickup opening somewhat. Ideally you would like the top of the baler to be level. You can flip the drawbar over if you have a bent drawbar or the clevis hitch is adjustable.


----------



## greenhorn (May 9, 2010)

Hey thanks for the replies. I'm embarrassed to say but........ it was jamming because the auger wasn't turning to kick the hay to the center of the baler







haha... This was attributed to the chain falling off... Reseated and all good... my username says it all.

Thanks again everyone and best of luck to all. Baler runs like a champ now!!!


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Greenhorn, I can see that you are a good person because you will readily admit a mistake. You will do well in Ag because of your forthrightness. Some have family members and friends to help them along as they learn Ag....when you don't have this type of guidance it can be tougher, but you will learn....keep the good attitude and don't feel reluctant about asking for help on this site. You are the type of person we love to help.

Best Regards, Mike


----------



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

greenhorn and any one interested.

Get in the habit of counting strokes.

Look in your owners manual, and find the fastest strokes per minute recomended. Set your engine speed to procued that fastest strokes per minute. That is the PTO rpms you want to use when baling. Usualy a little over 600 rpm's.

For my 34" bale length I want 15 strokes per bale, when going too fast (11 strokes per bale) I drop back a gear. If going too slow, ( 18 strokes per bale) I go up a gear.

NH has a little rubber bumper on the blocking mechnism that protects the needles during the tie. With that little rubber bumper cut off you can *HEAR* when the baler starts to tie.

=================================================================
Your operator's manual should have a trouble shooting section that provides some hints on what to do.
_The operators manual will not tell you to use a faster PTO speed, I got that from a factory representive._

Every winter take you baler back to the dealer for replace as needed overhaul. Whatch the Mechanic and be right there to hand him his tools. Learn what to look for with *your* baler..

Buy a second pair of knives and sharpen the dull knives with a file not a grinder.

My baler is 33 years old and still is as good as new. A little oxidation but darn little rust. A baler will rust out before it wears out.

A nice air conditioned 100 hp tractor is nice to ride in but I prefere a 40 or 50 hp open station tractor.
I do wish I had a Hydrolic Drive to adjust the ground speed, rather than changing gears.
I have pulled a baler with a 35 hp tractor. that will sure teach you to *feel* the plunger strokes.

Oh yes no radios to listen to, Listen to the equipment.

One last thing, Good raking is what makes baling easy. If it is not you doing the raking have your wife or daughter rake for you. The females tend to pay better attention to what they are doing.

When you put up your baler leave only one bale in the bale chamber, Pull the other one. Keeps the rust down in the bale chamber.


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

.....Neither a grinding wheel nor a file (to sharpen twine knives) on any bailer, round or square. Always use an oilstone, maintain the factory angle and draw sharpen the knife, never sideways across the stone..

Never had a bailer last 33 years, not when running 10-15,000 bales per year, they wear out and begin costing money. We've never taken any bailer We've owned back to the dealer for an end of season service. We do it ourselves.

We get about 5-7 years out of a bailer and it's time to trade it or run an ad in Craigslist, Last one I sold to a guy that had a couple horses and wanted to do his own hay on his own ground. Long as their money is green, I can care less where they go. Mowers last longer, around 10 years and rakes forever.. Probably why there are so many 'Ropers' (bar rakes) around used. Years ago when I started in this business, I had a rollabar NH that I gotused. Soon as I tried a rotary Kuhn, the bar rake went to a new home.. Don't miss it.


----------



## Itsalwayssomething (Aug 19, 2008)

Not exactly addressing Greenhorn's original problem but I couldn't help back up what Hay Wilson in TX said. All of it. Especially... _read the manual._ If it didn't come with a manual, get one before you use it. People ask me for help and it always turns out that they should have read the manual. What could be better than sitting curled up on the couch, on a cold winter night with a good baler manual?? One more thing... I got rid of my old bar rake and bought a Kuhn rotary rake and never looked back, except while I'm using it but only to admire it.


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

mlappin said:


> Another thing I've had problems with in the past, baling hay that was raked with a bar rake. My cousin is real bad about raking too soon then the bar rake makes a tight windrow that hides any slugs really well. I can run at least a gear faster in the same yielding hay when I rake with my wheel rake compared to his bar rakes.


IMO, bar rakes all belong out in the front yard with the old single bottom draw plow, surrounded by flowers and mulch.

We call 'em 'Ropers' around here.


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Itsalwayssomething said:


> Not exactly addressing Greenhorn's original problem but I couldn't help back up what Hay Wilson in TX said. All of it. Especially... _read the manual._ If it didn't come with a manual, get one before you use it. People ask me for help and it always turns out that they should have read the manual. What could be better than sitting curled up on the couch, on a cold winter night with a good baler manual?? One more thing... I got rid of my old bar rake and bought a Kuhn rotary rake and never looked back, except while I'm using it but only to admire it.


I have a Krone and a Geihl and I too, look back and admire the enven non-entangled windrow. Got a bit concerned when I needed rake tines for the Geihl as it's 50 years old. Frontier rotary tines interchange, issue solved.

In retrospect, I don't have any implements or tractors without the owners manuals in the least and preferrably shop manuals. I love to read anyway.


----------

