Fransgard 390

[FarmerD89]

Hey up wondering if anyone can help me I was given a fransgard 390 seems reasonable condition other than wear associated with use, has anyone got one dead or dying I could rob for spares ? Or if any of you have any parts in your workshops from times gone by,

I was also hoping to find out if the tines for this are the same as PZ ? Not quite ofay with the time variations ( wide and narrow) what would this machine have fitted, not aiming to Ted out with it more so as a rake for the father in law to use in front of us baling. Finding the claas liner is abit too much on heavy crops for the welger and Jones mk18 to eat.

also the return springs I assume these are heavier duty are all deceased and it’s an unwieldy beast to go down the road without.

Cheers D

 

[super4]

Yes same tines as the haybob, just larger diameter rotors.
Not sure if the springs are the same.
I had a couple of these tedders over the years, just make sure the rotors stay tight to the drive shaft, watch grass don't wrap between these drives as it can soon knock off the drive teeth and these are big money!

 

[Hfd Cattle]

They were a half decent machine when new but soon wear out . Had a couple of new ones but never kept them more than 2 seasons . You were given it so it's a good start . If it is just for rowing up then I would try and part ex it in for a small single rotor rake .
Once you start spending on a Fransguard you will end up spending a lot of money .
....and you will soon get fed up of changing tines.....yes gaybob ones do fit .

 

[FarmerD89]

They were a half decent machine when new but soon wear out . Had a couple of new ones but never kept them more than 2 seasons . You were given it so it's a good start . If it is just for rowing up then I would try and part ex it in for a small single rotor rake .
Once you start spending on a Fransguard you will end up spending a lot of money .
....and you will soon get fed up of changing tines.....yes gaybob ones do fit .

We’ve a decent twin rotor there’s god knows how many billions of the gaybobs being used in this country. Think so far I’ve totted up 28 return springs (65.00 and a dozen tines 50) a few of the holders want washers welding on to tighten the pins back up. But it’s not the end of the world to do, even on them all. Just struggling to find any parts for these at all.

 

[FarmerD89]

Am I right in assuming they staggered wide and narrow tines ?

 

[Goweresque]

I've a feeling that haybob tines will foul the rear gates on a Fransgard at some point, depending on whether the gates are set for spreading or rowing up, and also what speed the rotors are doing. I seem to remember cutting about 1-2" off the end of upper tine which seemed to solve it. Springs are easily available from the usual parts suppliers, I used to get mine from Malpasonline. For some reason the springs do not last long, so get used to changing them, make sure you've the right diameter punch etc.

I have got quite a few 390 parts as I bought a pair of shagged ones and combined the best bits into one machine, and still have all the bits that were left over. One of the main drive trains is complete though it did use to slip a bit (hence why it was discarded), the main carrying frame is complete, the rotors are shot (most of the brackets where the tines hinge are rusted through) and there's a lot of spare tine holders and pins as well. If you're interested drop me a PM, its only taking up space in a shed, I'd be pleased to get rid!

 

[Suffolksucklers]

It always surprises me when people say Fransgard stuff doesn't last and they go through so many tines, springs, punctures etc. We bought ours second hand probably ten years ago and every year it rows up around 150 acres plus of our marsh grass. Probably put around three times on it in that time and a couple of springs and first puncture this year. Guess I've been lucky have a single rotor take and can't seem to get on with it, it's a job to keep it level on our ground and seems to overload the swath one side. Tin hat firmly on

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Am I right in assuming they staggered wide and narrow tines ?

Yes they do

 

[Hfd Cattle]

We’ve a decent twin rotor there’s god knows how many billions of the gaybobs being used in this country. Think so far I’ve totted up 28 return springs (65.00 and a dozen tines 50) a few of the holders want washers welding on to tighten the pins back up. But it’s not the end of the world to do, even on them all. Just struggling to find any parts for these at all.

Try Carpenter and Goodwin . Leominster . They will post spares out .

 

[FarmerD89]

Prices on those springs are silly money between 3-7 each depending which place you look yet genuine pz are 1.00

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Brother got one he bought off me parked up in the nettles i will ask him tomorrow what he is doing with it.
What part of the world are you .
Pm if you want

 

[glasshouse]

We’ve a decent twin rotor there’s god knows how many billions of the gaybobs being used in this country. Think so far I’ve totted up 28 return springs (65.00 and a dozen tines 50) a few of the holders want washers welding on to tighten the pins back up. But it’s not the end of the world to do, even on them all. Just struggling to find any parts for these at all.

Whrre are u

 

[glasshouse]

I managed to catch my fransguard on a slit trench last yr. , rowing up hay on an army range so i need a new rotor, its rather bent
Had to finish with my trusty old “gaybob” which you all ridicule.

 

[FarmerD89]

Ah I’m west mids based I see your Scotland, hay bobs have their place I can’t slate them, enough good hay is made every year with them they were a revelation when they came out and I’d rather bale behind an anticrated haybob than an acrobat

 

[glasshouse]

Ah I’m west mids based I see your Scotland, hay bobs have their place I can’t slate them, enough good hay is made every year with them they were a revelation when they came out and I’d rather bale behind an anticrated haybob than an acrobat

I like the fransguard because it lifts all the hay when you row up, which my extending haybob doesnt do at full width, neither does the twin rotor rake.
So it saves a tedding

 

[FarmerD89]

Hopefully I can sort this freebie out and get at least a season out of it. I may need to spend a small amount on it, but it’s all part of the learning curve.

 

[glasshouse]

Hopefully I can sort this freebie out and get at least a season out of it. I may need to spend a small amount on it, but it’s all part of the learning curve.

Tines are not dear, neither are springs
It should shift over for the road

 

[glasshouse]

Twin wheels on the fransgard are good for avoiding holes and you can keep going with a puncture

 

[FarmerD89]

Twin wheels on the fransgard are good for avoiding holes and you can keep going with a puncture

They’re fairly heavy though

 

[Cropwell]

I managed to catch my fransguard on a slit trench last yr. , rowing up hay on an army range so i need a new rotor, its rather bent
Had to finish with my trusty old “gaybob” which you all ridicule.

We have bent the rotors on ours quite a few times working on ridge and furrow and I have become a dab hand at getting them back to being reasonably straight. Procedure as follows,
1. Check the bolts holding the rotor are all present and tight.
2. With the machine on a tractor stood on concrete, lift until the bottom of the rotor is about a foot off the floor.
3. Set a trolley jack under the edge of the rotor and then turn rotor by hand until the side hanging lowest touches the jack.
4. Put a wooden block on top of the gearbox and lower a loader boom on to it so that the machine can't lift.
5. Lift the jack to push the rotor up to straighten it then lower the jack slightly and spin the rotor until it catches the jack and then repeat. Keep rotating the rotor by hand and using the jack as a gauge keep pushing the rotor up where needed.

I use an 8 tonne high lift jack which seems boss of the job, Just force it up steadily each so that you don't go too far and check the bolts again when you've done.