NH 855 vs Vermeer 504IS round baler pros and cons

[Johnsdeere]

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.

 

[JDseller]

I would take the Vermeer over the NH chain baler. The total maintenance is going to be much less on the Vermeer baler. It will make a much better bale.What is this about shutting the PTO off for??? I had a Vermeer baler for years you did not have to shut the PTO off when dumping the baler. I will bow to other guys on this but I ran that baler for ten years and never shut the PTO off. It was a 605I baler.

I know guys that cause trouble on their JD balers if you shut the gate with the PTO off. The belts can't straighten themselves out and get caught in the bottom roll/gate. Then you tear the belts when you engage the PTO.

 

[keh]

I've had a NH 847 chain baler and a couple of Vermeers. 2 things caught my eye. First, you got the NH for $1750 and have used it for 4 or 5 years. I don't think it owes you anything. But I would think twice about buying new chains for a baler in average condition.

The 504 IS is designed to make silage bales also. I am told that the silage baler does not make quite as neat a plain dry hay bale. I have a 505 I and it has (so far) been easy to work on. You can inspect the belts before buying and can tell most everything about their condition. If belts break you can replace one belt or can piece out the belts for a long time. The arguement has been made that a set of belts dosts as much as a set of chains, but you usually don't have to replace all the belts at once.

I prefer the Vermeer belt baler.

KEH

 

[Johnsdeere]

Interesting, I thought you had to shut them down, when then its just going back to a hyd tie and backing up before dropping the bale compared to electric tie with a monitor. Also the Vermeer should be much quieter and smoother, plus a tighter bale.

 

[Johnsdeere]

True I figure its paid for its self and its still worth a $1500 as it still works or for parts for someone that wants a good parts machine. I figure the air bags will be due some time too now.

 

[Hogleg]

you don't always have to back up. My fields are small ave 4-6 acres each. I run the outside first, then do the back and forth. I try to time it to dump the bale at the end of the row so I don' t have to back up every time.

John

 

[504BalerGuy]

Up to the L series with Vermeer balers the PTO needed to be disengaged when dumping. Turn the pto back on when lowering the gate before it closes.
Vermeer did not make a 605I. My guess is you had an L which may not have needed the PTO disengaged depending on what package it was ordered with.

 

[Nebraska Cowman]

the 855 will start a bale anytime, anywhere. But they are a money pit. For just a few bales a year I'd probably opt for a belt machine. I bought my first 855 about 10 years ago. Put 2000 bales trough it the first year. Then spent $3000 rebuilding it and ran it several more years. Then I found a baler for $3400 that did not even have the paint wore off it yet so I traded up. It will last me as long as I live. Oh and yeah, it's the mechanical "auto-wrap" No stupid boxes or nothing. It wraps on the fly. All I have to do is remember to stop and dump the bale.

 

[Hogleg]

On my 605H the PTO stays on the whole time. That is the way I run it and that is the way the book says to do it. Tye it, dump it, close the gate and start a new roll, PTO on all the time....

John

 

[Allan in NE]

Don't see how you do that without the buzzer. I'm FOREVER dozing off. :>)

Allan

 

[Erik Ks farmer]

I ran a 504 C, 504F and now a 554XL and have never shut the pto off while bailing and never tore up a baler. Hydraulic tie you need the pto running to tie the bale, kick the lever to drop the arm count to 15 to get a good wrap on the outer edge, hit the remote to retract the arm, when it hits the center of the outer belt on the other side pause the arm and count to 15 then retract fully to cut and you're good to go piece of cake.