input on NH balers

[daveMO]

Have been thinking about looking for a “new to me” round baler. I have some experience with them, but wanted to get some input on the New Holland balers… I am looking for something that is fairly automatic, but is reliable, and easy to work on as I will do my own maintenance and fixes.

Can someone explain the operation of a New Holland 688 auto wrap (both the twine and net wrap options). I understand these make 5x6 bales?

Can you walk me through, step by step, the process of making a bale. What the baler is doing, what the operator has to do, etc.… I have gotten information that has some discrepancy… For example: Do you have to disengage the PtO or not. Do the belts continuously turn even when you dump the bale, etc. What functions does the monitor have?

 

[JF Ranch]

I don't think you could go wrong with a NH 688. We have a 688 and a 780A baler. The 688 is the better one in my opinion. I am not a mechanic though and have no technical reasons to back up that opinion. I believe that the 688 is considered an excellent baler among others that I know who have them.

I would recommend you pay a dealer a visit for your other questions. He could show you much better than anyone here could describe it to you. Or, go watch someone use theirs. Nothing is better than seeing it first hand.

 

[daveMO]

That is a good recommendation and that is my intent. I just like to be informed/educated before going to a Dealer. When I know the basics before hand, I can then ask better or informed questions.

Thanks!

 

[cowman52]

I was baler tech at nh 2 years-- 688 are all fairly simple and nearly everything is a mechanical trigger-- gets so big and catch trips and here we go- fairly easy to work on - biggest problem here is hay getting too dry-- belts want to cross over and such especially if one gets shortened o replace a splice-- the net process is fouled if the cutter gets a bunch of dirt between knife and the serations that cause tension on wrap so it will cut- especially after trying to bale hay that was rained on and has a lot of dust and dirt in it ---you can run one and not miss any thing and then next day it may false start one or two-- trip to the wash rack helps a bunch

 

[cowsense]

The 688 (regular pickup) was probably NH's best round baler; it is a better machine than my BR 780A. Have had nothing but problems with the wide pickup & stuffer......not enough capacity & kind of a mickey mouse setup.
Google NH round balers....there are youtube videos showing the entire baling process from start to finish and you can see them running in the field.

 

[4Diamond]

Had a 658 which is the 4x6 version and it was a good baler. I liked the model prior to that 654 it would eat the hay twice as fast as the 8 model. On a sidenote we now have a NH 7070 which is the 4x6 baler and it will put them all to shame.

 

[porter]

I bought my 688 baler 6 years ago. I tie about 1000 bales per year with it. I have never replaced a bearing or anything else major on it. Once in a while 1 or 2 picker teeth but that is it. It is by far the best baler I have ever owned. Very simple to operate and I would strongly recommend it.

 

[daveMO]

thanks for the input!

 

[Jay Leintz]

I bought a used NH 688 baler this summer and I really like it. I did some research before I bought it, talking to ranchers that own them and I always had positve feedback. I like the baler because it makes a nice bale and simple to run. I would definitely recommend this baler.

 

[jodywy]

used a NH 650 for years replaced it this fall with a H BR 7090 both are 4x6 balers , both worked great....

 

[Silver]

I llke things simple. Open the side doors on a NH and there's things going on in there that no sense to me. Open the side doors on a JD and there's nothing there but the basics. 530 to 568 are all simple and just work, no bearings to change that have a 20 hour shop book rate on them. Belts don't cross over or flip over. They just make bales.

 

[strawking]

I llke things simple. Open the side doors on a NH and there's things going on in there that no sense to me. Open the side doors on a JD and there's nothing there but the basics. 530 to 568 are all simple and just work, no bearings to change that have a 20 hour shop book rate on them. Belts don't cross over or flip over. They just make bales.

Copy that, just rolled out 27000 tonight on my 568 baling stalks. Best baler I have ever been around and I have run one of about every color. No offense to you NH guys but the green one will bale circles around them.

