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tractorboy 
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Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: southern Va
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 Topic: best haybine???
Posted: 22 May 2020 at 1:50pm |
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I'm upgrading from my sickle bar and was looking for opinions on most reliable haybine. I;ve seen them from $900, to $5ooo, I'm looking to stay under $2000, thanks for any input, keith so. va,
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allisbred
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Joined: 28 Mar 2015
Location: Hanover Pa
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 2:18pm |
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What size are you looking for?
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tractorboy
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Location: southern Va
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 4:28pm |
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Not to picky, been looking at craigslist new hollands 472 479 488 489. I guess I need one close, those 9 ft. ones must be a bear on the back roads, & tires and wheel bearings come in to play. New hollands website say 25MPH, could be a long trip!! thanks, keith
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DougG
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Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Location: Mo
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 6:12pm |
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Stay away frome the NH 489,s -junk gear boxes , the other ones are ok,, we had a 477 for years and was great
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HD6GTOM
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Joined: 30 Nov 2009
Location: MADISON CO IA
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 6:16pm |
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I have a 488. They fold in so they are not that bad to pull. Dad bought it new in 1976. New Holland still makes them. This one has been over hundreds of acres. It still has the original rollers and sprockets. Sits out side. I am 1 hour north of dads. When I brought this one home, I put 2 new tires on it, cross chained it to the pickup and pulled it 55 mph home. Pulled just fine. I pulled it in the field with a D17 series 4 diesel. Much less tractor in the hills might be a problem. It isn't light.
Edited by HD6GTOM - 22 May 2020 at 6:18pm
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allisbred
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 7:25pm |
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Late model 489, 492, 1465 NH’s are the same. They changed the design from the early 489’s. most likely you be replacing rolls at some point unless they have been changed out prior. The rubber gets dry and they start to fly apart— figure 3k for new rolls plus bearings. I think those NH are the best 9’ machines, 488 is still available and are easier to work on.
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nella(Pa)
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Location: Allentown, Pa.
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 7:56pm |
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Have a JD 1209 bought it new never had a problems with it. I think I would consider a disc-bind if I were to replace it.
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DMiller
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Location: Hermann, Mo
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 8:01pm |
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Haybines here pretty well sit on the equipment lots and rot, Even well used almost destroyed Disc Bines cannot keep them on the yards before someone has it bought up or as with two dealers I am aware have waiting lists for trade ins.
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allisbred
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 8:06pm |
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Seems like a lot of small hp guys around here are going to disc mowers without conditioners. Haybines are slow in wet tough grass, other than that I think are still pretty good for the small guys.
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klinemar
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Location: Michigan
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 9:29pm |
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Ran a 479 New Holland Haybine for a good many years. Most of the model numbers listed are getting old and will be in need of repair. I bought a used John Deere 930 disc mower and I would not go back to a haybine. Any machine should show the wear and abuse it has seen. A disc mower will out cut a haybine and is easier to maintain. They are pricier but worth the extra cost. Make sure to find one with rolls instead of flails if you have alfalfa. Flail conditioning costs another days drying in alfalfa.
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JohnColo
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 10:18pm |
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I went from a NH 499 hydroswing to a Hesston 1365 disk type hydroswing. As Klinemar said, I'd never go back to a sickle bar machine, NEVER! Mine has the flails but here in Colorado, I don't think it matters, although a guy doesn't want to cut really dry alfalfa as it will remove the leaves, and break the stems badly. My cousin's husband got a NH diskbine a couple years ago, really likes it. We were told that the disk blade drive units are easier to remove and replace then most machines. I still like Hesston machines. I don't think you can find a disk mower anywhere for two grand but depending on how the Cronina virus goes, there may be a lot of machinery for sale cheaper then now.
