John Deere 457 Roundbaler help

[beefmasters]

Hate to have to ask but i need help-advise with this baler.I recently purchased this baler from a relative who deals in used equipment.He purchased the baler directly from the farmer who had the baler since new.Baler has had some bales thru it but looks new.It has mega-wide pickup,bale kicker,best monitor and variable core ability.

First field i did was eastern gamagrass and all went fine and i am a happy camper.Next field was a sudan cross field.The bale did not want to start--trying to plug at feed head and windrows were not big.Made a nice bale once you got it started but after six bales it was wrapping hay around the top idler roller.(largest roller on top right above the bale forming chamber).Mainly under the 2nd,3rd and 4th belt from the right side of the baler.Bad enough i had to shut it down.

The compression rods are installed at their highest limit over the feed intake.I was thinking of removing part or all of the compression rods to see if that will help with the hay intake but i have no idea what is causing the hay to wrap around the top idler roller.

I know this is not a new baler but i have never run one even this modern.Newest i have ever run was a jd 435.I ended up baling the field with my old john deere 510 baler and it never missed a lick.kind of embarrassing.I do have all compression rods off of the 510.And if you have ever run a 510 you know they are a finnicky baler.If the 510 could bale it the 457 should have eaten it up.

I have looked at everything i know to look at on the baler.I can find no loose or bad bearings(hot),chain all looks good,belts seem to track ok etc.

Sorry for the long post-but this makes me want to pull my hair out.I will be in and out a lot today if anybody asks any questions.First to church then to cut some more hay but will be back later this evening.If anybody has any suggestions i would certainly appreciate it.

 

[hurleyjd]

Check the cam bearings on the pickup teeth could be gone or worn.

 

[beefmasters]

hurleyjd,

Thank you very much for the suggestion.I will check the cams tomorrow if i get time.

Anybody have any idea what would cause hay to wrap under the belts on the top idler roller ?

 

[herefordlover]

We have a 566 and i have cut alot of hay off rollers when its to damp ours dont like wet hay at all

 

[hurleyjd]

First question do you have a manual if not get online to John Deere website and order one. There is a scraper near the top roller normally there is an adjustment that scrapes or prevents the wrapping of hay. I do not know very much about your baler just offering suggestions.

 

[beefmasters]

herefordlover,

Can you remember if you have ever had the hay wrap up on the top idler roller i was talking about ?

My baler is not a silage special but in looking at the parts manual i don't see much difference in the basic design.I wonder how they are able to bale high moisture silage.

Thanks for your post.

 

[cowski]

baling wet will wrap the roller. silage balers have a scraper .

 

[beefmasters]

hurleyjd,

I do have a manual for the baler.I will look again but i have seen nothing about a scraper near the top idler roller where i am having the problem.

I know it's hard trying to diagnose something over the internet and i appreciate your trying to help.

 

[cowski]

is it the starter roll that's wrapping ? silage balers have part number BE23828 on them .

 

[beefmasters]

cowski,

I know what your saying about the starter roller because that would be the logical place in my mind.

The only roller on the baler that is wrapping is the top idler roller which is at the top of the baler almost directly above the starter roller.It is just behind the take-up arm roller.

 

[cowski]

still think to wet but are your divider scrappers set right? front top of baler

 

[dun]

Asked the local JD Baler guru. He says 2 things can cause it, sticky hay or the pickup teeth arent right. Sticky hay is pretty self explanatory, the pick up teeth problem would have the hay being let go of the hay early. Didn;t thnk to ask him what would cause that.
Do you think that maybe the reason the previous owner got rid of it could have been the same problems you are having?

 

[hurleyjd]

Was the hay cut with a mower conditioner. If not then could be the problem.

 

[beefmasters]

Sorry,i have been away from the computer this afternoon so just getting back to your questions.

cowski,
Good idea on the upper roller scrapper.It looks ok but i am going to have to find out in the manual if it is within specs.

hurleyjd,
No the hay was not cut with a mower conditioner--i don't have one.Would i have liked for it to have been crimped-you bet.I may have to get one but i don't really want to.The fields that the sudan is on we are slowly trying to get into permanent grass hay meadows such as b dahl bluestem etc.The sudan is not something i plan on doing from now on.The non conditioning may well be the problem.I just assumed the 457 baler would have baled anything(and more) than the old 510 baler would.As i said the old 510 baler never missed a beat on the hay.

