# NH 273 baler pickup reel locks up



## CAEMI (Jan 18, 2014)

My New Holland 273 baler is in very good condition overall and, generally, never misses a knot and produces a nice, tight bale. However, last summer the pickup reel started locking up regardless of windrow size, condition of hay, or any other thing I could see. I simply freezes up and the reel chain on the right side (looking from behind the baler) is as tight as can be - like it is locked right down.

I have cleaned the clutches and examined them carefully - they are in great condition. I have cleaned the "racheting" mechanism on the left side of the pickup drive reel and installed new plungers and springs (the old ones looked perfect but since I was in there, I did it). I have adjusted all the chains and made sure the idler pulleys and gears are all lined up nicely.

Getting prepared for the hay season, today I began tearing the pickup reel apart. I can find nothing wrong. The small bearings that run in the tracks on each side of the pickup reel look fine. The idler pulley bearings/bushings are fine.

I am thinking it is the main drive shaft bearings on either/both the left and right side. I'm talking about part number 574844 on the NH parts blow-up.

I am getting frustrated - does anyone have an idea about what this could be???


----------



## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

It is not the 574844 bearings that are your problem. Those bearings are on the drive shaft going from the left side of the baler to the right side. If these bearings were the problem, the right side chain would not be tight since the chain is after the bearings.

There are only three likely possibilities. The cam, cam bearings, or the pickup reel main shaft bearings.

The most likely place to look is the cam the small cam follower bearings run in and the cam bearings. The cam bearings are the ones on the end of the pipes with the teeth. Remove the last two or three bands covering the cam and cam follower bearings. Look closely at the bearings. If you have a bearing which has failed, it will cause the tine bar to flip backwards and can break out part of the cam. Then when the other bearings cross the broken section they can get caught. The cam bearing does not need to be completely gone for this to happen. If it worn excessively it can still allow the pipe to flip backwards. The cams break out on the back side where it is difficult to see, so look closely. Another thought, if the pipes and the supports the pipes go through are worn excessively this will also allow the pipes to flip backwards especially if the bearings are worn. If you have a super sweep pickup this is probably not the problem. On the standard pickups the pipes are in direct contact with bushings in the pipe supports. If the bushings are worn excessively you will probably see cracks starting to show on the bushings in the pipe supports.

The reel main shaft bearing are located on each end of the shaft. The right bearing is behind the larger sprocket on the right side. the left bearing is on the opposite end of the pickup reel. Material likes to wrap around this bearing and cause it to fail. These bearings are 1 1/8" bearing, 45882 I believe. The bearing part number you had was for a 1" bearing.


----------



## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

I had the same thing happen to mine a couple of seasons ago. Like mike10 says, it was the bushings that supported the pipes holding the pick-up fingers. Cracked and worn. Of course this happened on a weekend, so no replacement parts on hand except the cam bearings I had in the shop. I simply welded some new pieces of pipe I had into the end plates and replaced the cam bearings while I was in there. Hasn't missed a lick since. Best of luck.

Regards,

Steve


----------



## Maryland Ridge Farms (Mar 1, 2009)

cam bearings are a problem the old chain round balers that we ran for years I inally started changing them every 2 seasons to keep from wadding the pickup up which I have done a few times. I have a 273 with not a lot of bales on it that dad bought new Great Baler!


----------



## CAEMI (Jan 18, 2014)

Thank you, guys, for the excellent advice. I will study those pipe bearings and bushings and report back. I SHOULD have mentioned that the reel will unlock when I stop the PTO and allow it to stop rotating. It will stop rotating...then reverse rotate just a few inches...then it will usually (not always) take right off again. The times that it will not take off again are due, I believe, to the clutches being heated up.

Last fall I managed to limp through about 500 bales like this but it was frustrating. I really appreciate the input - thank you. And, Mike, that note about the chain locking up after the main drive bearing is right on. I never thought of that.


----------

