# Round Balers



## E.Boman (Jun 4, 2015)

I currently have a John Deere 466 rounds baler. Love how it takes the hay but I am sure getting sick of the net wrap issues. It keeps wrapping the rubber roll in net wrap box. Sometimes every bale sometimes ever 4 or 5. And sometimes I can go 20 bales. Any ideas? I'm using telk from Deere. They have spent 3 afternoons in the field with 3 different baler tecs and can't figure it out. Anyways I'm so frustrated I'm considering a different baler. I don't have unlimited funds so cheaper the better. I'm looking at a 469 for $35k or 468 for $20k and a new Holland br7070 for $22.5k. What would you pick and why? Or should I just keep trying to figgure out the 466?


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

E.Boman said:


> I currently have a John Deere 466 rounds baler. Love how it takes the hay but I am sure getting sick of the net wrap issues. It keeps wrapping the rubber roll in net wrap box. Sometimes every bale sometimes ever 4 or 5. And sometimes I can go 20 bales. Any ideas? I'm using telk from Deere. They have spent 3 afternoons in the field with 3 different baler tecs and can't figure it out. Anyways I'm so frustrated I'm considering a different baler. I don't have unlimited funds so cheaper the better. I'm looking at a 469 for $35k or 468 for $20k and a new Holland br7070 for $22.5k. What would you pick and why? Or should I just keep trying to figgure out the 466?


Where is the baler tech coming from?


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

That's a tough one. Plus you have to disclose the shortcomings of your baler to the buyer and take a commensurate price hit. 
I had "unsolvable issues" with my NH648 and waaaaaay too much hay getting rained on with the wrenches and the techs and the phone calls. Dealer knew the issues and gave me a great trade in on a new BR 7060 baler. 
Now I have a 3+ yr old baler and guess what? I just replaced the computer box and now I just replaced a tire. Both repairs were $1,500. 
So I got a 3 yr reprieve from repairs, but I had payments, too. 
Now the baler is paid off, but also now the repairs are back.

I don't really think the brand matters too much. They're all pretty good. I will say I hear the most complaints from Deere round baler owners. I hear a lot of good, but I also hear a lot of bad.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Oops. Re read. Ever notice how all the green lots have plenty of new and used combines and lawn mowers? And not a whole lot of forage equipment. At least South, East, and West of you.

That's a big part of the reason I went a lil South of Milaca on 169...

I would look for yellow or red for aforementioned reason.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

A farmer nearby me used to do custom baling with a JD 466. We would get him to help us Bale when we had a lot laying. That JD 466 build a lot of hay and they had a lot of problems with a net wrap on that baler. They had different net wrap problems and they also had the problem you had they were always putting talcum powder on the wrap rollers. Have you used any talcum powder. Don't go by what I say because I am just sharing what I heard from The Neighbors but they did trade their John Deere for a New Holland and I always said the John Deere was still the better baler but they ran New Holland they just wouldn't put up with John Deere's net wrap problems


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## labdwakin (Jun 21, 2016)

You can find a used Vermeer for a decent price. As I've said before, Vermeer keeps it simple. I barely make 1500 round bales a year right now but my balers are a 504H and a 504F *edit for accuracy... I don't know why I keep trying to call it a J (gotta have two because they're so old and I need to be able to keep baling if one has a catastrophic failure) both of them just tick right along as long as you replace the known wear items when they show signs of serious wear. I think the 504J makes about 10 bales an hour right now just kind of easing along.


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

Baby powder does work but it may not solve your exact problem. Worth a try though.

468 and 469's are one heck of a baler. Can't go wrong with them.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

I just bought a 466, had the Sales rep,from Deere, over yesterday, to help me set up my baler. Had the same issue, as you, it would wrap the net, around the roller. He strongly recommend, that I used Baby Powder, on my rollers, instead of Telk Powder, more lubrication, in the Baby Powder.
Another thing he told me, was to drop the pan, under the belts, and take my die grinder, with a brilow pad, and polish up the top of the rails, of the pan. Sometimes there can a rust build up, from the baleer sitting, that can cause friction, for the net wrap, and to put baby powder, oe top of the rails, before I put the pan, back up. But to also make sure, I got he pan back up, as tight as I could, against the belts, or other wise, I'll have issues, with the net wrap.


