268 baler broken knife

[kat murphy]

I picked up a tree branch and broke the stationary knife. Cleared the chamber, replaced the knife and got half a bale into it correctly, popped the sheer pin and broke that same knife again. I can't find anything in the chamber but a small piece of the old knife I missed the first go around that would have caused the break. I'm a bit worried that I have missed something. Is there a torque spec for the knife bolts or have I missed something else? Everything appears to be correct when we ran it empty.

 

[charlie n]

You may have something behind the plunger shield.I put a stick thru mine and had to pull the plunger to straighten the shield were it bent out.Another problem could be a bearing out on the plunger not letting it run straight and true.Good Luck.

 

[kat murphy]

Thanks Charlie, I will look the plunger over real close then. Appreciate the idea. i don't think the bearing is out of it, it baled up almost a whole bale perfect before it went wrong.

 

[kat murphy]

Okay, I checked the plunger chamber, cleared all the hay etc out of it, jb welded the knife back together and re-ran it. The plunger knife is running on the wrong side of the stationary knife and splitting it off. Why would the plunger be out of line and how do I make it go back where it should be at? it also appears like the chamber wall with the stationary knife is bent in slightly. How could that be?

 

[charlie n]

Here's what they should look like.

Hope this helps.Still sounds like somethings in a bind or broke.Good Luck.

 

[DeltaRed]

I once had a baler with a bent balechamber.ended up juncking it.hope that is not your problem.

 

[kat murphy]

it's bent. I put a speed square on it. Tried to bend it back but not working.

The plunger knife is hitting the stationary and going behind it now. The plunger is traveling right where it should thru the whole sequence, not out of track.

I'm going to try to cut the first layer of metal out of it and shim it. What other choice do I have?

 

[G1wood]

You need to get a Manual from NH, they are only about $25.00. The plunger on your baler has between 6 or 8 roller bearings, all adjustable, and MUST be adjusted in a specific order to give you a clearance of 30 one thousands of an inch between the plunger knife and the stationary knife. You can not just guess or you will continue breaking one or both knives, or worse. NH also recommended that the plunger knife be ground with a taper on the inside lower edge so that the knives would NOT cross when the plunger got a bit out of adjustment. I am, and continue to run a NH 277, 5000+ bales per yr, for the last 35 yrs and still going. These are good balers but the adjustments and tolerances are very specific and must be followed exactly to make them work well.

 

[kat murphy]

G1wood, thank you very much. I understand how the equipment works and how to adjust it all the way around, the chamber bow had me perplexed and junking the baler is completely out of the question. This is what we ended up doing. The branch bowed the chamber wall into the plunger. We tried heating it up and pounding it out, didn't work. We tried heating it up and using a jack to push it out, didn't work. So, we adjusted the plunger so it travels right down the right side kick bar and cut out the first layer of metal in the chamber wall. In effect, we counter sunk the stationary blade so it no longer sticks out past the plunger travel bar. Cut the bottom 1/4 inch of the stationary knife (so it would fit flush on the floor of the chamber) thus eliminating the need for shims. Now, even if the plunger bearings go out, I will still never break a knife, it will just cut lousy. I baled 500 bales with it last night(dang, it was hot and humid too). the darn thing has never baled better!

Oh, I'm dumb, too many pieces of equipment laying around, it's a 273 hayliner, my bad.

Wow, 200k bales a year, you must have one heck of a hay crew! I'm lucky I can pick up 5k a year myself. Wish I had an accumulator myself. But, that would just be another piece of equipment to tear up.

 

[G1wood]

Thats 5000/yr., and I use a NH 1032 automatic bale wagon as well,or I would have been consigned to the scrap heap yrs ago along with the rest worn out equip. around here.

 

[kat murphy]

LOL G1wood, you and I both in the scrap heap! I bought this 273 used 10 years ago and have put on average of 2,500 to 4,000 a year thru it. I've never had to anything to it but grease it,adjust it, fill the tires with air and a sheer pin every now and then. The feller that I bought it from had a custom baling business so I'm sure it's been rode hard and put up wet many a night. I wish I had a wagon but I'm fighting to just keep this stuff going. I baled another 490( waiting til close to dark to pick it up, 112F today) with it today and it appears to be working good so if others end up with a bowed in chamber, I hope they will look at what we did with ours and consider it as an option instead of possibly taking it in for a costly repair or scrapping it. There is no way I really thought what we did would work but it has.

 

[G1wood]

Your lucky, at least you have some weather. Here in BC I have managed to put up a total of 5 small round bales. Still have 120 ac to go, Aug. is going to be tough if the sun actualy comes out. Will have to regrease the 277 because the rain has washed off all the last batch.