Dun,
I appreciate your trying to find out information for me.Both things they told you sound reasonable.I think the manual shows something about the tooth placement to the starter roll but will have to research it.

On your question of whether this is why the baler was sold.My relative(who i trust ) went to the farmers place to buy the baler.He said everything the guy had was in barns and everything was immaculate.Said the farmer told him the baler was gone thru by his john deere dealer every year after harvest. Could he have lied-sure. Could he have a sorry jd dealer-possibility. But you do the best you can and take your chances.

Appreciate all you guys for trying to help.

 

[Supa Dexta]

I have a 457ss, but not a magawide. I sometimes get a wad that runs up the right hand side and just stays between the 1st two belts, but doesn't build up on that top roller.

When I first got my baler it was used as well and would build up on the roller right above the pto shaft/hydraulic block in wet conditions. Once it got some bales thru it it polished up and no more build up. I haven't messed with my compression rods really, and I make mostly baleage. I put 1000 bales a year through it, and it will eat whatever I throw at it for a windrow usually.

In this pic, I would have gotten most build up on the red arrow, and some on the blue. But once it polished up Seldom does it build up on the roller, and I really only get the wad stuck between the belts on the black arrow. I actually took the blue roller out in the spring, and removed all paint with a wire wheel on the grinder, and then painted JD green again. most of the paint had been worn off it, and the bare metal would rust a bit, and seem to be cause some build up. New paint helped. Last season I would spray with pam cooking spray, to prevent any rust. I'm next to the ocean, so the salt air will rust bare metal like that fairly quickly otherwise.

Another thought is when installing new teeth a flat head screw driver should be used behind the teeth at the bolt head, to hold it square and away from the teeth bar in the pickup (the little loop part of the tooth that the bolt goes through, the flathead holds it out like 1/16th). If you dont put the flathead in it while tightening the bolts, the teeth will shift slightly and the bolt not seat just right, affecting the tooth angle. I have 95% square teeth in mine now, and they are great. Havent broken one yet. I think they are the mega tooth teeth, across the whole pickup,

The 2 gears I use either give me 4.5 or 6 mph at 520-560 rpm And it feeds great. Have been up to 9mph in lighter crop, but most of my fields are too heavy for those speeds, 100hp tractor won't take the load, not the baler.

 

[beefmasters]

Supa Dexta,

Thanks for the post,very informative.You did a good job on the picture and pointing out the various problems you have had. I, unfortunately am technologically challenged and do good just to type on here. :lol2:

I have not been back on this subject because i did not have anything to report until now.I just got thru baling another field of sudan-same variety (go man go) as the last one.However i was able to get it cut before it got quite as tall as the last field.

I removed the compression rack completely before i started to see what would happen.Still had to ease into the row slowly and had some trouble getting started but once the bale actually started to form and start rolling it seemed to take it ok.Wished i had left the compression rack in and tried a few bales before i took it out to see the difference on this field--but hindsight is 20-20.

I had no wrapping on the top idler roller like before.I don't know if it was because the sudan was cut a little shorter than the other field or what.

I hope to get to try it back on some different grass like bluestem etc but if this heat doesn't let up and we get some rain soon my baling may be over for the season.

Latest problem on the baler is the right hand side outer belt is trying to rub too much on the tension arms.I have done some adjustments per the manual but so far has not helped it.Hope to get it under a shade tree in a day or two and try to get more in depth on it.Take care.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Take a measurement of your teeth as well, or have you put in any new ones? Are the old ones worn down a serious amount? Its possible if they are too short - there isn't enough grab and too much hay gets caught going under the belts, getting pulled up the front.

 

[beefmasters]

Supa Dexta,

Thats a good idea on the teeth.I haven't replaced any as the baler had all it's teeth and straight when i got the baler and they look good-but,i never thought about them being too short.I will have to figure out the proper length they are suppose to be and check it out. thanks!!