Kuhn or mchale straw chopper chopping silage/hay
- Thread starter Huwie
- Start date
Heard this a lot! What is the difference? Mchale have copied the Kuhn according to dealer and they are basically identical
Err noHeard this a lot! What is the difference? Mchale have copied the Kuhn according to dealer and they are basically identical
Mchale copied Kuhn belt driven beater that doesn't need started until the flywheel is up to speed
Mchale has a comb above the beater that is moved from the cab control box. Blockages from wet silage or mouldy straw are vastly reduced by simply moving the comb rearward
Mchale has a knife at the bottom of the outlet chute, running close to the flywheel paddles (copied from Lucas) Long dry stemmy grass gets chopped rather than building up and blocking the chute
Mchale has their own very simple and effective flywheel unblocking device. A lever bar stored on the machine is inserted into holes, quickly reversing the wheel to unplug the paddle blockage. Every other machine is a slow utter ball ache in comparison
Presumably it was the Kuhn salesman who said they were basically the same machine
This is also on a Kuhn, although it is an option.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Err no
Mchale copied Kuhn belt driven beater that doesn't need started until the flywheel is up to speed
Mchale has a comb above the beater that is moved from the cab control box. Blockages from wet silage or mouldy straw are vastly reduced by simply moving the comb rearward
Mchale has a knife at the bottom of the outlet chute, running close to the flywheel paddles (copied from Lucas) Long dry stemmy grass gets chopped rather than building up and blocking the chute
Mchale has their own very simple and effective flywheel unblocking device. A lever bar stored on the machine is inserted into holes, quickly reversing the wheel to unplug the paddle blockage. Every other machine is a slow utter ball ache in comparison
Presumably it was the Kuhn salesman who said they were basically the same machine
Kuhn has a hydraulic comb which is adjustable from the cab... It's an optional extra on the Kuhn and always has been an option.
It's also a better design rather than the straight push ram on the top of the McHale which bends like a banana making the adjustment rather unadjustable
Funny, everyone I know who has had both has said the opposite. Most bought green on price after having orange...
To the OP if it's a 2 speed machine then yes it'll do silage as well as straw. Hay is savage on them. If you're buying brand new, today, there is very little between them. But, If you're buying 2nd hand - go over every inch of them to check the wear. Sadly you can't check the splines on the shaft in the hydraulic motor for the bed on the McHale (which will go!! because it's splines and not keyed onto the shaft
), but you can check the floor chains have been upgraded (depending on age) and the drive cogs. Same goes for the Kuhn - drive cogs and chain wear... but honestly I wouldn't advise buying 2nd hand unless you know where it's came from and how much work it has done.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Does anyone know if the mounted McHale (430) can handle 8' quadrant bales without it falling out of the back? I know the trailed 460 apparently can, but little sheds and poor access means trailed is unsuitable here.
solo
Member
- Location
- worcestershire
8' quadrant on a trailed 460 fits into the chamber and also fills the tailgate to capacity, so you either incline it to keep the bale wads in or put the chain and posts in across the back of the tailgate to stop them falling out. The 430 is shorter so you could put a tailgate extension on to keep them in if need be. I mostly use a 4'6" round bale in the chamber and carry one on the tailgate of a trailed 460. Western Farm Services at Knighton would be worth a chat.
Speedstar
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
Having had both teagle and mchale ,I would buy the teagle first better made and better with strawErr no
Mchale copied Kuhn belt driven beater that doesn't need started until the flywheel is up to speed
Mchale has a comb above the beater that is moved from the cab control box. Blockages from wet silage or mouldy straw are vastly reduced by simply moving the comb rearward
Mchale has a knife at the bottom of the outlet chute, running close to the flywheel paddles (copied from Lucas) Long dry stemmy grass gets chopped rather than building up and blocking the chute
Mchale has their own very simple and effective flywheel unblocking device. A lever bar stored on the machine is inserted into holes, quickly reversing the wheel to unplug the paddle blockage. Every other machine is a slow utter ball ache in comparison
Presumably it was the Kuhn salesman who said they were basically the same machine
Having also had both, teagle lasted 3 years here before the non replaceable beater fingers were stumps, the floor chains stretched beyond adjustment for the second time, and the outlet chute became religious (very holey)
Was wonderful not to have endure weekly knife sharpening when the serrated tooth Mchale arrived in its wake
That was 14 year ago, and while the Mchale now no longer looks pristine, the operator inflicted battle scars don't detract from its performance
Whether the teagle was better performing with straw may be arguable (40 foot courts were not an issue with either brand) , but which one is better built is without doubt: teagle has much to learn from the Irish understanding of how to survive a livestock farms daily winters abuse
Had teagle for five years about 800 to 1000 squares and some silage went through it per year, best day ever when that machine left this farm,two mchales since different league altogether
fermerboy
Member
- Location
- Banffshire
The KV 863, Kuhn, and Mchale alll do the hydraulic engaged beater now and I think the hyd adjustable comb too.
Everybody says the Teagle will blow straw furthest, certainly further than the Mchale, some reckon the Mchale is better at silage, none of them are good at hay, and grass of any sort is hard on machine.
Paddles are welded on the drum of a Mchale while you can swap new ones on the others, so if unlucky can be fixed quickly. The KV drum looks the strongest of them but haven't tested it out.
Price up the beater blades as it can mount up if you are doing a lot of silage work. I grudge paying a fortune for combine sections with bigger bolt holes!!(KV)
They all use the same 2 speed gearbox as far as I can see.
That said I own a Mchale wrapper and baler and experience with those would make the Mchale very high on the list, their stuff is well made.
Everybody says the Teagle will blow straw furthest, certainly further than the Mchale, some reckon the Mchale is better at silage, none of them are good at hay, and grass of any sort is hard on machine.
Paddles are welded on the drum of a Mchale while you can swap new ones on the others, so if unlucky can be fixed quickly. The KV drum looks the strongest of them but haven't tested it out.
Price up the beater blades as it can mount up if you are doing a lot of silage work. I grudge paying a fortune for combine sections with bigger bolt holes!!(KV)
They all use the same 2 speed gearbox as far as I can see.
That said I own a Mchale wrapper and baler and experience with those would make the Mchale very high on the list, their stuff is well made.
This is an 8’ quadrant in a 460 for reference. As said above a 430 would definitely need an extension. But can’t imagine that being too big a job.
You can get an optional longer square bale door on the C430 which makes it handle the 8’ bales better, the standard door is quite short and the body of a C430 is shorter than a C460 so standard machine would struggle to take the whole bale in one shot.