New to Hay Baling and need advice!

[NY 986]

560 hands down. However,I would avvise to look for something a bit newer with better brakes and hydralics. IH 656;706;756...Or JohnDeere 3010;3020.Oliver 1650;Ford 5000...Many choices out there in the 60-70 hp range.560s are great tractors. But their hydralisc and brakes leave a little something to be desired.

3010 diesel would work fine as long as it is in good mechanical condition. As to the PTO keep the stub bolts tight and use a locking tab to insure that. Implement PTO slip sleeves should be straight, clean, and lubricated with grease. Most 3010's have had the 20 series overhaul kits installed so should be good for 60 PTO HP or more.

 

[plattman]

Thank you! The thrower on my baler needs some work and I don’t have a wagon so I’m just letting the bales on the ground! I will need some short turns.

I’ll be driving the tractor and my husband will be loading the bales onto a trailer towed by a truck. I should be fine with or without the power steering. Just need something to get a couple hundred bales in a year !

In all sincerity here, just buy the couple hundred bales and save your self all kinds of grief with the machinery. The horses will enjoy the extra pasture.

 

[NY 986]

i am an ihc guy, but i have a few other tractors. what comes to mind is the 1550 cockshutt or oliver, (same tractor). they have power steering and are very nice to drive with their steering set up. good hydraulics' also. and if you want something in the newer range the price will be a big jump. as for a few acres having an old tractor in good shape makes perfect sense.

I like Olivers but 1550's have gotten hard to find. But in any event I think power brakes would be a good thing to have whether it came in red, green, blue, or otherwise.

 

[Horsez2]

In all sincerity here, just buy the couple hundred bales and save your self all kinds of grief with the machinery. The horses will enjoy the extra pasture.

My horse has cushings so she needs soaked hay only… no grass. She has a dry lot and is only allowed on grass with a muzzle for a few hours a day by vet recommendation! So the field is just a waste right now! Plus hay up here is 6-8$ a bale so 1-2yr of hay would make the tractor worth it.

 

[Brown David]

The person selling the 560 says they don’t know where the leak is coming from. They say it runs fine except for the leak. Just don’t want to get something that’s gonna cost more than what I’m paying to fix!

I have a friend who works on tractors. Might have him check it out for me.

Maybe I missed it, and someone else asked too, but I don't know what is leaking yet.

 

[DanielW]

I agree with Tom to 'use what you have', but as you don't have the 560 yet, it won't hurt to keep your options open. A 560 is certainly a good unit, but there are also a lot of great tractors around that size from that era. Hard to go wrong with a Ford 5000. The only problem: Everyone loves them and they're pretty much indestructible: No one ever sells a 5000 once they own one. Folks beat the holy-heck out of them and drive them into the dust. So if you see one for sale, you really have to question why they're selling it. The Case 730 & 830's are good, robust units, and very good on fuel. Lots of folks love the Oliver 1650's/1655's. The Allis 180 & 185 are superb haying tractors with dual remotes - very comfortable to drive and geared just right (as long they don't have the Allis gear jumping issues). Massey 165's are everywhere and for good reason - they're great tractors. Too many good tractors of that size & era to list.

A diesel engine is more fuel efficient and will generally last longer between rebuilds, but I've come around to looking at gassers more. Diesel fuel (at least around here) is about 25% more expensive than gas, so that's a lot of your savings gone. But the main reason I've been looking at more gassers lately: Everyone wants diesels of that size: 60-70 HP tractors are the new 'utility' tractors for a lot of guys. And no one gets rid of them when they have one. Or if they do decide to sell one, it's because they're completely worn out. If you find one that's not worn out, they fetch 3X the price of a gasser in the same condition. Diesel is still preferable - especially if you're doing a large acreage. But you want to crunch the numbers.

I bought an Allis 180 gasser a year or so ago. $2600 plus delivery landed it at my father's farm for $3000. It's in great shape: I did a carb rebuild, cleaned out the tank, and now it purrs like a kitten. I would have preferred a diesel, but a diesel in similar condition would have set me back about $8000. I only use this tractor at my father's for running the haybine and round baler on the small amount of hay we do at his place - probably only 50 or so hours a year. It's definitely thirsty compared to all the diesels we run at our other farm, but I can buy a lot of gas for the $5000 I saved not buying an equivalent-sized diesel.

 

[showcrop]

The 340 is not enough for the mower. If you can find a decent Ford 5000 it would be ideal; compact yet powerful. One of the most liked tractors ever built. Be sure to get a couple bales of mulch hay and get the baler tying well before mowing any hay.

 

[paul]

I too would be curious what is leaking on the one tractor. Oil, fuel, coolant, hydraulics…. You are leaving us all wondering!

The littler IHC would be great for baling, but pretty small for the hay cutter you have.

I would look for a tractor with 50 or more hp. Live or independent pto. 2 hydraulic setups (4 actual ports - 2 pairs).

If you had a smaller or less involved way of cutting hay, I think you would be happy with a 35 hp tractor.

Paul

 

[herk]

My 2 cents I would sell the haybine and buy a good sycle mower and a good rake, old New Holland 56 or JD 894 or even a older 4 wheel rake it will do the job . Bryan

 

[ajl]

If the 340 is a diesel and in better condition, I would get that one. My Dad ran a IH 484 with a loader baling with a NH 273 and a thrower wagon on it when I was a lad. 40 hp is plenty for a sickle bar haybine and baler that is not towing a wagon. Have fun haying.