19 replies to this topic

[Teslan]

Hello,

I'm debating buying a 3X3 baler to bale grass and alfalfa hay here in Northern Colorado.  Probably a new one.  We have two large dealers in my area.  One New Holland and one Massey Fergusen.   Well there is Deere, but they don't make a large baler.   There is a Kuhn, but they have no support at all for customers.  I was wondering if there are any folks out there that have owned both a new holland and massey large balers and which one do you like better or does it matter?  The baler mechanic at the New Holland dealer says to work on he doesn't prefer either over the other.  And he thinks they both do as good of a job baling hay if run correctly.  In my area by far more people own Hesston/Massey large balers over New Hollands, but the Massey Dealer doesn't have the best mechanic and parts support, but the New Holland dealer does.  I'm also not looking at any of the packer/cutter/silage models.  Just a regular large baler.  

I do like New Holland small balers more then Hesston small balers, but they are two different styles so I won't let that preference cloud my thoughts on the large balers.  

Thanks,

Marc

[OK Wheat farmer]

A few years ago there were two factors that put Hesston above the rest (JD still offered a 3X3 at the time). Hesston had a clutch on the stuffer chamber, and Hesston put two knots on each string. Aside from that there wasn't a great deal of difference in the machines. I learned this at a baler clinic in Hesston KS so the information could be slanted LOL.

[HALLSHAY]

Marc,
Hesston/Massey all the way in my opinion.  If I were you I would seriously consider a used baler.  Find one with 10-20k bales on it, put a new-style crank in, rebuild the pick-up, new chains, check plunger bearings.  Work for a week and make $50,000.  I couldn't justify a new baler after owning and maintaining one.

[Teslan]

Thanks Tim,

I have thought about used balers and appreciate the lower price on them.  I'm not all that mechanically inclined (or have the time)  to do all that you say especially since I'm not all that familiar with the large balers as to working on them or even operating them.  (I've always done small bales)  We have a friend who kind of does custom baling and always buys used large balers and does what you suggest and still always breaks down right when he really needs to be baling hay.  This happens to him with all equipment not only balers.  So maybe it's him and not the machines.  :). You probably know the dealers I would use in Greeley, CO.  I'm also leaning toward New Holland as they state they don't require as powerful as a tractor as the Hesstons.  I have a 120 hp Massey and would rather not have to be looking for a used tractor to go along with the larger baler.  At least not right away.  I'm already having to be looking for a good rake to put the windrows together.  Add a quality rake to the large baler and that gets pricey.  The guy I mentioned above uses a JD 7400 with a Hesston 3X4 and I would think that tractor would be under powered and under weight for the baler, but it seems to work ok.

Edited by Teslan, 05 September 2011 - 08:20 AM.
chages

[deerezilla]

I would go with the hesston I have owned a NH and just seam like something was allways going wrong. To me the hesston is the best of the 2. I have owned a hesston and a NH I'm now running krone 3x4 balers now.

[Teslan]

Thanks.  I do need to go talk to the Hesston/Massey dealer about them.  If nothing else to get their prices.   I don't know anything about Krone.  There is a Krone dealer about 40 miles away.  Do you have one of those multipack Krone balers?   What do you like about the Krone over the Hesston or New Holland?  Well off to cut some 3rd cutting grass hay.  The sun is supposed to be out all week.  :)

[stonegrownllc]

Seriously save the money and buy the New Holland. There is nothing wrong with a New Holland baler. I have a BB960A 3x4 and it is a great baler, I never have a issue, it just bales! The bales look great, stack great and haul nicely. If you think your New Holland dealer is better equipped and has better mechanics then go that route!

[Montana Red]

We have a hesston 4790 with 40k bales on it bought it this summer was in great condition and had recently been checked through the shop. We but another 2500 bales on it this summer with not one problem. Great baler, great bales, got it for a great price. Baler paid for itself almost 3 times just this year in hay sales.

[Cannon]

I like the Hesstons better, NH is fine but A Hesston is the heaver built machine.