 

[Haytrucker]

I have never pulled a NH baler, but I have hauled a lot of NH bales. Right operator-nice hay. I have pulled a 567 and a 568 JD, simple, and simply heavier bales.
I know a guy who had a 530 JD, and traded for a NH. Three days later he was baling with the 568 JD he still has three years later. The net wrap system was apparently easier on the green machine.
This debate seems to surface regularly; I'm sure the right answer depends on how much will be baled, and for what purpose. New Holland has been in the baler business for a long time, and I know several people who are good baler operators, and maintainers, who like their favorite brand. My brother baled with NH's for several years, and he prefered them to JD 535's. Me, I like the 568 JD, and I'm looking forward to using a 569. I just hope all that fancy exterior didn't screw up a good machine.

 

[Sandhills boy]

I have been around the NH like, said have never ran one, the only one i have ran was a JD 566 then traded off to JD for 567 Half the bales and 6000 0 % for 3 years and this thing has a kit on it called high moisture and that prevents any hay from wrapping on rollers which is the second worst thing that cause fire the first is bearings. It will eat hay and make nice firm bales. Also has a moister monitor witch is pretty nice. I only bale meadow hay.
If you buy used ask if they have checked all bearings if not get them too, or do it your self. Buy a 60 dollar infer red heat tester run if for a few bales or run for 30 minutes then check the different temps on the bearings see which ones are heating. In this area i have seen more NH burned than any but if you drive down the road to different states there are all kinds with burnt paint jobs. Operator error will prevent allot of that. Clean it take care of it spend a little time before each startup.

On another note i have a net wrapper and tie bales in 13 seconds, will save ton of time wraps and wear in a baler. Also get a good chain oil and oil the chains before you quit at the end of the days will save ton headaches. I use schaafer's spray can chain oil, have not broke a chain since i started using it. If you have particular questions for the JD 566 or 567 pm me and i will give all the info i can.
We buy allot hay to feed to and i can tell which baler baled witch hay buy the way it loads, unloads and hauls, they all have their goods and bads, just find witch goods you like the bads you can't live with and go with it. You will learn to like the one you get or trade until you find one you like. Maybe rent a used one for a few bales to see if you like it. Most of the time you can buy at the end and they will just credit your rent to the buy out of the baler. Second best thing you can do is store the dam thing inside, nothing is worse than siting out all the time, and never pressure wash it. Good luck hunting SB

 

[LazyWP]

The only reason you see more New Holland balers burned, then anything else, is because there aren't many Hestons up in this country.
Years ago, I had a new Heston 565A. Burned it to the ground, because of a hot bearing. My brother was running a New Holland 660, at the time, and came to my rescue. I got a Case IH 8465, which is exactly the same baler as the Heston was, and we baled side by side. I could make a bale faster then him, but with the automatic gate, he could wrap and dump faster.
Fast forward a year. Same field, same round, had the same bearing smoking. Got it shut down before I set the country on fire that time.

I would HIGHLY recommend the infrared thermometer!!!

As for balers, get what you can get serviced. The best baler in the world, is no good if you can't get parts or help.

 

[4Diamond]

I llke things simple. Open the side doors on a NH and there's things going on in there that no sense to me. Open the side doors on a JD and there's nothing there but the basics. 530 to 568 are all simple and just work, no bearings to change that have a 20 hour shop book rate on them. Belts don't cross over or flip over. They just make bales.

Copy that, just rolled out 27000 tonight on my 568 baling stalks. Best baler I have ever been around and I have run one of about every color. No offense to you NH guys but the green one will bale circles around them.

Any day of the week you want to lets meet half way and I would gladly give you my baler and tractor if you bales circles around me....

Lots more deere balers burn in our country because they are going to china made bearings.

 

[3words]

I llke things simple. Open the side doors on a NH and there's things going on in there that no sense to me. Open the side doors on a JD and there's nothing there but the basics. 530 to 568 are all simple and just work, no bearings to change that have a 20 hour shop book rate on them. Belts don't cross over or flip over. They just make bales.

