Which JE baler to buy?

[SamV]

Group,

I am currently using a JD 510 round baler and it works..... Belly belts are really bad and I am in the market for a newer one. I do about 50 round bales a year these are 5x6 from this baler. I have 2 in my radar one is a JD 530 and the other is JD 385 Both look decent. Any recommendations on either of these and or any others that I should consider. I really don't care what brand. Just good reliable baler that is relatively easy to fix if need be. I would like to stay under 10K. Net wrap is not a need. I have a building that I store all my bales inside and twine works fine.

 

[Tx Jim]

Almost any later model rd baler is an improvement over a JD 510 rd baler. I would choose 530 that will have auto bale wrapping vs nearly any JD rd baler limited to 5ft diameter & smaller bales. JD 385 will have manually controlled not auto bale wrapping. If you could find a JD535 that would be even better due to it having a bale push bar so no backing up required to dump bale.

 

[SamV]

Almost any later model rd baler is an improvement over a JD 510 rd baler. I would choose 530 that will have auto bale wrapping vs nearly any JD rd baler limited to 5ft diameter & smaller bales. JD 385 will have manually controlled not auto bale wrapping. If you could find a JD535 that would be even better due to it having a bale push bar so no backing up required to dump bale.

Both of these Balers are around the 5,000. range. withing a few dollars. Is that a decent price?

 

[hoghollow]

If you have inside storage for the baler a JD 535 doing 50 bales a year will last a lifetime. Had one and regret selling it. They are a very good baler. Around here 5500 to 7000 wil buy a nice 535.

 

[Tx Jim]

Both of these Balers are around the 5,000. range. withing a few dollars. Is that a decent price?

IMHO $5000 is too much money for a JD 530 rd baler that's over 40 yrs old. I sold my '05 JD 467 that had Mega-wide pickup, bale push bar & netwrap for $10K 3 yrs ago when I decided to retire. Granted my baler had baled 30,000 bales but person that purchased it has custom baled hay with it ever hay season since he purchased it from me.