John Deere 342 baler bent needle

[Deere342]

Tonight my John Deere 342 bent one needle back on itself under the baler ram. Why or how did only one needle manage to get bent? I would have thought that if the timing had gone wrong both would have got bent. Removed the bent needle and finished by tying off the last ones by hand as the other side has tied perfectly.
Any suggestions, new needle on order

 

[Goweresque]

Is there an obstruction in the slots in the ram? Sounds like the timing is fine, which suggests one of the slots is blocked with something, a stone or piece of wood jammed in maybe?

 

[Deere342]

No there was/is no obstruction in the needle grove, that did cross my mind and I investigated the first missed bale expecting to find a lump of concrete but nothing was found

 

[Spuddler]

May have just been a bit of fatigue in that needle.Its a fair push through the bale every time.

 

[Rust]

May have just been a bit of fatigue in that needle.Its a fair push through the bale every time.

[emoji1] [emoji3] [emoji23]

 

[fieldfarmer]

Did the one needle become loose on the frame? , can you see a twist mark where it clamps?

 

[traineefarmer]

May have just been a bit of fatigue in that needle.Its a fair push through the bale every time.

The needles don't push through the bale, they go into a slot formed in the plunger when it is full forward.

Is the plunger out of alignment so the needle caught it? Has the string jammed or been threaded incorrectly so it pulled the needle out of alignment causing it to catch the frame or plunger?

 

[Deere342]

The needle certainly wasn't loose on the frame, bolts took some removing. Could possibly be wear in the plunger guides, doesn't always cut the bale nicely, two will stick together sometimes. I think I've had it threaded right, has baler very well for the past eight years or so.

 

[nelson]

make sure the new needle is the same length as the old one we had 2 brake but the new needles where shorter than the old ones and had to adjust the needle arm so they went into the knotter enough that was on a 459

 

[Spuddler]

The needles don't push through the bale, they go into a slot formed in the plunger when it is full forward.

Is the plunger out of alignment so the needle caught it? Has the string jammed or been threaded incorrectly so it pulled the needle out of alignment causing it to catch the frame or plunger?

Oh I see!
You learn something new every day
Thanks

 

[startinghandle]

Is needle brake working?

 

[Deere342]

I will be checking the needle brake, have a broken spring on the lower hay dog on the same side as the needle which got bent which probably wasn't helping matters

 

[Dry Rot]

Would bales sticking together be a knife issue? Either not aligned correctly or blunt?

 

[Rust]

The needle certainly wasn't loose on the frame, bolts took some removing. Could possibly be wear in the plunger guides, doesn't always cut the bale nicely, two will stick together sometimes. I think I've had it threaded right, has baler very well for the past eight years or so.

Had a broken bale today and found string under the following bale string. Never found that with the jd 459 ever before. But was one of many troubles I had with a claas 65, and that was cured by tightening twine tension.
But a couple of loose ones followed straight away and that was because of the JD old favourite, hay stuck under the little arm that pokes into the feeder area. Connected to twine fingers

 

[Deere342]

Would bales sticking together be a knife issue? Either not aligned correctly or blunt?

Yes, there is playing in the ram bearings/guides, the knifes were taken off a couple of years ago and sharpened. Now looks like I should be looking at the ram bearings too. Watched a couple of videos on YouTube about Deere balers. You can alter the guides of the ram apparently.

 

[essexpete]

Is needle brake working?

I would have thought that would affect both needles.