Baler Resurrection

14737 Views 21 Replies 5 Participants Last post by JD2840, Dec 30, 2012

JD2840

Discussion Starter · Dec 16, 2012

Part 1: Hesston 5400 round baler with optional electric twine threader.

This has been sitting around at my great grandpas old house fora number of years. I have always been told it never worked quite right. Also was told that they tried selling it but no one would buy it.

Irrelevant to me however. With all the thieves running around the area i figured it was only a matter of time before this was next. Seems like a stretch that they would try taking this but these people are very desperate it seems. Anyhow thats about as in depth as i want to go on that subject. Lets get onto the main part of this...

The moral of this story is i decided it was time to just take what was left before they took it too. Started a week or 2 ago with this old hesston .No i dont really intend to use it or anything like that its just the fact that id rather have it sitting in my implement line then have it be stolen and never seen again. It was my great grandpas after all. Of course one could also justify it by the fact that it has 2 good rims and 2 hydraulic cylinders. I know i can put those to use.

It is a interesting contraption compared to modern balers.

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1 - 20 of 22 Posts

JD2840

Discussion Starter · #2 · Dec 16, 2012

Now i did luck out with the tires. the ones it had were bad of course but i found a couple old spare tires off a jeep and a ram charger lying around the thing. Not a perfect fit but they held air and got it back home

History: all i really know is my great grandpa ran this baler behind his JD 730D. I have no idea when he stopped using it. I have been told it didnt always work the best and that they also tried to sell it at one point but the attempt was unsucessful.

Plans for this thing? I dont really know. It is interesting to look at. Would sure look very interesting sitting at a show fixed up. Restored implements always interest me. However i have no intentions to do this any time soon. Too much cost involved in that. For now it will sit down by the creek where atleast i know its safe

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3

JD2840

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 16, 2012

And in advance yes that PTO shield was my fault.. and no i dont know where the other half of the shaft is

Now as if im not crazy enough for dragging that home wait untill you see part 2 to this tale.

Looks worse than it is. Many would leave this thing there to rust away like it is. However i value this much more than the hesston. This predates the 55 chevy and the MTA. This was my great great grandpas hay press. Im sure it would be a challenge to do anything with but after all, thats the best kind

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G

· #4 · Dec 16, 2012

Quite interesting equipment your finding. Someday you'll get em back in operational condition. Nice pics.

missouri massey man

· #5 · Dec 16, 2012

The hay press would be a real neat addition. Unless the lower parts are submerged in dirt, I'll bet some Kroil and a little time and it'll be free and rotating. Can you see the motor on the press, if its still there ?? It'd be interesting to see just exactly what you have. It's a bit of a shame that big old tree dropped directly over the top of it.

JD2840

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 16, 2012

missouri massey man said:
The hay press would be a real neat addition. Unless the lower parts are submerged in dirt, I'll bet some Kroil and a little time and it'll be free and rotating. Can you see the motor on the press, if its still there ?? It'd be interesting to see just exactly what you have. It's a bit of a shame that big old tree dropped directly over the top of it.

Didn't see a motor when i looked. It looks like it might have a belt pully though .

I'm thinking its probably workable. That tree certainly isnt helping matters but it doesnt look to have hurt anything. That baler says turner manufacturing on it or something along those lines

JD2840

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 16, 2012

petra79 said:
Quite interesting equipment your finding. Someday you'll get em back in operational condition. Nice pics.

Hopefully. Ill let yall know how it goes

gordon1121

· #8 · Dec 17, 2012

Best of luck with both. The hay press would be something to get going for sure and that 5400 looks a little familiar also. I've used one since 1985. There a really simple bailer and really have very few parts to wear out. They roll the hay on the ground instead of on a belt platform. If you have any questions getting it going I'll be glad to help if I can. Next time you get a chance raise the chain guard and see how many teeth the small sprocket on the shaft coming out of the drive has (front of the bailer at the end of the long chain) I think they left the factory with either a 18 or a 24 but sent out a kit to change them to a twenty tooth. Without the 20 tooth they will never work right in most hay. Also on every other belt every other pick up tooth should have a kicker on it which basically looks like a piece of angle iron rounded out a bit. I really enjoyed seeing it. Thanks for posting.

