IH 45 baler knotter problem

[Haykid]

I’ve been trying to tune up my old model 45 baler for hay season this year and ran some test hay through it and I’m getting the left knotter missing probably every 5 or 6 bale. What seems to be happening is the needle twine ends up with a simple knot in it and the twine over the bale has nothing. I have adjusted the twine knife and adjusted the twine disc spacing according to the manual and am lost on where to go next. I know these knotters wernt the most loved but I am only doing this for a hobby and have a couple acres I bale so it’s worth just tinkering on it for me. If anyone knows anything about these old ih knotters or has any advice I would much appreciate it. I will try to post a couple pictures of the knots it made and the misses tomorrow morning when I get back out to my truck
Thanks,
Haykid

 

[cole in mo]

I’ve been trying to tune up my old model 45 baler for hay season this year and ran some test hay through it and I’m getting the left knotter missing probably every 5 or 6 bale. What seems to be happening is the needle twine ends up with a simple knot in it and the twine over the bale has nothing. I have adjusted the twine knife and adjusted the twine disc spacing according to the manual and am lost on where to go next. I know these knotters wernt the most loved but I am only doing this for a hobby and have a couple acres I bale so it’s worth just tinkering on it for me. If anyone knows anything about these old ih knotters or has any advice I would much appreciate it. I will try to post a couple pictures of the knots it made and the misses tomorrow morning when I get back out to my truck
Thanks,
Haykid

We had one back in the 60s, fought it all the time, everything I've ever heard was they didn't work when new, but the model 46 was very good.

 

[showcrop]

That is one of the easiest problems to fix! It is caused by the needle bringing the twine up to where the bill hook can grab it, but not to where it gets to the twine disc. All it takes is to adjust the needle to the specs for getting the twine in place. On my MF, which uses the same knotter set up , the needle needs to rub the knotter frame, which gives you correct side to side, and then go up far enough so that the twine is pulled right into the disc. Get your precise measurements from you manual.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I helped a neightbor with some straw baling one summer for a day and they had an IH baler don't remember the model but it ssold me on not ever having an IH baler for square bales.

 

[flying belgian]

I just always hear of problems with IH balers. Of all the balers in the neighborhood growing up I only know of one that had an ih and he hated it.

 

[560Dennis]

Had a fifty T , corrected timing issue ,never would miss ,less ran out of string after that.
you got the operator manual review it and make corrections, .
ours was not put back in time from previous owner did not take head and time it.

 

[Tramway Guy]

Our family had a model 45 in the ‘60s. Best we could do was perhaps 9 out of 10 bales correctly tied. I do not envy you.

 

[Fritz Maurer]

I’ve been trying to tune up my old model 45 baler for hay season this year and ran some test hay through it and I’m getting the left knotter missing probably every 5 or 6 bale. What seems to be happening is the needle twine ends up with a simple knot in it and the twine over the bale has nothing. I have adjusted the twine knife and adjusted the twine disc spacing according to the manual and am lost on where to go next. I know these knotters wernt the most loved but I am only doing this for a hobby and have a couple acres I bale so it’s worth just tinkering on it for me. If anyone knows anything about these old ih knotters or has any advice I would much appreciate it. I will try to post a couple pictures of the knots it made and the misses tomorrow morning when I get back out to my truck
Thanks,
Haykid

 

[Charlie M]

When I have seen that on my model 46 it turned out there were hay retainer springs missing. I don't know if a 45 has them. On mine without the springs the compressed bale would back up enough when the plunger left the chamber and put enough slack in the twine the bill hook couldn't grab it and thus the over hand knot.

 

[Fritz Maurer]

You can have the twine disc set to spec yet not hold the twine reliably. Take the outer disc off and lay it on an accurate flat surface. If it is concave, that is the problem, or a large part of it...

Lay it on a flat surface and hammer it flat. If you have changed / removed shims you will have to reset it because you previously set it up while it was concave, which will now be incorrect because it is flat.

