School Me On The Hand Clutch Power Director

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   I’ve got a 4x4 JD round baler - string tie. Makes a good tight bale, but tying the bale manually (the only option) is time consuming.

I’m OK with the time it takes, but not crazy about holding in the clutch for an extended period or putting the tractor in neutral and grinding back into gear after the bale is dumped. There’s got to be a better way…

I seem to recall the hand clutch (I assume the power director is the same thing? ) on an Allis Chalmers is a heavy duty clutch in an oil bath, designed to be cycled on and off with minimal wear?

If I had an AC, could I dispense with the foot clutch when it’s time to tie and dump the round baler by simply pulling the hand clutch to neutral (PTO stays on all the time), tie, dump and move forward again with the hand clutch? If I needed to back up to dump the bale, again, I could use the hand clutch?

School me on the hand clutch/power director.

Also - can you recommend an AC for is round baler. Need about 45-50 PTO hp and two hydraulic remotes. Diesel preferred. Any particular models to avoid that tend to jump out of gear?

All sage advice is much appreciated!

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leeave96 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Bronze Level Joined: 20 Oct 2015 Location: VA Points: 28	Post Options Post Reply Quote leeave96 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: School Me On The Hand Clutch Power Director Posted: 10 hours 52 minutes ago at 6:33am
	I’ve got a 4x4 JD round baler - string tie. Makes a good tight bale, but tying the bale manually (the only option) is time consuming. I’m OK with the time it takes, but not crazy about holding in the clutch for an extended period or putting the tractor in neutral and grinding back into gear after the bale is dumped. There’s got to be a better way… I seem to recall the hand clutch (I assume the power director is the same thing? ) on an Allis Chalmers is a heavy duty clutch in an oil bath, designed to be cycled on and off with minimal wear? If I had an AC, could I dispense with the foot clutch when it’s time to tie and dump the round baler by simply pulling the hand clutch to neutral (PTO stays on all the time), tie, dump and move forward again with the hand clutch? If I needed to back up to dump the bale, again, I could use the hand clutch? School me on the hand clutch/power director. Also - can you recommend an AC for is round baler. Need about 45-50 PTO hp and two hydraulic remotes. Diesel preferred. Any particular models to avoid that tend to jump out of gear? All sage advice is much appreciated!

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darrel in ND Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Location: Hebron, ND Points: 8713	Post Options Post Reply Quote darrel in ND Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 hours 7 minutes ago at 7:18am
	You can do exactly what you've described there with a power director equipped tractor, and it works great. In order to get it with a diesel, and have the horsepower you need, you'll need to look for a 180/185/190(XT)/or a 200. Myself, I bale with my 190 XT or my 200. Probably made 15 thousand 5 X 6 bales with my XT. I run an auto cycle challenger baler now with a good bale kicker and net wrap, so length of time during netting cycle isn't all that long, but still, the power director is used rather then the foot clutch, and it's nice. Prior to this baler, I did have twine tie and a bale kicker that did require you to back up if you were facing downhill at all, and with the PD in neutral, changing gears could be done. Important to remember about changing gears though, was it was best done after the transmission was warmed up, and shift very quickly. I had no gear clash or grinding doing it. Finding one of these tractors with a hydraulic PTO clutch is a plus, but not necessary. My 200 and 185 have it, XT doesn't. My 185 isn't quite enough HP for my 5 x 6 baler, but I think one would be for your baler. And if you are concerned about ending up with a gear jumper, check it out before buying. Darrel

DanWi Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Access Joined: 18 Sep 2009 Location: wttn Points: 1917	Post Options Post Reply Quote DanWi Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 8 hours 60 minutes ago at 8:25am
	Depending on the tractor shifting gears with the power director into reverse and back works on some . Usually have to have warm oil. But you can tie the bale with it. Then just use the foot clutch to shift forward to reverse. It won't grind then because the tractor is stopped. Then put in forward gear. And start baler with foot clutch then use the powerdirector to move the tractor. It just takes a little hand foot coordination.

Leon B MO Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: Old Monroe, Mo Points: 2182	Post Options Post Reply Quote Leon B MO Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 7 hours 51 minutes ago at 9:34am
	For this application, a 175 with the Perkins diesel may be another option. Wet hand clutch, used as stated above. Way more than 50 hp and very good fuel economy. Not quite the belly clearance as the 185. Leon B Mo Edited by Leon B MO - 7 hours 42 minutes ago at 9:43am
	Uncle always said "Fill the back of the shovel and the front will take care of itself".

Clay Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Location: Udall, Kansas Points: 9843	Post Options Post Reply Quote Clay Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 2 hours 22 minutes ago at 3:03pm
	A 180 diesel with hydraulic power director hand clutch works very well with Vermeer 605 series balers. Vermeer 605K weight is 6600 pounds and requires 70 H.P., according the the operators manual. Horse power is important but do not forget about the stopping potential of the tractor brakes.

DiyDave Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Access Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Location: Gambrills, MD Points: 53988	Post Options Post Reply Quote DiyDave Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 1 hour 55 minutes ago at 3:30pm
	If you want to go the low power, old gasser route, a D-10/12 and a hesston 5530/530 will spit out round bales all day long, and it doesn't have a PD clutch! It has a live(independent) clutch... As for the hesston baler, that series of baler has been made by 4 different companies and is made to this day. Catch is its a meter wide bale, up to 54" in diameter...
	Source: Babylon Bee. Sponsored by BRAWNDO, its got what you need!

ac160 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Silver Level Joined: 02 Dec 2010 Points: 404	Post Options Post Reply Quote ac160 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 1 hour 22 minutes ago at 4:03pm
	A 175 would be good for your needs. We ran a JD 4x5 baler for many years behind a 175. The baler was hydraulic tie and had a bale kicker on it.