I recently graduated from small square bales to my first round baler. I chose a hesston 530 for the small hp requirements and also it looked like the newest baler I could purchase for the money. But, trying to get a bale started takes an act of congress. Either it cloggs around the roller or just cloggs in the mouth. I'm trying to bale 100 acres and can't spend all my time unclogging the darn thing. Also the manual tying is pitiful. Should I give up on this model or what? Thanks for your opinions. Sparky
Hesston 530 problem
- Thread starter Sparky-TN
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
Herefordcross
Well-known member
Used one for a long time, start into the windrow very slowly as the bale starts to spin then you can speed up, with the manual tie, make sure the knife is sharp and when you release let 'er fly and it'll cut it off.
EIEIO
Well-known member
I've got a Hesston 540 and never had a problem. Are you making your windrows too big?? Start slow, make sure you got it going at the proper RPM's before starting on the windrow.
Best thing I ever did to my Hesston was put Vermeer gathering wheels on it. Never had a problem like your talking about. Sure your tractor has enough HP to run it??
J
Best thing I ever did to my Hesston was put Vermeer gathering wheels on it. Never had a problem like your talking about. Sure your tractor has enough HP to run it??
J
frenchie
Well-known member
Sparky-TN":2n8wtbz9 said:
Sparky-TN my dad had one of them... Try when you start a bale to take in a little bit of swath , clutch for a minute to give the forage a chance to fold over and form the roll. Good luck
Sparky-TN
Well-known member
I'm using a MF 165 tractor. The hp requirement for the 530 baler is 45 hp. My windrows are 2 ft wide or less. I start out the baler at the 540 pto, tractor in low range, 1st gear, low multipower. The hay was cured but not overly dry. As soon as that first bit hay went into the machine it started clogging the mouth of the machine. 
Any way, I've heard the 540 is a much better baler, I'm thinking about trading. :?: Thanks again.
Any way, I've heard the 540 is a much better baler, I'm thinking about trading. :?: Thanks again.
Hutch
Well-known member
I've got the 8420 IH Case baler(same as your 530) If the hay is tough it is a a ear to get it started.
Check the teeth on your pick up, had a few missing this year, replaced them and it made a BIG differnce. I don't mind the manual tie, but as stated make sure your knife is sharp. I also added bale ramps to mine, that helped speed things up. All in all it not a bad baler for the price, it is very easy to work on.
Check the teeth on your pick up, had a few missing this year, replaced them and it made a BIG differnce. I don't mind the manual tie, but as stated make sure your knife is sharp. I also added bale ramps to mine, that helped speed things up. All in all it not a bad baler for the price, it is very easy to work on.
hayray
Well-known member
Hutch":1zmh9ulo said:
Glad I bought a New Holland 730 after reading this. Probably would have done the Hesston but the New Holland dealer is real close to me but I like my Hesston dealer better. With my New Holland I just keep going, I mean I just plow into that windrow full tilt. Did have problems with the the twine cutting and the windguard at first but after a while I figured that out. I would contact your Hesston dealer and find out what the deal is, I have a hard time believing that they make a modern baler with that problem. I have a Hesston small square machine and one of the reasons I bought it from them was that the dealer really knows balers. I have a hard time believing they would not be able to fix your problem. But on the other hand my New Holland dealer don't know squat bout' balers, that is why there was no way I was going to replace my old baler with a New Holland.
frenchie
Well-known member
Sparky-TN":el0nbwph said:
Check your pickup clutch
cowtrek
Well-known member
Had a neighbor have the same kind of problem on his Vermeer baler recently. I think his is a 505 E if I remember right. We checked his baler over from stem to stern and couldn't find anything particularly wrong with it but it clogged at least five times and he only managed to roll three bales before he gave up and called me to bale it for him. He was in heavy Gordo bluestem and it was REAL thick and kinda slippery but it was well cured and ready to bale, not overly dry or anything. He rolled each swath back over into a windrow as I was baling, because two swaths made too big of a windrow. I'm running an 81 Ford (Gehl) 552 and I managed fine, but I could tell it was a load.
The only thing we could find on the baler that was 'iffy' was the main slip clutch, but he said that once the bale started that he could roll them up fast as he wanted no problem, so I doubt the main clutch was slipping during core formation yet could transmit the horsepower to keep a big bale turning in the chamber without slipping. Anyway, I rolled it for him and got my money. I've been thinking about buying a Vermeer to replace my old baler since it's kinda long in the tooth but now I'm having second thoughts. I like the looks of the Hesstons ok too but now that I hear this... Anybody got any experience on which baler brands/models have trouble starting a bale and should be avoided?? Thanks and yall take it easy! OL JR
The only thing we could find on the baler that was 'iffy' was the main slip clutch, but he said that once the bale started that he could roll them up fast as he wanted no problem, so I doubt the main clutch was slipping during core formation yet could transmit the horsepower to keep a big bale turning in the chamber without slipping. Anyway, I rolled it for him and got my money. I've been thinking about buying a Vermeer to replace my old baler since it's kinda long in the tooth but now I'm having second thoughts. I like the looks of the Hesstons ok too but now that I hear this... Anybody got any experience on which baler brands/models have trouble starting a bale and should be avoided?? Thanks and yall take it easy! OL JR
frenchie
Well-known member
Sparky-TN":3ima6jc4 said:
How many acres( how many cuts) &what do you have for tractor PTO hp
frenchie
Well-known member
Sparky-TN":1gskht5v said:
Sparky -Tn I would buy a baler with at least a 5 ft pickup and preferably 5 height in height. Most balers can be adjusted to make a smaller bale( height-wise) ..if you so desire.
I like n.h chain balers, but I don,t think that it really matters what brand you buy.It would best if you could try before you buy or at the very least take someone that knows what ever model & brand you are buying and their faults.
good luck
hurleyjd
Well-known member
You might search for a 330 or a 335 John Deere. I have a 330 that I have used for close to 25 years. It has been a pretty good baler. I have had to replace a few bearings and that is about all. You will need a tractor with 4 HYD. outlets. Here is a good place to do an internet search. It is John Deere's link to all of their dealers. http://www.machinefinder.com/
floridahay
Member
I have a Claas 46 baler that I like really well. It is easy to run and will bale almost anything. Some people don't like them because they are a fixed chamber baler and make a soft core bale that is not as pretty as the bales baled with a belt baler. The Claas balers are a simple troublefree baler if you have a dealer close by. Another baler that a lot of people like is the Krone.
hurleyjd
Well-known member
The Hyd. capacity of the tractor has a lot to do with the operation of the baler. If you do not have the gpm for the baler then it will not operate right. The baler you sold might have been okay, it could have been the tractor. Now I am not running the tractor down, but a lot of the newer pieces of equipment that are being used now require more hyd. capacity. The manual for my 330 baler has in the trouble shooting section that a leaky hyd. valve on the tractor can cause the build up of hay at the opening. If the tractor has less than 6.5 gpm can also cause the same problem according to the technical manual for the baler.Sparky-TN":2sddnesf said:
