How much horsepower is required to run a small sqaure bailer?

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I am in the market for a newer used tractor and want to buy one that I will be capable of putting up my own hay with. How much horsepower is needed to run a sqaure bailer, A sickle bar mower, a tedder, and a hy rake? Please keep in mind this will probably all be used equipment. I have found a 35 horsepower 80's model Kubota and a late 70's Massey Ferguson 135 that are in my price range. What's the horsepower rating on the old Ferguson? They are both deisel and the Kubota has a front bucket. I want as small a tractor as I can buy, but with enough horsepower to put up hay and turn a rotor tiller as wide as the back wheels.

-- Joel Combs (jwcinpk@yahoo.com), April 25, 2002

Answers

According to my Nebraska tractor test book the Massey 135 diesel two test for PTO HP were run on the same tractor one was37.82HP and the 2nd was 34.86HP.Unless your land is exceptionally steep I'd say either tractor would run the baler just fine.Useing a tiller can require different amounts of power depending upon soil type and whether any other prep work has been done to the land before hand such as subsoiling or plowing.

-- Gary (burnett_gary@msn.com), April 25, 2002.

I'm sure 35 hp will run the stuff, if all the equipment and engine are in good condition and the loads kept reasonable. I'd look at 50hp they aren't much more money if any. Ag Dealer Or is the Small thing more important than thew price part? I do like both the 135 and Kubotas, you can always trade up too if they don't have quite enough hp.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), April 25, 2002.

I use a 30 hp pto tractor to do the same things you're planning. It works fine running either a NH 311 baler, a 7' sickle bar, a tedder or a rake.

-- Darren (df1@infi.net), April 25, 2002.

30 hp will be plenty for more of a hobby deal. The problem is weight - balers are heavy, do you plan on pulling a hayrack behind stacking bales on, or will you just drop them on the ground? The Kubota may be a little light to safely operate especially with a hayrack behind. The loader would take even more weight off the rear tractor wheels if you leave it on for baling. But I think a 35hp Kubota is a bit more than their compact machines in size, so should work out for you.

For running a tiller you want a very slow 1st gear on the tractor. Tillers need to move slowly through the ground.

For all your pto work, you will be much happier with a live pto. I can't remember if both those tractors have that. Without a live pto, you need to use an over running clutch on the pto for heavy implements that don't have it built in (balers do).

New Holland & John Deere figured out how to make good knotters first, so their older balers are good. All the rest may have trouble tying knots, and really tying knots is the whole point of a baler. Consider that when comparing a $750 NH baler to a $300 IHC baler....

More info on older equipment is available at www.ytmag.com , a good site for you I think. :)

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), April 25, 2002.


We had a 1954 NAA Ford that had a New Holland baler that had it's own motor. No need to run it off the PTO,tractor wasn't really big enough to run it.But it did a great job on anything else we needed it to do.I still use it to mow the fields with. The Farm Ray

-- ray (thecfarm@midmaine.com), April 25, 2002.


i have mf 35d and i can do the job fine

-- nick (ray-@sympatico.ca), April 25, 2002.

Since you want to use a roto-tiller as wide as the tractor I would opt for the Kubota as I think it has a narrower tread width.

I also think the Kubota would have better slow/creep gearing for tiller use.

The heavier tractor on the baler would probably be safer. I don't know what horsepower the Wisconsin engines put out, but doubt it was 40, so below that should still work.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), April 25, 2002.


The Wisconsin engines put out maybe 15-17 hp, that's all the older baler uses (Lots of energy stored in that flywheel!). Pulling the baler & tractor through the field takes maybe another 15 hp.

Keeping those old Wisconsins running is a real trick. They do not like heat, will run all day, but if it kills on you, won't start for an hour or longer. My experience anyhow on swathers. Vapor lock.

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), April 25, 2002.


I'm a farmer and if I had your choices--- I'd be bailin my fields with that Massey--it is more than enough for what you ask !!

-- Joel Rosen (JoelnBecky@webtv.net), April 25, 2002.

It's spelled 'baler', btw. :) Bailer is the one with the coffee can in the rowboat. :)

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), April 26, 2002.


I have a Massy 245 and a 5 ft tiller made in England. I can till my garden up to 10 inches deep in one pass and ready to plant.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), April 28, 2002.

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