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## E.Boman (Jun 4, 2015)

I have been using that talc powder. Doesn't seem to help. The baler techs are from Midwest where I bought it this spring. I will say they are sure treating me good over 15 hours of labor rate for no charge. And I wouldn't be selling the baler. They have agreed to take it back at full purchase price. It just that I really didn't want to spend that kind of money on a baler and they don't have anything cheaper. I really don't feel right going elsewhere tho because of how good they have treated me. Just wish I could figure this baler out.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

Have you checked, what Voltage , your Altinator, is putting out? That was another thing, that was causing issues, with the net wrap, on my baler. Volt meter would read, from 11, to 13 volts, so I swapped it out, for a new reman Altinator, now it reads, from 12, to 14 volts. Helped aliment that issue, as well.


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## E.Boman (Jun 4, 2015)

Here is what we checked so far, voltage, connections, net wrap roll brake, rubber roll brake, belt tension, actuator, knife, and net pan. I started with baby powder then switched to talc with no change.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

How much powder, did your put on? I was told by the sales rep, not to use it, sparingly, plaster it on, to really cover the rollers, and even put it behind the roll, of wrap, ontop of the wrap supports, and powder, the roll of wrap, itself. 
The bottle of Baby Powder, cost me $1.50, at the Dollar Store and it was a fair sized bottle too. I covered thee rollers, the rails, the pan, under the belts, behind the roll of net wrap and on top of the net wrap, itself, and used up a half a bottle, just to do eveything. At that price, I'll buy, it by, the Case.


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## E.Boman (Jun 4, 2015)

I'm pretty confident that powder isn't my problem. I have tried very little to making it completely white back there with no change. It's started fine I could bale 150-200 bales a day no problem. And now it's every 4 or 5 and sometimes every bale.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> That's a tough one. Plus you have to disclose the shortcomings of your baler to the buyer and take a commensurate price hit.
> I had "unsolvable issues" with my NH648 and waaaaaay too much hay getting rained on with the wrenches and the techs and the phone calls. Dealer knew the issues and gave me a great trade in on a new BR 7060 baler.
> Now I have a 3+ yr old baler and guess what? I just replaced the computer box and now I just replaced a tire. Both repairs were $1,500.
> So I got a 3 yr reprieve from repairs, but I had payments, too.
> ...


Ummm,

I can see the $1500 for the brain box maybe&#8230;

But $1500 for a tire on the baler? Had to be a tractor tire right? If not I'll gladly drive out and repair your baler tires&#8230;


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

mlappin said:


> Ummm,
> I can see the $1500 for the brain box maybe&#8230;
> But $1500 for a tire on the baler? Had to be a tractor tire right? If not I'll gladly drive out and repair your baler tires&#8230;


BOTH repairs were $1,500. (Brain box $1,100 Tire $400).


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

E.Boman said:


> I'm pretty confident that powder isn't my problem. I have tried very little to making it completely white back there with no change. It's started fine I could bale 150-200 bales a day no problem. And now it's every 4 or 5 and sometimes every bale.


Have you by any chance changed the brand of net wrap you was using?


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

deadmoose said:


> Oops. Re read. Ever notice how all the green lots have plenty of new and used combines and lawn mowers? And not a whole lot of forage equipment. At least South, East, and West of you.
> 
> That's a big part of the reason I went a lil South of Milaca on 169...
> 
> I would look for yellow or red for aforementioned reason.


deadmoose

A lot of the green equipment you see on JD dealer lots is "lease return" equipment.


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## E220 (Feb 10, 2016)

Excuse me for jumping in on a green discussion. On our older balers with rubber net rollers, we used only cornstarch. If someone used baby powder or talcum powder before, we would take a brush, soap, and water and scrub those rollers clean.

