John Deere small baler

[Jsmith2211]

Check the hay dogs first before messing with the knotters

Hay dogs look to be working right

 

[bobk]

The sliding things aren't pushing the string on to the knotters

 

[Rust]

Pink twine. Use yellow. My 459 drops knots on one side with pink.
Would rather use pink string ,easier to see, but one knotter says no. Both colours Tama twine.

 

[bobk]

10,000 foot you want

 

[Jsmith2211]

The sliding things aren't pushing the string on to the knotters

Sliding things?

10,000 foot you want

yep 10000ft tama.

Pink twine. Use yellow. My 459 drops knots on one side with pink.
Would rather use pink string ,easier to see, but one knotter says no. Both colours Tama twine.

It came with a tiny bit of a roll of yellow and most of a roll of pink, one in each side. was doing the same on the yellow.

 

[bobk]

Sliding things?


yep 10000ft tama.

It came with a tiny bit of a roll of yellow and most of a roll of pink, one in each side. was doing the same on the yellow.

Chuck the yellow in the bin
When the needles come up the half moon things hold the twineagen the knitter , yours is missing

 

[David.]

My New Holland won't tie the yellow wire, it's faultless on pink or orange 10000ft Cotesi.

 

[Jsmith2211]

The sliding things aren't pushing the string on to the knotters

Sliding things?

10,000 foot you want

yep 10000ft tama.

Pink twine. Use yellow. My 459 drops knots on one side with pink.
Would rather use pink string ,easier to see, but one knotter says no. Both colours Tama twine.

It came with a tiny bit of a roll of yellow and a roll of pink, one in each side. was doing the same on the yellow.

Chuck the yellow in the bin
When the needles come up the half moon things hold the twineagen the knitter , yours is missing

used the yellow up. It’s tieing most of them just missing a few which isn’t too bad when rebaling hut will get very annoying with a sledge on the back. I assume you mean the tucker fingers, both are there.

 

[bobk]

Sliding things?


yep 10000ft tama.

It came with a tiny bit of a roll of yellow and a roll of pink, one in each side. was doing the same on the yellow.

used the yellow up. It’s tieing most of them just missing a few which isn’t too bad when rebaling hut will get very annoying with a sledge on the back. I assume you mean the tucker fingers, both are there.

My baler hasn't missed a knot for 5 years

 

[Wisconsonian]

Do you have the manual? that will help show how things are supposed to be set up for clearances etc. I'd guess none of us are wizards at knotters, so it's a bit of guessing going by one picture.

Get somebody to turn the flywheel slowly by hand and trip the knotters to watch it in slow motion, then see whether the billhook is catching both twine, or one's pulling out, or what exactly the problem is. Then you can concentrate on that part rather than going through setting up the whole thing.

 

[Jsmith2211]

Do you have the manual? that will help show how things are supposed to be set up for clearances etc. I'd guess none of us are wizards at knotters, so it's a bit of guessing going by one picture.

Get somebody to turn the flywheel slowly by hand and trip the knotters to watch it in slow motion, then see whether the billhook is catching both twine, or one's pulling out, or what exactly the problem is. Then you can concentrate on that part rather than going through setting up the whole thing.

I did just that before i did any baling with it, and everything works fine. 9 times in 10 it will tie fine, just that one that it doesnt... To me, everything looks to be how it should be. Just wandered if there was something simple i could try before getting a chap to have a look at it.

 

[Wisconsonian]

Do you have the manual? doesn't it have a troubleshooting section in it?

Is the knot on the horizontal twine on top of the bale, or the vertical twine on the back side of the bale? different suggestions in the manual for each.

 

[Boohoo]

Thought I'd resurrect this and keep everything together rather than start a new thread...

What are everyone's thoughts on a JD 342a or possibly a 359 for baling a few thousand bales of hay and haylage per year? Currently using an MF 124 but struggling with bale shape and density in haylage.

 

[solo]

Back in the 1980’s my father ran a 342a. Used to churn out 14000 a year. Baler was brilliant, but the meijer sledge should have been replaced with better one. When the baler left the flywheel bush was tired and ate a few shear pins each day. knotters although very worn still performed fine. The stationary knife and ram knife needed reshimming, as the bales came out like sausages, but this was only a problem in ryegrass hay. If I was to go back to needing little bales again I would certainly look at the same again. I have no experience of other models or brands as this one worked perfectly.

 

[Jsmith2211]

Thought I'd resurrect this and keep everything together rather than start a new thread...

What are everyone's thoughts on a JD 342a or possibly a 359 for baling a few thousand bales of hay and haylage per year? Currently using an MF 124 but struggling with bale shape and density in haylage.

Buy a good one... Mine ended up costing a lot of money and missed more knots than it tied once i got it in the field. If its worn, walk away get a different one. other than that they make a lovely bale, nice and even no issues there at all

 

[FG.]

@Boohoo we ran a JD342a from new, which replaced an IH440.
At the time it was in a different league, banging out about 15k.
Changed to a second hand JD456a in the early 90's.
It has a much wider pickup than the 342a and a higher plunger strokes per minute (you can go faster).
Recently added a JD459.
Only differences are a slightly wider pickup, runs a few more strokes/min and a slight tweet on the knotters.
456a has hydraulic bale tension which I prefer, 459 has been converted to springs (anyone got a hydraulic kit, kicking out?)

All three machines are perfectly suitable, but budget will dictate and a 456a (make sure its an 'A')will be cheaper than a 459 and not much difference in performance.
The 456a is 1986(end of model no: )
The 459 is a 1990.Mates is a 1987.

There are a few travelling small baler mechanics about.
Steff Henry and Andrew Walley.(that I know of)
Both very experienced, but I gave Steff a go last winter, to look over my two and he does Big balers so looked over my Big balers.

Mate wanted his baler serviced at the time

 

[ewald]

I have had a 342a for a while - it has been reliable (may regret this!) and has good capacity for a little baler. Small pickup, though - fine for hay, not good if following a combine - most will not have done too much work for this reason, was not a contractor’s machine.

 

[Boohoo]

The 456A and 459 are too wide, it'll have to be a 342A or a 359. I don't bale any straw so the narrower pick up won't be an issue. I've already compared the specs with our MF 124 and on paper I'm confident that either would be a worthwhile upgrade.
How the auger will cope with haylage is really the big question now. Some say the auger will wrap up with hay, others say haylage isn't a problem...

 

[FG.]

I do haylage and it's not a problem as long as the auger is smooth/shiney.
Take it off and give it a 'birthday' with some emery and oil it afterwards.
Grind/file any dents or nicks.
Did thousands with our 342a.

Ebay and FB marketplace would be a good source

 

[JeremyD]

Don't agree that a 456a is too wide! We baled behind a 12ft cut Dominator 76 with one for years and it was hardly wide enough in big Barley crops!