The best round baler

[redgrizzly69]

If you had 2000.00 to spend on a round baler, and you wanted to bale first cutting alfalfa grass mix, cornstalks, bean stalks, and maybe road ditch hay which baler would you try to find and why. Thanks. I have a square baler already, I want to save barn space for 3rd and 4th cutting.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have a Hesston 5530 that has been pretty bulletproof, and works well. This is the same baler as the Case-IH 8420, and the Hesston 530, makes a 500 lb bale, 39" wide up to 5'dia.

 

[caterpillar guy]

The Case/IH balers. the only thing that is an issue is shaft bearings those are easy to change.
fewer belt issues than the adjustable chamber models since the belts are not having to move in and out with the material. Had a deere think it was a 530 just junk, won't feed with out plugging if it is alittle tough. lots of belt issues. The only thing I liked about it was the tie system was better than the Case/IH. Neighbor has a NH with the chain it does a good job.

 

[Tx Jim]

Cat guy,
The JD 530's that I've been around weren't junk. There are some wear items that do lead to bale starting problems such as worn out tread on belts and worn bars on steel starter roll that can be corrected. Also there is something called "operator error". I know because I sold and delivered JD 430/530 balers when they were new.

 

[keh]

Sorta hard to get a good one for $2k. You didn't say if you want a 4 x 5 or 5 x 6 foot baler. For Vermeer 5 x 6 baler I would look at a model 605 F, G, or H, preferrably an H. A J would be much better. For 4 x 5, a 504 F, G or H. A 504 I would be better. I have a 5 x 5 505I Vermeer which I like, but would prefer a Super I, which costs far more than $2k.

KEH

 

[RodinNS]

There's two things that don't belong in the same sentence... 2000 bucks and the best baler.
For that money, just poke around until you find somethign that's in good shape and buy it. It'll probably work out OK for you.
That might get you a NH chainer, Vermeer something or other, Massey (Vermeer), or an old Gehl.
Claas is my preference, but that won't get you much for that money except probably trouble costing more than you're paying for the baler.
I think Gehl might be the best bet though... They're a decent baler (1410) and they have an advantage to buy since Gehl is now out of the farm equipment business. Many people view that as a disadvantage and won't buy their gear anymore. I see a lot of Gehl gear going CHEAP at the auctions the last few years. The thing is... there's not really a lot on those balers that you will need that are strictly proprietary parts. Bearings you can get off the shelf. Belts are a pretty common item. Pickup fingers and strippers shouldn't be too hard to get. Chain is common. That should about cover you...
But again, for 2 grand, buy whatever looks to be in good shape in the bale size you want.

Rod

 

[Sparktrician]

For about 2K, you will get a GOOD amount of headaches, not so much of a GOOD Baler. I dont know how many bales a day, or year you are looking at...but...spending more money for a newer, more modern, better machine MAY save you money, and certainly will save you headaches...Been there, done that. We run a New Holland BR740A baler. Bought new about 3 yrs. ago, best baler hands down, tight bale, The netwrap allows you to store outside with minimal wastage. We have cornstalks baled last year (07) that are good inside(about 8" wastage, great for year old stalks) Hay with the right netwrap and about 2.75 wraps will last a while...something to think about. Twine dont do that well...

 

[Anonymous-0]

If you shop around $2000.00 will buy a pretty good baler. Hesston, Case IH which Hesston built until Agco bought Hesston and Gehl -- The 5x6 balers are normally in less resale demand and if farmer owned usally had less bales ran through them. Chains and roller bearings are going to go out and belts are going to stretch and break. Get a belt lacer and repair/splice your own. Get the Timken numbers off your bearings and order off the internet ahead of time. Check out starter roll real good and pick up reel. Another high dollar item often overlooked is CV PTO driveline. Try to buy as few parts as possible from the equipment manufacturer.

 

[paul]

Forget about baling cornstalks with a $2000 baler.

You can find a Vermeer F, or a NH chain baler for under $3000 if you look hard. They will have some wear on them, so you will need to put money into it over the years.

I got my 605F for $1600, but often see them go for $3500 as well. Mine is older, poorer pickup than the later models. I made 8 cornstalk bales one day last week, it was a struggle.

