John Deere 545 round baler

[Dave W]

Yep, been there done that with a 550. A lad from the dealer's kindly talked me through it on the phone. I remember him saying (About the PTO speed) "Rev the goolies off it!" Then of course l found the information in the manual

I remember doing that at few times with our old 545…. Ah the memories

I sold a 550 to a man back end of last season. Was my own machine so I knew it was right.
He's come to use it this year and couldn't get it to tie. Even had main dealer mechanic out who'd told him it needed a new pump and control box recalibrating.
I told the mechanic to read the book (which hasn't been opened at this point) and explained how to sort the pump. He thought I was taking the pee and was adamant the pump was no good.
Anyway half hour later he phoned back said they'd got it going

 

[Roy_H]

I sold a 550 to a man back end of last season. Was my own machine so I knew it was right.
He's come to use it this year and couldn't get it to tie. Even had main dealer mechanic out who'd told him it needed a new pump and control box recalibrating.
I told the mechanic to read the book (which hasn't been opened at this point) and explained how to sort the pump. He thought I was taking the pee and was adamant the pump was no good.
Anyway half hour later he phoned back said they'd got it going

Actually, looking back, it's a looong time ago (30 odd years omg!):but l think what happened l had looked in the book and tried to do what it said but l still couldn't get it going then when l phoned the dealer he suggested that l try again but this time "rev the goolies off it" . And it worked a treat .

 

[DrDunc]

I always used to take off the output pipe from the pump and fill the pump with diesel and put the pto going worked every time then just refill with hydraulic oil. I have to say i had just about managed to forget about the misery of baling silage with one of these balers back in the 90's but this thread is giving me a nervous twitch again .

They've outlawed torture, so why are these balers still permitted?

Can you imagine the cruelty of pulling one with a Davy Broon??????

Well done @Db1490, for now if anyone, anywhere, ever complains of the machinery they've been asked to operate, they can be told it could be far far worse

(Hope you enjoy it when it's running,)

 

[spin cycle]

They've outlawed torture, so why are these balers still permitted?

Can you imagine the cruelty of pulling one with a Davy Broon??????

Well done @Db1490, for now if anyone, anywhere, ever complains of the machinery they've been asked to operate, they can be told it could be far far worse

(Hope you enjoy it when it's running,)

i 'upgraded' to a 550 last year ....heaven compared to the vermeer (farmhand) it replaced.....don't bale silage though....judging by the occasions i encountered a little 'moist' grass on a headland etc i can see how they could be a nightmare

 

[David1968]

i 'upgraded' to a 550

That's not a phrase you see very often.

 

[balerman]

ORR....take the pipes off the tieing ram...have them extended and work arm manually off a double acting spool

i was very kindly given a manual by one of my diary readers so i can photocopy page if you like....mine's a 550 but reckon it's the same

just prayin none of my diary mob find this

That is actually a very good idea,cos mine never used to put enough string at the end and in dry straw the bale could unravel.There was a kit to help with that but still temperamental ( like the whole baler).

 

[Db1490]

They've outlawed torture, so why are these balers still permitted?

Can you imagine the cruelty of pulling one with a Davy Broon??????

Well done @Db1490, for now if anyone, anywhere, ever complains of the machinery they've been asked to operate, they can be told it could be far far worse

(Hope you enjoy it when it's running,)

I’m chuffed with it to be honest… had a new Holland 68 for the last 10 years so not having to lift anymore idiot bricks is satisfying!

 

[DrWazzock]

It trips when you let go of the rope , not when you pull it if you see what I mean. Pulling harder won’t help. Look at what happens when you let it go and make sure non of that is jammed/ faulty. Pull the rope, then let it go very smartly. That’s what worked for us. Never had a problem with the onboard hydraulics otherwise as long as there is oil in it.

 

[jamesy]

When the going was good in hay or straw you could make good speed. If conditions were any bit iffy the baler told you as it became impossible to make any progress!

 

[Roy_H]

I’m chuffed with it to be honest… had a new Holland 68 for the last 10 years so not having to lift anymore idiot bricks is satisfying!

Believe me My JD 550 was absolutely bloody heaven compared to a Howard Bigbaler we had ! I made lots of silage with The 550 and as long it wasn't too wet it was OK. In Hay or short broken straw I found the secret was to start a new bale with reduced PTO revs, then once it got rolling whack it up to 540. The Claas Rollant 62 we had was oh so simple to use compared with either The JD or The Howard (Just point it down the row and go!) BUT of course being it a fixed chamber round baler making 5' bales it was NBG for silage . Being soft core though it made luverly hay!

 

[Roy_H]

I sold a 550 to a man back end of last season. Was my own machine so I knew it was right.
He's come to use it this year and couldn't get it to tie. Even had main dealer mechanic out who'd told him it needed a new pump and control box recalibrating.
I told the mechanic to read the book (which hasn't been opened at this point) and explained how to sort the pump. He thought I was taking the pee and was adamant the pump was no good.
Anyway half hour later he phoned back said they'd got it going

I also seem to remember the chap from the dealer's telling me that the twine arm pump (for want of a better description) was actually the same hydraulic pump used by the power steering systems in many American cars of the time.

 

[Db1490]

I also seem to remember the chap from the dealer's telling me that the twine arm pump (for want of a better description) was actually the same hydraulic pump used by the power steering systems in many American cars of the time.

Yes you’re right there, seems a lot of folk in America use a Chevy power steering pump as a cheaper replacement rather than jd branded ones

 

[Jon Boy]

I also seem to remember the chap from the dealer's telling me that the twine arm pump (for want of a better description) was actually the same hydraulic pump used by the power steering systems in many American cars of the time.

Thats funny i was told by the mechanic the pump was the same as BMW power steering pump. To be fair they were a very good baler for there time we had the extra silage kit which was a chain to drive another roller but you had to put the pto out of gear every time you ejected a bale so we only used it green short grass. If you used it for hay straw and dry ish baleage they went well, we used to carry a couple spare belts and got pretty good at re lacing belts but despite trying several different types of joiners never really succeeded in find anything better than jd's own.

 

[essexpete]

Had the OP got going? You have to make sure the trip mech that operates the spool is latched properly at the start of the sequence and the tying arm is back in the home (forward) position.
Incidentally, the pump was a power steering pump type and should use ATF.

 

[Timbo]

Had the OP got going? You have to make sure the trip mech that operates the spool is latched properly at the start of the sequence and the tying arm is back in the home (forward) position.
Incidentally, the pump was a power steering pump type and should use ATF.

Yes it looks very much like an old school ZF PAS pump

 

[Db1490]

Had the OP got going? You have to make sure the trip mech that operates the spool is latched properly at the start of the sequence and the tying arm is back in the home (forward) position.
Incidentally, the pump was a power steering pump type and should use ATF.

Thanks, had a go at priming the pump today and running it up, will try baling with it in the next couple of days.

 

[spin cycle]

Thanks, had a go at priming the pump today and running it up, will try baling with it in the next couple of days.

can you get the tieing mechanism to work ...like the chap did in the video?

 

[essexpete]

Another point, if you want to cycle repeatedly, lift the gate well up, lock of the hydraulics with the safety valve and then power down to tighten the belts. You can then trip the tying mech repeatedly.

 

[Db1490]

Thanks everyone for the help, all sorted now. It was the valve on the top of the valve block that controls the amount of string. Just wasn’t going up and down as it should.