Smarter people than me say that we don't powder it for lubrication, rather for static dissipation.The reason/theory for using cornstarch instead of talcum or baby powder (I'm told) is cornstarch is conductive and dissipates the static built up from the rubber and poly friction. Talcum powder insulates the rollers.

While it may sound like pseudo science, I have fought with net on the hottest summer days, then got a bit of cornstarch from the kitchen. I sprinkled a bit on the net roll and rubbed some on the rubber rolls and it worked.

Also, I agree with rajela. Look at your netwrap brand.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

E Boman

My guess is netwrap rubber feed roller is damaged with a knife cut or netwrap guide attached to baler tailgate isn't adjusted to spec's(0.118-0.197'' at bottom & 0.39-0.157'' at top). Also rubber roller pressure could be too high(correct feed roll spring dimension 0.807''). Is netwrap routed correctly through NW feed rollers? I very seldom ever apply talc(baby) powder to my 467 net rubber roller.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> BOTH repairs were $1,500. (Brain box $1,100 Tire $400).


Gotcha, thought maybe you lost a tractor tire on the tractor running the baler.

Knock on wood, haven't had any tractor tire issues in years here.


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## E.Boman (Jun 4, 2015)

I have always ran John Deere net. The rubber roll is flawless. And spring tension was good. Checked multiple times. I don't know what you mean by net wrap guide?


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

Is the knife cutting the net good and clean..


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Photo is of guide I was referring to. Did you measure rubber roller spring tension? I have used many many rolls of JD(Ambraco) net and only had problems with net not unrolling off netwrap roll 2 or 3 times but never netwrap roll cause for wrapping rubber roller.


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## cannonball (Jun 23, 2012)

E.Boman said:


> I currently have a John Deere 466 rounds baler. Love how it takes the hay but I am sure getting sick of the net wrap issues. It keeps wrapping the rubber roll in net wrap box. Sometimes every bale sometimes ever 4 or 5. And sometimes I can go 20 bales. Any ideas? I'm using telk from Deere. They have spent 3 afternoons in the field with 3 different baler tecs and can't figure it out. Anyways I'm so frustrated I'm considering a different baler. I don't have unlimited funds so cheaper the better. I'm looking at a 469 for $35k or 468 for $20k and a new Holland br7070 for $22.5k. What would you pick and why? Or should I just keep trying to figgure out the 466?


Pressure wash the rubber rollers, and make sure they are dry before using them...


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I've never pressure washed the rubber netwrap roller & my 467 has baled over 22,000 bales.


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## E.Boman (Jun 4, 2015)

Little update I decided to go with a JD 468 with 3k bales. Any thing to look at with that low of bale count? What kind of change in capacity is there between the 466 and 468? Also has the big flotation tires witch should be nice.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Does your 466 have regular,wide or mega-wide pick up attach? IMHO 3K bales is just broken in. My neighbor has 2 468's but didn't own a 466 but did own a 467. He told me other than the windrow roller in frt of pickup he thought capacity of 467 & 468's was fairly close. 467's are the best JD rd balers I've ever owned.


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## Hokelund Farm (Feb 4, 2014)

If you are looking at other balers I'd strongly recommend at least considering Vermeer.

Maybe try a different net wrap? The JD dealer 2 miles down the road even admits Vermeer net wrap is the best.


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## E.Boman (Jun 4, 2015)

Update. I have put a few hundred bales through my new 468 and I have to say that it is one hay eating son of a gun. From the updated pickup up to the new net wrap John Deere has it figured out. It's enjoyable baling hay now. Glad I got rid of the 466. Hoping for a long trouble free life for the baler. It's got 3,500 bales through it. At what bale count do you guys upgrade?


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I traded my 1st 467 with 30,000 bale count on monitor for present 467 just to get netwrap. Present 467 has over 22,000 bale count. My 467 balers have been the best of all the rd balers I've owned. The 466 MW-PU was definitely the absolute worst baler I've ever owned. I've read where people install the later style mega wide PU on 466 balers to improve the balers performance.


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