If you want to do cornstalks and bean stubble, you need to up your price some.

The chain balers from NH will do the stalks much easier, but - they don't make as good an alfalfa bale, they beat the leaves off more. Good for stalks & grass tho.

Real trade off, & you have your price pretty low there. Going to be hard to find something useable.

--->Paul

 

[bison]

IMO 2K wont buy much machine that you can bale with very long without spending more shortly after.

Sample:I got a neighbor who bought a 468 NH hay bine for $1500.He went to cut hay, after a couple of day's fighting with it he wanted me to look at it cause it was vibrating bad and not cutting well.One thing led to another,$3000,- later he could finally go and cut his hay. Now it aint that cheap no more.

 

[RickL]

that price on a baler usually ends up meaning $3000.00 more put into it AND YOU WILL HAVE A CHEAP BALER. Rebuilt alot of them that were supose to be cheap good balers, that does not happen VERY OFTEN. I Still do not own a round baler as get all of mine custome rolled new unit every yerar and he price includes his tractor labeor and fuel. $12.00 bale can't afford to own for that. good luck

 

[old]

I payed a lot less then $2000 for my NH 850 chain baler and it has done very well over the past 8 or so years I have had it. It does take a good bit of TLC to keep it going but its old and needs TLC like any thing does.
Hobby farm

 

[redgrizzly69]

I used the figure $2000.00 because that's what I have in the cream can, I have 10 acres of alfalfa/grass to put up and 10 acres of corn stalks I'd like to bale. I already bale both of these with a 270 hayliner, but being all by myself, I am looking for hints on a round baler. never had one. I've been at auctions and saw a chain baler go for 300, scrap price, looked good, but heard too many horrors stories at the sale so I didn't bid, also got a 1033 stackliner for 185.00 that day, my deal of the day.

 

[Anonymous-0]

you could possibly get an older deere 4x4 for that price?Not many people want 4x4's anymore,so long as you get one with an open mouth,like 330's or newer you should get a good bailer for not an awfull lot of money.pd

 

[old]

Chain balers work very well if you take care of them. No belts to fool with which is nice but they take the HP to run. Big thing is with them to keep the chains oiled well and every thing adjusted as they should be and there pretty much bullet proof. If you don't keep them set right and oiled up they fly apart

 

[rrlund]

Hope you don't take any offense. Afterall you didn't design or build that baler,but those things were junk the day they were made. If the tires are up,they're worth scrap price.

 

[old]

I've run both belt balers and chain balers and WILL NEVER go back to a junk belt baler again. To me chain balers work better with less work to keep them going then any belt baler I have ever used

 

[rrlund]

Okay. Just that around here,they have zero trade in value. Never have had. You just can't give one away. The real story behind them was that Vermeer had a patent on the belt design. Other companies paid to use it,New Holland refused and used chains to get around the patent. Even they went to belts when the patent ran out.

 

[mikeinont]

You don't hear much about Gehl in this forum. I paid $2000 for my 1465, plus $1000 for belts about 4 years ago and it runs great and makes a good tight bale. Might be cheaper know, I can still get parts for it. It might not be the best but as value for a buck goes I think it was the way to go.

 

[mikeinont]

Deal!
NH 850

 

[old]

Thats another reason that I like them. You can buy them cheap and they do a good job.

 

[paul]

Five or so years ago when I was in your shoes (looking for a round baler, one man show was getting old with the 270 NH bsler....) I was wondering too.

'Here' chain balers in working order were bringing $4-5000 at that time. Holy cow, folks were telling me how cheap they were, and wow that was 10 times what people here were paying for them.... My understanding is a good one in good shape will do cornstalks well, but they don't make a tight or high-leaf alfalfa bale.

Good round belt balers that can handle cornstalks will run $6000 or so. 'Here.' I'll repeat my comments from below - cornstalks are very miserable to bale, and take a good newer belt baler.

You at least need an open throat baler, and you need new pickup teeth that are not bent, weak, or missing. Still it is a difficult thing. Some years the stalks are 'right' andthey will bale pretty well, but then again, too dry, too wet, etc & it will be miserable.

