NH 277 - bale shape

[jhilyer]

Hey guys,
First off, I am now officially a wizard: Last season the key for the cam-thingy that actuates the twine fingers sheared off in the knotter assembly - this year I successfully took off the knotter assembly, disassembled, fixed, and reassembled, and now it"s knotting like a champ. Pretty proud of this when just a few short years ago I would have said anything having to do with knotters was "voodoo magic".

But I digress. Now the real question - it"s making banana bales. Not putting enough hay in the far side of the chamber. This has been my back up baler, but I really want to make a good bale with it. What do you guys suggest? Cross feed timing? Cross feed fork placement? Bale tension? Years ago I had the same problem with a Super 68 and the only thing that seemed to help was sharpening and shimming the stationary knife. Which I will start with, but any other advice would be appreciated!

Thanks,

- jhilyer

 

[Anonymous-0]

What kind of shape are your dog leg springs in? Hard to make a square bale unless the flakes are being held in place by the doglegs. I believe there are four in your machine, two at the top of the chamber, two at the bottom.

I set my crossfeed tines using the paint marks left by the factory, maybe an inch or two either direction, but the factory set was about the best.

 

[Fordfarmer]

I agree with Our Farmer. Check the hay dogs. One other thought is you may not be feeding it enough. I think there is an adjustment to in effect narrow the feeder house (front to back) to help it in small windrows. If that adjustment isn't there, try going a gear (or even two) faster, or doubling or tripling your windrows.

 

[DeltaRed]

The New holland balers work best when FULL.rake two together/go faster/keep rpm up.read your book.I've found most 'bananaing' is caused by not enough hay being fed to the machine.Improper adjusted feeder forks are also common.The 'dog springs are also commonly broken on older balers.The only baler that light hay doesnt cause bananas is an inline.

 

[Dick L]

I would pull the hay out of the chamber and check the restrictors where the hay exits the chamber. I have a NH 277 which I have run for 20 years. Almost all of my hay is light windrows. I just got 17 bales off 1 1/2 acres to tell how light the windrows were. When one of the restrictors have rusted off the bale will be longer on one side than the other. For the hay dogs to cause this, which they could, the top and bottom dogs would have to be stuck or have broken springs on one side to cause this. When the top or bottom by them selves are stuck the bales are tapered on the end from top to bottom. I have baled about 90 some bales this year doing around 20 each of four times and the first couple of bales were tapered on the end and then are square. My baler has set out with hay in the chamber all those years. If I can find the time I will pull the hay out of the chamber and oil up my hay dogs and work the rust out before I bale more hay.

 

[Bret4207]

If it's an old baler with a lot of hay through it, check your feeder tine length. They wear over the years and if they are 2-3" short they simply can't move enough hay. Timing the forks is a tricky game, but follow the manual. Hay dogs springs and the restrictors/wedges can make a difference. But windrow density and feeder tine length make the most difference IME.

 

[Dick L]

Here I what I made with a piece of angle iron, a band saw and a welder. I get square bales when I have the points covered regardless of windrow light or heavy. With my 277 baler I have found that the windrow does not change the bale squareness.

Pictures I took last year when this came up.
Pictures

 

[jhilyer]

Dick L,
Do you mean you made another hay wedge? Is that what's in the picture? What do you mean by "have the points covered"? I think you're on to something, I just need clarification.

Oh and by the way, I'm MISSING the top left side hay dog (as you look from the back of the baler).

Thanks!
- jhilyer

 

[Dick L]

I meant by all points covered that all six hay dogs are working with good springs and the (hay wedges-- hay baffles -- hay restrictors) what ever the proper name for them might be. I only have one set at the end of my hay chamber but there were holes for two sets. The one in the picture is one I made.

I moved my hay dog pictures into the site at the link.

 

[Part Time Pete]

I'm guessing if you replace that dog, you'll see a big difference. I went through that with my 316 when I first got it. It took me three seasons - the first was the dogs, the second was the cross feed tines, and the third was the hay stops (wedges). They are pretty reasonable - I have four in mine - I think there's room for six
Good luck
Pete

 

[Fitter Roger]

What can you tell me about last years problem? My 277 makes about 30 bales and looses timing.

 

[jhilyer]

Loses timing after about 30 bales? Doesn't seem possible, you mean knotter timing to the plunger? Or cross feed timing?

Knotter timing, the only thing I can think of is that the chain that runs the knotters is loose and "jumps" every now and again. there is an tensioner pulley below the chain that may need adjustment.

Is it really timing? Or is the plunger stop just not getting reset every time? The plunger stop is actuated by the needle yoke, the yoke allows the plunger stop to enter the bale chamber when the needles are in the chamber, then "pulls it (the stop) back" when it resets to it's "home" position (the yoke). Is your yoke not resetting? This would be the function of the knotter brake - to hold the yoke in home position until the knotter trips.

Give us some more detail and maybe we can figure it out!

- jhilyer

 

[NEBeef]

Bale shape is about 99% dependent on the hay going into the bale chamber, not what happens to it once it's in there or when it's coming out. Your first instinct is right, if the bales are bowing the left you need more hay on that side. Fuller windrows, higher ground speed, adjustment of the feeder, all those will help. The back plate on the pickup chamber can be adjusted on some balers - bringing it forward makes the chamber smaller, that will put more hay on the left side.