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DMiller
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 6:53am |
 allisbred wrote:
Seems like a lot of small hp guys around here are going to disc mowers without conditioners. Haybines are slow in wet tough grass, other than that I think are still pretty good for the small guys. |
Neighbor tends to buy Cheap(Much as I do) so bought a Haybine, pulled with a 85hp Massey and did reasonably well on a first pass so set to cutting hay, ended up stopping nearly every other pass to clean out the sickle and throat as choked up even at a low gear crawling cut. Another neighbor cutting similar field density used a Discbine was done in half the time, never had to stop and fields looked better manicured where produced a stronger second growth.
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Tbone95
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 7:08am |
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We have a Hesston haybine. Have had it since the mid 80’s, thousands of acres of hay and still ticking. Model 1120, very well made.
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modirt
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 9:40am |
Probably depends on what you have for a tractor and how many acres you are cutting.
I bought an older, lightly used NH 472......7' machine. A big day for me would be 10 acres, and I can have that down before noon. I do several small fields that bigger machines couldn't turn around in....and I go through gates too small for them to get in. But that was this machine's purpose.
Anyway, I paid $1,200 for mine, and have about $500 more in repairs. Mine also had a clogging sickle and discovered whoever set it up put too many shims under the guards. Fixed that and it cuts right now. Also helps that the sickle was setup with bolt on sections (vs. rivets), so dull or damaged sections easy to replace. Sharp, under serrated sections and good guards will handle almost any hay going. Will not be happy with tree sprouts, however.
I'm doing heavy mixed grass hay.......mine will probably make 2.5 to 3 ton per acre, first cutting. It cuts it fine and thick or thin, I run mine in 3rd gear.
As near as I can tell, claim to fame of disc mowers over a haybine is ground speed.....and perhaps lack of clogging. All that comes at a price in the form of HP requirements. I use a 65 hp tractor on the haybine, but I suspect the D15 would pull it. We have used a 30 hp Kubota garden tractor on it.
Two adjacent properties are cut by two different operators, both of which are using 12 foot JD MOCO's.....pulled by 150+HP JD tractors. They can do 10 acres in less time than I can do 3.....but hay is the same. Mine is actually better, as I have fertility up for maximum yield. But that isn't the story. They have 10X as much invested in their hay equipment than I do, but perhaps they need it as they are doing 10X to 20X as many acres as I am.
So again, kinda depends on what you are going to do with it.
Edited by modirt - 23 May 2020 at 10:33am
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modirt
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 9:53am |
On straight disc mowers, first one of those I saw cutting hay left me scratching my head. Why no conditioner? Required to crack stems to dry down at same rate as leaf to retain leaves without risk of moisture remaining in the stems to cause mold. These are small square bales.
Found out part of the reason.......kids cutting the hay first year I moved here......I asked about that and they said it was just so much faster and easier to cut with disc mower.....and they had a haybine the hadn't used in years. The quality issue was news to them. Hay is hay is hay? Right? Their fail safe was they didn't cut it until mid July or early August so mold wasn't an issue.
That was day I decided to get my own equipment.
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allisbred
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 10:35am |
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They are running back over with a crimper— can be bought new here because of the Amish community. It will require another trip on the field.
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PaulB
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 2:30pm |
I think MODIRT is on to something here; In today's world it is more important to get it done fast that to do a good job. If my Grandfather had seen what I see of the job a disc mower does he would have me re-mowing the fields. Everywhere you go nowadays the mowed hayfields look as if they've been mowed with a a dull knife. Ragged missed strips and an uneven cut and sometimes as much left in the field as was taken off. I used to have a 477 NH that I could easily pull with a CA in 2nd gear anywhere and it always did a clean smooth job of cutting. I did have some problem of it not clearing the knife when I fist got it, due to the metal behind the knife up to the rollers being very rusty and pitted. I replaced that with a new panel and would always repaint it when done and never had anymore trouble. 7' Machines go through smaller gates and don't need so much space to maneuver as those super size ones behind a 150 + HP tractor. I always laugh when I see a huge cab tractor hooked to a regular hayrake. I cant even guess as to how many acres I've raked as a kid with a crank start B. Now these Candy-A$$ed so called farmers can't do anything without an over powered cab tractor at what we used to call a road speed. And they wonder why they always have broken up equipment from all the rough ground they've been racing over.
