Johnsdeere
Member
I currently own a later New Holland 855 round baler with electric tie, monitor and bale kicker. It makes a 5.5x5.5 bale. Paid 1700 for the baler 4 or 5 years ago. Its not very reliable now as it is due for new main chains before it can be used again. It might make 2 to 30 bales with out breaking the bar links off. New chains are $1750.00. The baler is in average condition. I am considering repairs to the NH or purchasing a 1993 Vermeer 504IS baler with hyd tie and new belts. in good condition used to make 90 bales a year for the past 4 or 5 years. What makes the decision hard is the NH is a bigger faster baler, no backing up to dump a bale or turning off the PTO, no hyd tieing. But its noisy, big, heavy, bales are too big to fit 2 wide on a wagon and are not very tight bales. The Vermeer will require manual tieing, backing up and stopping the PTO. But its a newer baler with less parts and more reliable. I will be making about 100 bales a year of grass hay.