 

[wore out]

I’ve been trying to tune up my old model 45 baler for hay season this year and ran some test hay through it and I’m getting the left knotter missing probably every 5 or 6 bale. What seems to be happening is the needle twine ends up with a simple knot in it and the twine over the bale has nothing. I have adjusted the twine knife and adjusted the twine disc spacing according to the manual and am lost on where to go next. I know these knotters wernt the most loved but I am only doing this for a hobby and have a couple acres I bale so it’s worth just tinkering on it for me. If anyone knows anything about these old ih knotters or has any advice I would much appreciate it. I will try to post a couple pictures of the knots it made and the misses tomorrow morning when I get back out to my truck
Thanks,
Haykid

Strange coincidence, I just stumbled on this manual while gathering up some stuff to eventually list on ebay.

 

[Haykid]

Thank you everyone for the advice I will go through it in a couple days here once I can get off work at a decent time and see if I can get her fixed up a little better. Even if I got it to tie 9 out of 10 times I’d be happy I only bale 2 acres so I can rebale a couple at the end that doesn’t bother me.

 

[tomturkey]

My IH baler wore me out jumping off and hand tying the side that missed then getting back on the tractor to only bale 4 5 6 more bales to do it all over again, at the time, even though I had the blue ribbon manuel, I could not remedy the problem. Went to an auction and found a NH 269, sent the IH down the road. I really liked the bale the IH made, BUT, even with just 9 acres of hay it just was not feasible. When it is time to make hay, make hay not repairs. sorry for the negative feedback, fritz sounds like your helpful guy, it was very frustrating to say why does it tie 1 or 2 or 4 then miss sorry you are fighting this gobble

 

[leroy in ne]

70 plus years ago when the 45 was designed, the engineers put the twine boxes in the location they are as a kid seat to tie missed knots. Some brands still made hand tie balers.

 

[wheat straw]

I’ve been trying to tune up my old model 45 baler for hay season this year and ran some test hay through it and I’m getting the left knotter missing probably every 5 or 6 bale. What seems to be happening is the needle twine ends up with a simple knot in it and the twine over the bale has nothing. I have adjusted the twine knife and adjusted the twine disc spacing according to the manual and am lost on where to go next. I know these knotters wernt the most loved but I am only doing this for a hobby and have a couple acres I bale so it’s worth just tinkering on it for me. If anyone knows anything about these old ih knotters or has any advice I would much appreciate it. I will try to post a couple pictures of the knots it made and the misses tomorrow morning when I get back out to my truck
Thanks,
Haykid

Haykid, Google "hay baler nation" Or Baler man. This guy is from Waverly NY and is probably the best baler mechanic in the nation. far as I know he's still at it.

 

[teddy52food]

My dad must of had it figured out. In one day we took turns driving the tractor while the other went for dinner. We baled over a thousand long bales in one day with a Farmall B.

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

Thank you everyone for the advice I will go through it in a couple days here once I can get off work at a decent time and see if I can get her fixed up a little better. Even if I got it to tie 9 out of 10 times I’d be happy I only bale 2 acres so I can rebale a couple at the end that doesn’t bother me.

I'll second what wheat straw said. Balerman is semi retired, but usually happy to help. Check the video description below for contact info. You may have to open it in YouTube to read the description.

Mike

 

[JMOR]

I spent many hours one winter hand turning the flywheel and observing and adjusting and in the end made good knots all the time next season, but I had to lay the manual aside and set things the way I saw it to make it come out a success.

 

[Haykid]

I will get ahold of Baler man and see if he can help me as well. I appreciate the advice you all have given me I at least have a start now as to where I’m going to start hunting for a problem. It almost looked like the side that was missing wasn’t crimping the twine in the disc as tight so I’m wondering if I have a warped disc like you guys said. I will try to get back at it once I get a free few hours from work and let you guys know how it goes!

 

[redih55]

When I was growing up on the farm in eastern Nebraska, we had an IH 46 baler. Never had any problems with the twine knotting. And I believe that we had 100 acres of hay ground. Dad still had that baler when I left for the Air Force.