Like me, you have a smaller spread, & you have the 2 difficult to deal with crops - alfalfa that needs gentle handling, and stalks that need a good sturdy easy-feeding baler. All on a budget.

That's a tall order, and so the replies you are getting.

I'm not familiar with the soft core, fixed chamber balers (some Gehl & New Idea, for example, with rolling drums instead of belts or chains) but those have issues too - softer bale centers don't store outside well, you can't make smaller bales, etc. Not sure if they do stalks well tho?

--->Paul

 

[Anonymous-0]

My NI 456 was a soft core belt baler- worked fine on grass and alfalfa, terrible on corn stalks- hard to start a bale. Got about as much done in one day as you did. Rented a newer one, 486- not much better. Nothing seems to beat a NH chain baler on stalks.

 

[redgrizzly69]

Just looked on Craigslist,4 round balers, a OMC 595 for 2500.00 looks to be a roller baler, a Gehl 1500 with new chains and newer belts for 1200. A Vermeer 605C for 750 said needs a couple belts, and a Hesston ground roll style for 1000.00 Don"t know what that is but it must roll on the ground? What do you mean by a open throat? Sorry I seem dense but have never been around these, and don"t have anyone to ask. Thanks.

 

[redgrizzly69]

How bad is it to replace belts, can they be bought bulk and cut to fit? I have a old cast iron lacer and crimper from the old flat belts for the thresher, we always made those to fit. Just wondering.

 

[keh]

If the Hesston is the type that rolls the forming bale along the ground, run from it, they don't make good bales, are awkward to operate, are very old, and certainly not worth $1000.

The Gehl I think is the type that has a big expensive belt in the bottom that the bale rides on and is the same as some Ford balers. Don't know how well they worked.

The Vermeer 605c I think was not an open throat baler, it has a roller just behind the pick up teeth that the hay has to pass under. They did not start bales well and certainly not if the hay was not perfectly dry. I THINK the 605c was the model that the upper roller sometimes came loose and would fly at the operator. some of them had a retailer strap welded at the front of the roller. You could probably get used belts for it.

The newer balers are open throat balers that don't have the roller behind the teeth that I mentioned.

Another baler to avoid is the 410- 510 John Deeres. As I understand it they don't start bales too well and have some expensive belts. 430-530 John Deeres seem to have a good reputation.

Don't know anything about the OMC.

Basically it seems that round balers made since the middle 1980s are pretty good.

KEH

 

[Hay Dr]

It is possible to purchase a good $2,000 round baler. You could spend $700 to $1,500 on replacing belts. Belts can last 20 years for the small operator but if the baler was used commercially, belts normally are replaced in the 8-12 year cycle. If you could wait until you have $3,500-4,500 to spend you will be able to purchase later technology and work less on the round baler. Take into consideration good used baler prices have increased dramatically because even the entry models of manufacturers is now approaching $20,000 new.

 

[RodinNS]

The somewhat later Gehl's that I'm thinking of had a steel roller in the bottom, not a belt.
I have no idea what they would do in corn stalks, but they do quite well in just about everything else including silage. Considering that they are a closed throat, they are pretty good value for what they can do...

Rod

 

[paul]

Sounds like I heard from one fella - not many of those drum roller balers around here.

My Vermeer F would do ok on baling the stalks, but the pickup will clog up starting in the corners. They made a kit to block off the outside teeth so it worked better. Not sure if that is available any more or worthwhile on an old baler any more. I get my 10 or so bales of stalks I need a year as is, just have to drive real slow & clean out after every bale.

Neighbor with the $25,000 red baler has lots of troubles some years too in stalks, they are just a tough product. This year he made 350 stalk bales, it worked well for him. I was still combining in the 'good' time frame....

I think more & more are hiring the big square baler fellas to custom bale them, if you have shelter for the bales.

--->Paul

 

[petetx]

guess i made a god deal bought a hesston 5800 for 350. 10 year ago ran it 3 seasons replaced ths belts with 4 wides and one narrow a few bearing here and there still going

 

[paul]

I thought the Vermeer 'C' series was still a closed throat.

--->Paul