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Sugarmaker

· #9 · Dec 17, 2012

That hay press looks like a big piece and would be interesting at a show. Good luck with both sounds like you found a expert on the Hesston.
Regards,
Chris

JD2840

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 17, 2012

gordon1121 said:
Best of luck with both. The hay press would be something to get going for sure and that 5400 looks a little familiar also. I've used one since 1985. There a really simple bailer and really have very few parts to wear out. They roll the hay on the ground instead of on a belt platform. If you have any questions getting it going I'll be glad to help if I can. Next time you get a chance raise the chain guard and see how many teeth the small sprocket on the shaft coming out of the drive has (front of the bailer at the end of the long chain) I think they left the factory with either a 18 or a 24 but sent out a kit to change them to a twenty tooth. Without the 20 tooth they will never work right in most hay. Also on every other belt every other pick up tooth should have a kicker on it which basically looks like a piece of angle iron rounded out a bit. I really enjoyed seeing it. Thanks for posting.

Great to hear someone here has experience with them. Do you think it would be worth getting it going to do some baling with? I was surprised that it was relativity good condition. Don't know when they used it last but it has certainly been there a while.

Saw those kickers on there but i didnt see if all were there. I'd imagine so

Ill be sure to check that sproket out. Im interested to see if i can find a shaft to fit on there and see if everything is going to turn.

JD2840

Discussion Starter · #11 · Dec 17, 2012

Sugarmaker said:
That hay press looks like a big piece and would be interesting at a show. Good luck with both sounds like you found a expert on the Hesston.
Regards,
Chris

Sure looks like and im glad!

It would be very interesting. I worked on getting to it today. got up to it with a tractor just need to cut that big tree off the top of it. I looked it over real good and the tree avoided damaging anything.

This must be a little later model hay press because i see a PTO shaft on it. The gearbox that is connected to has a pulley on the end of it that is in line with that large pulley/flywheel. I am guessing that was all connected by a belt? and prehaps one could run it by belt pulley if desired.

It also has rubber tires. I am sure the rims will be pretty gone since they have been burried in the ground for who knows how long. Will have to see what the hubs are like and everything. Might have something that will fit

georgeky

· #12 · Dec 26, 2012

oh yeah the thieves would get that. last year I had a corn planter and rear cultivator stolen and soon after that I caught two fellers with a battery operated sawzaw trying to steel my old Ih drag harrows. they didn't get them thanks to me and my 45 Colt but they did cut them into two parts so now I have some welding to do on those.

JD2840

Discussion Starter · #13 · Dec 29, 2012

georgeky said:
oh yeah the thieves would get that. last year I had a corn planter and rear cultivator stolen and soon after that I caught two fellers with a battery operated sawzaw trying to steel my old Ih drag harrows. they didn't get them thanks to me and my 45 Colt but they did cut them into two parts so now I have some welding to do on those.

sickening isnt it.

JD2840

Discussion Starter · #14 · Dec 29, 2012

Update

2840 is back in action with a patched tube.

and this followed me home

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Sugarmaker

· #15 · Dec 29, 2012

Ray,
Baler looks to be officially rescued! Nice work getting it out of the woods!
Regards,
Chris

JD2840

Discussion Starter · #16 · Dec 29, 2012

Sugarmaker said:
Ray,
Baler looks to be officially rescued! Nice work getting it out of the woods!
Regards,
Chris

it is indeed! The wind chill was a little less than pleasant on the way back but i made it there. The rims are actually not rusted out and the baler will turn over by hand. I have a good feeling about going on with this project

gordon1121

· #17 · Dec 29, 2012

That will be a good project and a lot of fun when you get it going. My grandpa had a Case hay press like that, Caseman's son has one just like the one he had and he brings it to shows. People love to see them work. The fact that I let grandpas get away will haunt me till the day I die glad to see you got yours home.

JD2840

Discussion Starter · #18 · Dec 29, 2012

Well thats too bad

It should be fairly simple to get it going. i was shocked how it turned over and every thing. Had a few casualties getting it out though. Forgot one chain over there. was a short one. I need to just go get it.

Bent one of the hookups on the boom lift thing.

And knocked the other flasher off the 2840

What can i say. its too high a tractor to play in the woods! :roll:

G

· #19 · Dec 29, 2012

Sounding really good Ray. Hard to believe its in free moving mode for as long as its been sitting out there. Good luck.

Sugarmaker

· #20 · Dec 29, 2012

Ray,
I would not have guessed that it would be free to turn over. Who is it that says on here that there stuff will never wear out because the parts don't touch? Sounds like this hay press.
Flasher damage! Guess it could have been worse.
Regards,
Chris

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