IH 656 Drawbar too short for baler

[Little Fred]

New to us IH 656. Had not planned on haying with it, but we decided to give it a try. I noticed the end of pto shaft to drawbar hole looked short, but the NH 477 did fine, even on turns. Having the extra power and weight, plus the independent pto compared to the Ford 3600 convinced me to bale with the IH 656 too.
But the draw bar was much to short. Could not hook up baler coupler to tractor pto.
The distance from end of pto shaft to drawbar hole is only 8"! As I'm sure most of you know 14" is fairly standard.
The drawbar looks the same as online parts show, just a straight 35" "stub". Tried spinning it around but that does not work.
Is there an extension we are missing? Only have a shop manual, owners manual soon.

 

[Janicholson]

A 1 inch by drawbar width plate about 16 inches long with a hole for the original draw pin to be bolted through, and a collar made to hold the front so it can't move side to side would solve the issue. The collar is my recommendation so the existing drawbar is not compromised. Jim

 

[Jim Becker]

I just did a quick look on Messick's for the drawbars in the parts catalog. It looks like the 656 could have a variety of drawbars depending on how it is equipped. Does it have a 2-point, 3-point, neither, etc. In at least one version, it appears that the drawbar can be adjusted to different lengths by simply pulling a pin and sliding the bar. Maybe that is all you need to do. For more specific suggestions you need tell us more about the tractor. A picture of the hitch would tell a lot.

 

[Little Fred]

I just did a quick look on Messick's for the drawbars in the parts catalog. It looks like the 656 could have a variety of drawbars depending on how it is equipped. Does it have a 2-point, 3-point, neither, etc. In at least one version, it appears that the drawbar can be adjusted to different lengths by simply pulling a pin and sliding the bar. Maybe that is all you need to do. For more specific suggestions you need tell us more about the tractor. A picture of the hitch would tell a lot.

Thanks Jim. On the Messicks it is a 3 point. The drawbar can be adjusted by pulling pin but the 8" is the longest distance from the pto shaft.
We are thinking of drilling another hole to achieve the correct distance. I just assumed I was missing something.
1st pic shows drawbar removed, 2nd is longest setting. It may look like the correct distance from the camera angle, but it is not.

 

[used red MN]

I think if you drill another hole it will be fine.

 

[Roger Tomfohrde]

Reverse the bar end for end

 

[Jim Becker]

Something doesn't look right. I wonder if that drawbar came from some other tractor. It would be nice if we have somebody that actually has a 656 with the same type hitch. He could measure the length of his and the distance between each of the holes. By the way, it doesn't have to be a 656. The same drawbar was used on the 2656, 544, 2544, 666, 686, and Hydro 86. They need to have 2-point or 3-point hitches.

You can easily try what Roger suggests. Used red probably just gave you the easiest fix. Slide it out to until the horizontal distance from the center of the drawbar hole is 14 inches from the tip of the PTO shaft. Mark it and drill it.

 

[T in NE]

I've never seen a drawbar insert that long. On the 7's and up, the insert might have been 2 feet long, and the front of the tube was closed.

 

[DeltaRed]

Remove the 'sleeve' and hook the drawbar directly to the front anchor. I think you have a nontelescopic drawbar.

 

[Little Fred]

I've never seen a drawbar insert that long. On the 7's and up, the insert might have been 2 feet long, and the front of the tube was closed.

Interesting as this drawbar is 34" and replacements I see listed are like you said-26" long.

 

[Little Fred]

Reverse the bar end for end

Tried this, no difference and no hole for pin.

 

[Little Fred]

Remove the 'sleeve' and hook the drawbar directly to the front anchor. I think you have a nontelescopic drawbar.

I'll check this out, but it seems that will make drawbar even shorter?!

 

[Little Fred]

I'm going to remove the tube assembly. Looking at ebay pictures makes me think twice about how this drawbar is pinned to tube.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Thanks Jim. On the Messicks it is a 3 point. The drawbar can be adjusted by pulling pin but the 8" is the longest distance from the pto shaft.
We are thinking of drilling another hole to achieve the correct distance. I just assumed I was missing something.
1st pic shows drawbar removed, 2nd is longest setting. It may look like the correct distance from the camera angle, but it is not.

That's not the correct drawbar insert for that tractor. That's why you're having problems. This is what the correct one should look like:

Drill a new hole and you'll be fine.

EDIT: Now that I look at it both pieces of the drawbar are incorrect. It's off another tractor. The pin that holds the inner and outer parts of the drawbar together should be much larger.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I'm going to remove the tube assembly. Looking at ebay pictures makes me think twice about how this drawbar is pinned to tube.

Yeah, the whole drawbar is wrong for that tractor. Someone found something laying around and stuck it on the tractor.

 

[Little Fred]

Just to be clear, the front of the drawbar would be pinned in the larger hole on the tube or sleeve, correct?

 

[mazemeister]

View attachment 74398
Just to be clear, the front of the drawbar would be pinned in the larger hole on the tube or sleeve, correct?

Like deltared said, that drawbar is designed to not have the tube/sleeve. At the baxk you have a big hole for your hitch pin and a small hole for a hammer strap. At the front you have two big holes for pinning the drawbar to the front drawbar support (which is bolted to the belly of the tractor) in either the forward position for 3 point work or the rearward position for drawbar work to get the sae drawbar to pto distance

 

[Little Fred]

Like deltared said, that drawbar is designed to not have the tube/sleeve. At the baxk you have a big hole for your hitch pin and a small hole for a hammer strap. At the front you have two big holes for pinning the drawbar to the front drawbar support (which is bolted to the belly of the tractor) in either the forward position for 3 point work or the rearward position for drawbar work to get the sae drawbar to pto distance

Yes I know it's the wrong drawbar, but other than needing to drill a new hole, that is where the drawbar would be pinned, correct? I'm trying to be certain I have the right tube or sleeve, which according to Messicks, it does need. They do show a drawbar with step downs but that is not for a tractor with a 2 or 3 point hitch. Width and thickness are same as 656 drawbars for sale online.

 

[mazemeister]

Yes I know it's the wrong drawbar, but other than needing to drill a new hole, that is where the drawbar would be pinned, correct? I'm trying to be certain I have the right tube or sleeve, which according to Messicks, it does need. They do show a drawbar with step downs but that is not for a tractor with a 2 or 3 point hitch. Width and thickness are same as 656 drawbars for sale online.

If you go on messicks and compare diagram K-03 for the 806 and the 656. It looks like you have an 806 (same as 706) drawbar, will it fit into ref #9 and pinned with pin #5? I can’t tell for sure from the picture and I’m more familiar with the 06 series. If the slot in #9 is to small you’re probably stuck with either drilling a hole or swapping parts. It looks like pin #2 is for pinning the drawbar to the tube so if you can find the diameter of that pin and see if it matches either hole in your tube, that should tell you what you need to know

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

View attachment 74398
Just to be clear, the front of the drawbar would be pinned in the larger hole on the tube or sleeve, correct?

Yes, to make it work. The small pin may not be strong enough for the load, and for sure any jerking of the load will carry a much higher risk of the smaller pin shearing.