[Teslan]

Thanks for all the comments.  I'm waiting on a price quote from the Massey sales guy.  The new holland sales guy keeps calling every day with another $1000-$1500 reduction. Especially after I told him I was getting a price from Massey.  I might wait awhile to see if he calls with more price reductions :)   I actually like the smaller size of the NH.  I'm not sure why the Massey/Hesstons have to be so large except that I suspect they share the same frame with the 3X4 and 4X4 models and just have a smaller bale chamber, plunger, etc.   I haven't looked close enough at all the models to be sure of that though.   I was told that my tractor MF 6290 could handle the 3X3 Massey for at least a couple of years as I don't bale thousands of acres.   Though I do plan to get a heavier and more powerful tractor in the future.

[stonegrownllc]

I am fortunate that the New Holland dealer in Belgrade Mt is right on it if I do have a problem. One thing I would look into is a tandem axle baler, as my old baler was a single axle and that thing would start bouncing in a rough field. My BB960A has the tandems and man does it smooth out the fields. I know they are more money but if you have a smaller tractor might help smooth out the whole baling operation.

[Montana Red]

We had these same questions earlier this year, which baler to get? We stopped at the new holland dealer and talked to a machanic, they said they had a few guys have the main drive shear pins go and it took the needles out.they said it happen to one guy twice so they welded the shear pin. Figured it was about as cheap to replace the gear box as it was all the needles. That spooked us so we went with the chain driven hesston. The Main Chain is still original and in good shape at 40000 bales.

[Teslan]

That is kinda scary.   Good to know.  I wouldn't want that happening in the middle of the night baling alfalfa.  I'm actually leaning now to a Massey.  The thing that I think is a large advantage on the new ones is that the massey has on board hydraulics run off the gear box.  All except the hay pickup.   So the tractor doesn't have to take care of that and it is slightly easier to take on and off.   Also the Massey accumulator does 4 bales at once and not 3.

[mlappin]

Something else I seen somewhere, AGCO balers can be bought with scales built right in. I added a scale kit to my round baler this spring and am finding it invaluable.

[Teslan]

I didn't know if the Agco ones can do that, but the New Holland ones can.   That is an option I'm not going to get.  Everyone wants their bales weighed anyways.  We have two scales open to the public within 2 miles of our place anyways.

[panhandle9400]

agco and massey are the same baler just differnt decals, hesston ,challeger, caseih.  I run hesston 4910's and I must say I have shoved lots of windrows at them hard and fast , dont have much trouble with them, keep them lubed and blowed off . make sure you get a good blower on it ,My next balers will be the new style massey or agco, they have much more capacity than the older balers, flywheel is much bigger  and so on . the 100# chain is great idea.  scales can be mounted on anything , even older balers  have a space on the monitor for the weights...............thats my 2cents  ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, good luck ,  JC

[Teslan]

Newer Caseih balers are exactly the same as the New Holland balers.  Older CaseIH are exactly the same as the Hesston Balers.   I forget the year that this change happened.  I'm thinking maybe 2001 or so?  Whenever it was that CaseIH and New Holland merged and became a Fiat :).  My cousin has a Caseih small baler that is like a Hesston small baler, but he also has a small CaseIH baler that is exactly like a New Holland small baler.  :)

[deerezilla]

Just Make sure what ever baler you get you have a good dealer for parts. One that will locate parts if they do not have them in stock. It's a good idea to blow it off every day. I know my krone balers  seams like after 400 to 500 bales in a good night one of the knotters will miss a tie about every 30 bales after that.

Will any of the dealers let you demo them side by side? that's a good way to see what you like that's what we did. I had a NH a hesston and a krone all at the same time it makes it easy to see what you like a dislike about each baler

[Teslan]

Pulled the trigger on a Massey 3X3 baler.  My neighbor has one just like it so I know what it can do.   They never have had problems with the baler itself ever, but they had some difficulties getting the accumulator set up right.  It works great now.  I don't think I've ever seen one of their balers miss a knot.  The NH dealer didn't offer to demo.  The Massey dealer didn't have one in stock.  Ours is coming from the other end of Colorado.   The massey dealer has always been good about ordering parts and they arrive in usually 1-2 business days.   (now one of their parts guys needs to get the boot)  The NH dealer has also.  I never even considered a dealer wouldn't be able to get parts.

[deerezilla]

In my town the NH dealer is a Joke I mean little stuff it hard to get in under a week. Not one knotter or even a belt for a round baler. All i have left of nh equipment is a 3 tie baler that we use once a year. I can't even get shear bolts.