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If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere.
Real pullers don't have speed limits.
If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY
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modirt
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 4:14pm |
I need to amend a previous post. Having the kid show up to cut hay in August was not when I decided to get my own equipment. It was the next year....when I had one of the BTO's who cuts adjacent land....cut and bale mine too......kid he had running big MOCO took out 30 feet of woven wire fence and two steel posts while turning around. He didn't even know he had hit it......but he did have the radio turned up and AC blasting.....so probably didn't hear it. Showed damage to his boss who didn't believe me despite fresh cut metal on the steel posts. Never did find all the fence wire.......I assume it got baled.
Wasn't too impressed with the kid, but was impressed with the MOCO......if it could cut down a woven wire fence it ought to handle some tough hay conditions.
Last bit, while we were still on speaking terms, I quizzed his boss about the cost of all his equipment investment. We got to $200,000 and still didn't have it all accounted for. I have a decent understanding of the economics of doing this hay, and there isn't that much money in it......at least not what he is baling. He hasn't fertilized in 3 years that I know of and it's mostly thin grass and weeds out there this year.
If a NH 488 is a decent machine, this one has promise for a small time operator.......wouldn't work for mowing fences however. FWIW, I asked and BTO paid $15,000 for the big MOCO.....used. Paid $20,000 for used JD 348 baler he leaves sitting out in the rain.
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HudCo
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 9:10pm |
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totaly agree with paul b all the feilds i see done with a discbine look like dragged over crap, even alfalfa that should cut easy half the hay is left inthe field we would not have got away with that and still wont because thats how i am can a discbine do a good job?
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klinemar
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 9:30pm |
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Disc mower is no different than any other machine depending upon maintenance and operator. I can change knives on my disc mower conditioner for $1.50 per knife and I have 14 knives. I always carry wrenches and spare knives with me incase I strike a stone. The knives are really hard and usually break leaving a strip not unlike a haybine. In down hay ground speed is slower so the mower will cut the hay not unlike a haybine. The part I like is no plugging and you can pick up a narrow strip of unmowed hay along with mowed hay when finishing a field without plugging. I bought my disc mower used when a Big time operation traded for a center swing unit.
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nella(Pa)
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Posted: 24 May 2020 at 5:44am |
This will give you an idea on how a discbine will cut.
[TUBE]Yuz-kqVyUaw[/TUBE]
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plummerscarin
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Posted: 24 May 2020 at 8:20am |
For an intimate mowing experience I recommend a Hesston 320   Sorry, couldn't help myself
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Dakota Dave
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Posted: 25 May 2020 at 11:32pm |
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We use a new holland 499. It's a hydraulic drive dual sickle mower conditioner. It mows fast, cuts clean. Swings both ways and leaves a nice conditioned windrow. We can cut one day and bale the next. We cut and bale 500 5x6 bales every year. Put a new set of cutters in it. And put last years rebuilt cutters in the storage box the new set will last the season unless you hit something big
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Ray54
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Posted: 26 May 2020 at 12:27pm |
plummerscarin wrote:
For an intimate mowing experience I recommend a Hesston 320
Sorry, couldn't help myself |
Hay that could be the kind I got started on. The drought was really bad (I think 77),my uncle had a 100 acres that should of been fallowed and he had not bothered ,had good crop of volunteer barley and vetch. A sickle mower would of been a nightmare,so dad rented a older Hesston. Then the fun began. But it did get the job done.
I cut a bunch of nasty tangled hay over the years with a NH belt drive self propelled. What step up a few years ago to move up to hydro drive NH even though it's 40+ years old. 
Back on track no matter what brand is best wore out is wore out  and fix you will or go crazy. I understand being poor,but some days you need stuff to work. And hay will not wait as some other things do. Good luck on cheap and working.
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