HP for a 7ft haybine?

[fordson major]

was wondering how little horse power you can use on a 7ft new holland haybine. picked one up this week as well as a baler that we will be selling , we used a 135 massey for ours years ago with lots of power for hills but not sure how little power they need! would like too know so when people with too small a tractor phone can tell them it wont work!

[uncle Will in In.]

It wouldn't take too much HP to opperate the mower, but pulling it up some serious grades while doing it would take more. They can always shift down to get enough power for a hill, but a little tractor might not have enough traction. Something with 30 HP or more seems big enough to me.

[DaleK]

Custom baled for a guy that used one with a 24hp Kubota, it worked on flat ground but I think 30-35 would be more reasonable. Total PITA though, he promised he'd have 2-3 windrows raked together and didn't, drove around and around trying to get a bale. From now on anybody cutting with a 7' or 9' that wants me to bale for them either has a decent sized windrow raked together when I get there or I go home and rake it myself with the 23' and charge them for raking as well as baling.

[Bearfootfarm]

If you go to a tractor manufacturer's website, they usually have a "build your tractor" section. You list the things you need a tractor to do and they recommend the models and horsepower you need. Maybe that would give you an idea as to a minimum

[agmantoo]

I just happen to have a NH472 haybine. The specifications state that a 30HP or greater tractor is required. The 7 ft machine weight is 2110 lbs.

[rambler]

And it is not just hp that counts... I would rather try to use it with a 27hp old farm tractor, than try to use it with a new 35hp compact tractor..... Weight is an issue, you get into the tail wagging the dog & all.

But, 30hp will answer the question you will get.

--->Paul

[Ross]

This ia 467 so an old one, but it's in terrific shape!

[fordson major]

thanks for the help! think we will go for the 30 hp as an answer, had it turning over yesterday on a 80 hp was smooth! recall we did use a 9n but was working hard, best fit was the david brown 880. always like more horse power than you need ,slid backwards down a hill with a 9n pulling a load of hay as a teen, was first and last time! dalek was never so happy to give up baling for other people! seemed they could not get it right, and always when we would dump a wack of hay you would get 3 guys calling they had hay too bale! most here have gone too large squares though a few have bought round balers when we would not bale for them!