Tips Clearing a Plugged Round Baler?

[Stocker Steve]

For simple infeed pugging - - I am usually able to pull some hay out with a bale hook and restart it. Occasionally, I get a wad that pushed belt(s) off track, and I have to clear the gap between rollers to move the belt back. Any tips or tools that help in clearing a wad of compressed hay between rollers?

 

[Caustic Burno]

For simple infeed pugging - - I am usually able to pull some hay out with a bale hook and restart it. Occasionally, I get a wad that pushed belt(s) off track, and I have to clear the gap between rollers to move the belt back. Any tips or tools that help in clearing a wad of compressed hay between rollers?

You got me on that one, I thought I had the blue ribbon for plugging a baler.
I will have to be happy with red.

 

[callmefence]

A hay hook welded a 4' Long piece of 3/4 " sucker rod is handy for the front pull you mentioned. If that don't work real quick I open it up and run it out the back.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Drive roll is wrapped, and two belts are off track, so I cannot run it out. Thinking about opening up the gate and using a powered saw from the back?

 

[callmefence]

Drive roll is wrapped, and two belts are off track, so I cannot run it out. Thinking about opening up the gate and using a powered saw from the back?

I plugged like that with some to wet Sudan a few years ago. After clearing both sides with a sawzall. I worked a strap between the rollers around the plug and back out tied both ends to the truck and pulled that f#$ker out. From the back of course. I was to the point I didn't care if I pulled the baler in two. But it came right out.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Sawzall, razor blade, pliers, and muscle. And maybe a pipe wrench to turn it back. Good luck, they can be a real B!tch.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Thanks. I will upgrade to the sawzall.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

Get the wood cutting blade like a bow saw has!!

 

[1Sport]

My baler has a way to release the tension on the belts. Lift the gate insert pin and let the gate down some and all the belts go loose. It makes it WAY easier to get the hay off the rollers when you don't have to fight the belts.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

For clearing the pickup I dig it out by hand. If I plug the rotor feeder I use the reversing bar and turn the baler backwards a ways then clear it out. Next baler will have a drop floor to clear plugs without leaving the cab.

 

[dvcochran]

Drive roll is wrapped, and two belts are off track, so I cannot run it out. Thinking about opening up the gate and using a powered saw from the back?

I do something similar. I have cut across the pickup between a row of teeth to break up the hay with decent success. If that doesn't work I open the gate.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Spent about a half hour with the hay hook, another half hour with the utility knife, and another hour with the Sawzall plus channel lock. The short wood cutting blades seemed to work the best.

 

[Stocker Steve]

For clearing the pickup I dig it out by hand. If I plug the rotor feeder I use the reversing bar and turn the baler backwards a ways then clear it out. Next baler will have a drop floor to clear plugs without leaving the cab.

Is a reversing bar common?

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

It is on any crop cutter NH baler. Optional was a hydraulic reverser. The newer ones have a drop floor.

Remind me never to buy whatever brand baler you have. In the last 20k bales with my NH balers I haven't spent more than 15 minutes unplugging the pickup at any given time.

 

[Atimm693]

For clearing the pickup I dig it out by hand. If I plug the rotor feeder I use the reversing bar and turn the baler backwards a ways then clear it out. Next baler will have a drop floor to clear plugs without leaving the cab.

We've got a Vermeer 604 Pro with the hydraulic floor, pretty handy. Takes about a minute to clear a plug and you don't leave the seat.

No reversing bar or anything like that, it just has a hex cast into one of the main roller sprockets. We've had to use it a time or two, occasionally a roller will wrap and cause the belts to climb over each other.