JD Baler Issues

Bill VA

Well-known Member
Made a few square bales the past few days to run-in our equipment before the mother load goes down - IF the rain ever stops....

Had this problem a couple years ago and it went away on it's own, but this year it has resurfaced. From time to time the knotters would not cycle. The star wheel would rotate, move the trip arm such that the knotters would normally cycle, but the trip dog wouldn't always spring/rotate forward and initiate cycling of the knotters. It would stick at it's home position after the trip arm moved out of the way. Makes me wonder if there is some rust on the shaft the trip dog rotates on causing it to bind. Once "tapped" out of position, it moves freely. Checked the spring that moves it - it's OK and verified by looking at two other 348 balers. Anyone had the trip dog on a JD baler stick causing the knotters not to cycle? What was the fix?

2nd problem was the pan kicker. When it worked, it worked great. I believe the pump or actuator valve might be going south. There are no air leaks. There is a noise at the hydraulic reservoir, heat and given it is an open center system, I'm thinking there is a restriction - maybe at the kicker valve. The trip mechanism that actuates the kicker becomes more stiff (for the lack of a better word) as the system heats-up and the force to actuate it became to great for the bale pushing against to actuate. After some manual tripping, it essentially seized causing us to drop the last 15ish bales on the ground. Later after everything cooled, the kicker would cycle again. Most frustrating. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bill
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Can't help you on the kicker but pull the cluster gear off and clean up the trip dog so there's no dirt or rust and it moves freely. That's likely your problem.
 

If I'm understanding you correctly once measuring arm is raised to notch & stop in your photo which spring is attached to drops the trip dog binds on it's attaching pin?? If spring(key 8) is good I've never witnessed trip dog binding. It wouldn't be to difficult to look for accumulation of grease on inside of hub on gear.

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My knowledge on bale ejectors is very limited as non were sold in my area. On noise on bale ejector hyd system I'd suspect relief valve on hyd valve not holding correct pressure.
 

Those pan kickers are notorious for that problem, but the cure is always the same. Just take the control valve off and give it a good cleaning.
 

I forgot to mention that if hump inside gear was at correct location when measuring arm was tripped with flywheel not turning that the hump could keep trip dog from moving as if it was stuck.
 
Clean the old hard grease out of the inside of the knotter drive gear. Common on these balers when they first get used after being stored for the winter. I usually take a hot water washer and wash the inside out really well. The lube it with a LIGHT penetrating oil, pick your brand. Also a little diesel fuel and oil mixed works too. Then when free blow the lube off as it will attract dust/dirt.

For your kicker issue. I will second that the control valve needs cleaned. The spool is not returning to the home position. So the oil flow is partially blocked. That is making the oil heat up. The valve gets hotter and the spool sticks harder. Then kind of works when it cools off.
 
Yes - the trip arm works as it should and the trip dog is sticking or binding in its home position, not cycling the knotters. I will clean and lube the
shaft.

Thanks!
 
Jim -thanks again. I think everything is where it?s supposed to be, I can give the dog an ever so slight tap and it springs into position. Most of
the time it works fine, but it is time consuming clearing an 8ft bale once you realize something is a-muck!
 
Thanks - I?ll be cleaning up the knotter gear and lubricating the trip dog pivot.

I?ll also look over the actuator valve.

At first I thought I was getting air into the system and with it some heat. The return hose clamp at the pump was stripped and I replaced that, but the heating continued - body heat warm at the reservoir. Plenty of JD hydraulic fluid too. There was/is an audible hum at the reservoir too. Nothing went south until I mashed the kicker in the hay field last week.

It makes sense the control valve has issues. The hydraulic system is an open (vs closed type) and I?m to understand that any partial obstruction can generate tremendous heat. Once the control valve locked up and then worked OK after cooling down kind of helped narrow the direction to troubleshoot.

Couple more questions if I could.

What should be the minimum throwing distance? When you get to the front of the wagon stacking, can you drop the bale right on the front? At minimum setting right now, it throws the bale bale about 4 ft back. This is with a short tongue wagon - about 65 inches from hitch pin to wagon front (minimum distance per JD is something like 55 inches). The wire guard clears the wagon nicely at this 65 inch distance too.

While I?m tearing into this control valve, any sage advice such that I don?t send a spring or ball into a black hole in my shop?

Given the minimum distance to the front of the wagon throw, is that adjustable and should/can I adjust it? At the highest setting, the kicker throws the bale WAY past the wagon. It?s the shorter throw I need to fill the wagon front.

Thanks for the help!
Bill
 
(quoted from post at 15:53:23 05/27/18) Thanks - I?ll be cleaning up the knotter gear and lubricating the trip dog pivot.

I?ll also look over the actuator valve.

At first I thought I was getting air into the system and with it some heat. The return hose clamp at the pump was stripped and I replaced that, but the heating continued - body heat warm at the reservoir. Plenty of JD hydraulic fluid too. There was/is an audible hum at the reservoir too. Nothing went south until I mashed the kicker in the hay field last week.

It makes sense the control valve has issues. The hydraulic system is an open (vs closed type) and I?m to understand that any partial obstruction can generate tremendous heat. Once the control valve locked up and then worked OK after cooling down kind of helped narrow the direction to troubleshoot.

Couple more questions if I could.

What should be the minimum throwing distance? When you get to the front of the wagon stacking, can you drop the bale right on the front? At minimum setting right now, it throws the bale bale about 4 ft back. This is with a short tongue wagon - about 65 inches from hitch pin to wagon front (minimum distance per JD is something like 55 inches). The wire guard clears the wagon nicely at this 65 inch distance too.

While I?m tearing into this control valve, any sage advice such that I don?t send a spring or ball into a black hole in my shop?

Given the minimum distance to the front of the wagon throw, is that adjustable and should/can I adjust it? At the highest setting, the kicker throws the bale WAY past the wagon. It?s the shorter throw I need to fill the wagon front.

Thanks for the help!
Bill

Bill, so far as I know there is no way to get any thrower to put them in the front. When I got my first baler with thrower I talked to a few guys about it and was told that I have to do it myself, so that is what I have always done. I will throw about 25-30 right into the middle, then stop and stack them. I will stack ten in the front, and fifteen or so in the back. I know that plenty of guys won't do that, but if you want to get over 120 in the wagon you have to. You are also checking for tension at the same time. Having three layers at the back can help to keep from breaking some, because those that are first to land in the back have the hardest landing of them all. As you know sometimes your raked hay will absorb moisture from the ground. Stacking some at the start of each wagon helps you keep on top of that so that you know if too much moisture has been picked up.
 
The knotter gear has a bushing and shear bolt. Buy new for both. They get worn and cause funny actions. On the pan, take the trip mechanism apart and clean the detent balls. They get corroded.
 

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