Copy that, just rolled out 27000 tonight on my 568 baling stalks. Best baler I have ever been around and I have run one of about every color. No offense to you NH guys but the green one will bale circles around them.

Any day of the week you want to lets meet half way and I would gladly give you my baler and tractor if you bales circles around me....

Lots more deere balers burn in our country because they are going to china made bearings.

4Diamond we may as well give him yours and my outfit to.I have baled beside a 568 with my vermeer 605xl and i was keeping right beside them baling but baler was maxed right out but they would loose me when it came time to tying i was using string and they were using net.Neighbour had a Vermeer M and it would easily out bale a 568,but they would loose him when it came to tying as he was using twine.We lost our Vermeer dealership so i switched to New Holland Br7090 xtrasweep pickup when it was time to upgrade my baler,and i just love it.Funny thing though,John Deere boys don't want to come out and play when it's time to bale,but they will tell me that Nh baler sure works good after they have enough beer in them. :lol: :lol:

 

[rancherfred]

We pretty well wore a 535 out. Then we got out of the hay business for a few years. When we needed another baler we got a BR780 on an auction. Both were twine tie. I am one of the odd balls, I hate net wrap with a passion. Even if I had it on the baler I wouldn't use it. The twine tie on the BR780 isn't as good as the 535. The NH has two twine arms like the JD does, but they work independently of each other, instead of in tandem. On the JD you have the majority of the wraps on your outside edges like they should be, on the NH the heaviest wrap is in the middle. It isn't very often that I have bales fall apart from the middle.

The feeding on the NH is much better than our old JD. Our NH has the extra sweep pickup and I love it. I have never plugged up the throat on the NH but I was pretty good about doing that on the JD. The NH might be a little bit more sensitive to material condition than the JD was. It is a little bit like comparing apple and oranges since there was a significant difference in age, but other than the twine tie the NH is a far superior baler to the JD.

One final note, I haven't looked at the latest models of JD but the ones I am familiar with have a really stupid kicker design on them. Most of the 535s I have seen have cracks on the back of the door, top and bottom, both sides. That is from the design of the door actuated kicker. The NH kicker is much simpler and more effective and it doesn't place the strain on the door that the JD design does.

 

[just a small guy]

on the 688 check on the left side front where the left belt wears against the wide flat bar that holds the front roller. ( the roller in the front down low left side) About 10,000 bales you will probaly need to open the baler and take the tension off the belts and weld up the grouve. A easy fix, but a big mess if that grouve wears and breaks. The same happens on the newer style. 688 is a very good baler. We bought one and paid for it just as the previous owner, who had traded it on a BR series called the dealer and wanted to buy the 688 back. He did not like his new BR. Don't be afraid to buy one . Get a manual and read and go baling. As my old neighbour says usually the biggest problem is the nut behind the wheel. (the tractor operator)

 

[4Diamond]

Copy that, just rolled out 27000 tonight on my 568 baling stalks. Best baler I have ever been around and I have run one of about every color. No offense to you NH guys but the green one will bale circles around them.

Any day of the week you want to lets meet half way and I would gladly give you my baler and tractor if you bales circles around me....

Lots more deere balers burn in our country because they are going to china made bearings.

4Diamond we may as well give him yours and my outfit to.I have baled beside a 568 with my vermeer 605xl and i was keeping right beside them baling but baler was maxed right out but they would loose me when it came time to tying i was using string and they were using net.Neighbour had a Vermeer M and it would easily out bale a 568,but they would loose him when it came to tying as he was using twine.We lost our Vermeer dealership so i switched to New Holland Br7090 xtrasweep pickup when it was time to upgrade my baler,and i just love it.Funny thing though,John Deere boys don't want to come out and play when it's time to bale,but they will tell me that Nh baler sure works good after they have enough beer in them. :lol: :lol:

I run a BR7070 with net and I push everything to the max when baling. No complaints and I will run side by side with anybody.