jd 336 timing

[rich o]

i beleive my john deer 336 string baler is out of time, both the main and needle shears bolts keep snapping. this just started happening as i started baling second cut. 3000 bales of first crop and it didnt even miss a knot. ive had timing issues with a nh baler and it seems to make sence that its the issue. i just dont have a manual for this unit. if anyone knows the proper timing ques pls post them up, i have lots of good hay down and cant afford to lose it. thanks very much

 

[RodinNS]

There's only one chain to jump time on that thing and not much reason to think it would...
Check the plunger stop and other workings of the knotter and make sure they're all free... make sure the needle yolk returns home fully.. things like that. My 327 broke the knotter shear bolt last year and I forget just why at this point... but check around that area. Something will pop out at you.

Rod

 

[TomH in PA]

Is the plunger hitting the dogs that protect the needles? If not I don't understand how it could be timing. Otherwise it sounds like something is adding a lot of resistance. Dull hay knife or plunger out of adjustment maybe?

 

[JohnS1970]

Here are the pages from the manual for timing. I also posted the page that shows the measurements for the safety stop. Seems rather odd it started suddenly. Our 336 broke the knotter drive shear bolt this summer but I think it was age since I can't remember the last time I replaced it and it worked fine after replacement. Try turning everything over by hand through one tying cycle and see if something stands out. Let us know what you find.

 

[Tx Jim]

rich o
336/346 and newer balers only have 2 places to time(feeder fingers and PH to needles). Be sure frt chain idler sprocket is snug against the frt chain(often neglected from being mostly hide). If chain gets too much slack it can walk over teeth getting timing off. I have seen bolt(parts key #23) shear but regular shear pin(parts key #24) not shear and arm inadvertently replaced on needle lift shaft 180% off.

Also check needle brakes(parts key #13) for snugness as a worn/loose needle brake has caused many shear pins to be sheared.

 

[ASG]

I had a similar problem at the begining of the season with a 336 baler. The needles needed adjustment as they were rubbing the knotter assembly when they came up and the needle shear bolt would shear. Then the needles would not return home and would then shear main bolt.

Solution:
Clean out the bale chamber and check the need clearance to the knotter assembly. It is rubs, loosen one bolt on needle and tighten opposite to tilt the angle of the needle on the arm until it no longer rubs. Then retime the baler per serive manual instructions above.

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 11:08:37 08/21/12) Solution:
Clean out the bale chamber and check the need clearance to the knotter assembly. It is rubs, loosen one bolt on needle and tighten opposite to tilt the angle of the needle on the arm until it no longer rubs. Then retime the baler per serive manual instructions above.

Needle rubbing the bale case will not cause a JD 336 baler to require re-timing.

 

[ASG]

The needle was rubbing the knotter assembly and shearing the bolt.

Most balers are still within acceptable, but are generally near the timing limits due to wear, etc. By the time you start checking the timing after you adjust needles with chamber empty, you could just as well retime the baler since it only takes 10 minutes; then you know that the baler is "timed".

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 11:25:00 08/23/12) The needle was rubbing the knotter assembly and shearing the bolt.

Most balers are still within acceptable, but are generally near the timing limits due to wear, etc. By the time you start checking the timing after you adjust needles with chamber empty, you could just as well retime the baler since it only takes 10 minutes; then you know that the baler is "timed".

Checking the timing and re-timing aren't exactly the same thing. One can recheck timing without loosening/removing anything but re-timing one must loosen/change something.

 

[RodinNS]

I can see where needles hitting the knotter frame would shear the knotter drive shear bolt... but that would be a very uncommon thing to have happen. Needles don't just move unless their retaining bolts get loose and you should notice it with erratic ties long before anything else happens.
Most common cause of sheared bolts would be a bad needle brake.

I can't for the life of me see a need to retime a baler unless it's known to be out of time. One thing to run it through a cycle by hand to make sure it's roughly in time... but on a Deere it's not as likely to jump time as various others. It's got one chain and the rest is gears... so as long as the front chain hasn't fallen off I'd expect it to be in time.

Rod

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 12:31:07 08/23/12) It's got one chain and the rest is gears... so as long as the front chain hasn't fallen off I'd expect it to be in time.Rod

I agree with you about needle touching bale case or knotter will not constitute re-timing. BUT a 336 has 2 chains. The main chain at the very frt right behind the clutch and the feeder fork chain.

 

[Tx Jim]

A common reason for needles contacting bale-case channels or knotter system is getting wear at the pivot points of needle frame on either side of bale-case. Sometimes adding a washer with larger inside diameter than the needle frame bushing will cure the problem.

 

[Northvale - PA]

earlier this season my 336 lower bale case tension rail rusted thru and broke at the pivot point. It pushed the needles out of the home position which in turn caused the flywheel shear bolt to break, which in turn stopped the kicker from kicking. Look underneath too. Make sure the needles are not obstructed from the home position.