Do I have enough horsepower for a small square baler?

[sassafras manor]

I have a 2010 New Holland T1510 with 30 HSP (24 PTO) and was wondering if that would be enough to operate a small square baler? Thanks

[FarmboyBill]

Don't know ANYTHING about your tractor, but 30hp is PLENTY enough horsepower to run a square bailer.

[rambler]

A small square baler NH 271 or older, or JD T14 or T24 take about 15 hp to keep running. Also takes about 10 hp to pull it. Also takes about 5 hp to pull a hay rack.

So you are ok on hp.

But.....

The baler uses that big flywheel to store power, and it pushes with perhaps 50hp on each stroke of the plunger. So the pto shaft and driveline and wear and tear on the tractor pto is like a 50hp wear and tear, even tho it doesn't take that much at any one moment. The baler even with the slip clutch and built in over running clutch most have, can put a load on the tractor drivetrain.

As such, an old farm tractor of 27-35 hp is built rugged enough to be fine. These newer compact tractors are built much lighter, smaller shafts, and you might run into problems. Some manufacturers do not warranty a tractor used on a baler for this reason. While you might be out of warranty, it would be good to check how the manufaturer felt about this....

Another problem is weight. That flywheel and big plunger banging back and forth throws quite a bit of weight around. Can really rock the whole rig. You need a heavy enough tractor to control the deal. You don't want the tail wagging the dog, so to speak.

If your model relates to the old Ford NH 1520 model, that is a pretty light tractor to be running a baler.

I would use my 1720 NH to run my baler if I need to, but it would be a bit of a stretch for 20 acres of heavy hay, or all the time, sort of work. A size smaller tractor, I donno.... My 1720 has loaded rear tires to give it more weight, wow that makes a much more useable, stable tractor out of it....

I'm not saying it won't work, but just some thoughts on what to consider?

Paul

[Lazy J]

You might have enough horsepower but probably not near enough weight to deal with pulling a wagon behind it. In addition the force of the moving plunger can move a small tractor while baling.

[TnAndy]

If not on steep land. I ran a Ford 930 baler with 33hp.

[sammyd]

you could operate the baler. tractor looks a bit light for dragging a loaded wagon around behind it though.

[FarmboyBill]

yep Paul, that's why I said I didn't know nothing about the tractor. I had my doubts as to the weight also.

We bailed with a B JD, as the smallest tractor that we had at home. AND WE HAD HILLS.
Mu Grandad Adolph had the first bailer around home, tho a coach at HS had a Case tractor and bailer at about the same time so im told. Grandpa had a engine #45 IHC bailer. That was a LOT of iron to lug around on those hills. Grandad said when he would come down a hill with is 49 A JD and make a turn, it looked like his bailer was lunging at him trying to eat him lol.

[Jolly]

Depends on the baler.

YouTube

[FarmboyBill]

Its a chain bailer, like mine. Bet hes got around 8000/10000 in it

[FarmboyBill]

Heck, that's not much more than a bale like the old AC round bailers made, and they were way faster.

[rambler]

My IHC 300 ag tractor, 1955 year, has pulled the small square baler on this farm for many decades. It has 33 pto hp. It works very well. Always have a hay rack of 80-110 bales, or the bale basket with 80-100 bales in it.

Hp isnt a big deal in baling with these older balers.

Newer tractors they might be rating them on engine hp, which is a bigger numvpber then the common older way of rating on pto hp.....

Weight to handle it all, and a strong enough drivetrain to handle the forces of the flywheel loading of the plunger stroke is important. It is a very jerky load on the tractor.

Then, having live pto sure is a lot nicer.

And, having a lot of gears to select different speeds helps a lot too.

I've used the IHC H tractor to bale with in a pinch, no live pto, only 27 hp when it was new and its worn down a lot. It works, but a lot less fun.....

Paul

[Bubbas Boys]

Good to know that a 300 will do ok. I just ran my IH sickle for the first time yesterday ( I am not very good at it yet) haha! I bought a Massey model 10 to bale with, hope my old 300 will do it ok too!

[jwal10]

Or get a baler with a motor. My first baler had a 2 cylinder Wisconsin on it, the tractor was a Farmall B....James

[FarmboyBill]

Mines got its own Case air cooled 4 cyl engine set sideways on it.

I read of people who bailed with an AC B, with a dolly wheel on the front on an engine bailer.

James, U seen that U Tube, of a 46, I think NH bailer?? You can tell they were still in that grain binder mentality, that and stationary bailers.

[jwal10]

Bill, I haven't seen it. Mine was a 27 IH. I have seen a lot of them hooked to a motorized horse fore cart, some big round balers too. I guess they have brakes on them.

The first year I grew peppermint, we baled it with an old baler that looked like a stationary baler but it had a pickup along side. Don't remember the brand, if I ever knew. We stacked the bales into a peppermint tub and cooked them all day because the hay was so dense. The peppermint was still green and the bif 4' wire bales weighed about 200 lbs each. Each one was set up into the mint tub with a loader that had 2 manure fork tines. We just rolled them into place....James

[farmgal]

The smallest tractor I baled with was my 444 international harvester. It's 45 hp. I had a 273 IH baler ( which are the best balers btw) with a kicker on it and a huge wagon. No problem at all. We even added a second wagon to see how she'd do. Filled it along with the first, stacked tight and she didn't feel a thing. I imagine you'd have no problem with a 30 hp. I have a book somewhere about hay baling with small equipment and it shows 8n's and others. It's a good starter book. Good luck and happy baling!

[FarmboyBill]

James, I know where theres a 3 wire Case stationary bailer down the road 6 miles.