Your Guide To Hay Baler Belts
Hay baler belts are used for hay baler equipment that create hay bales. A hay baler collects and rolls hay into circular bales using a series of belts. These belts collect hay as it is harvested and continually wrap it into the bale. Because the most commonly used type of baler is the large round baler, (which produces cylindrical-shaped "round" or "rolled" bales by rubberized belts, fixed rollers, or a combination of the two) hay baler belts are important in todays farming. Before going further into hay baler belts however, it is important to understand a bit about the process by which a hay baler produces bales of hay.
A hay baler is a piece of agricultural equipment used in harvesting hay. Timothy Grass, alfalfa, and clover are the most common hay crops, and are used as animal feed. There are regular sized balers and even the mini baler.
Hay is cut with a mowing machine that further cuts and crimps the material, and dispels it into a 4-feet windrow. This procedure breaks the stem, making it easier for cattle and other livestock to consume. The baler then gathers the cut hay from the windrow and compresses it into square or round-shaped bales to be transported and stored.
A large round baler loads the hay from the ground into the bale chamber. Here, the hay is wrapped onto itself by six to eight long rubber belts that are 7” wide. The bale becomes round and fills the chamber full, as the hay is pulled into the machine. Here, the weight of the hay applies force on the belts, which is monitored by the hydraulic system. Once a precise amount of pressure is reached, a signal is given to the tractor operator. The operator then stops the movement of the baler, and the bale is wrapped with twine and released while the entire rear area of the baler is opened by hydraulic cylinders. The bale then simply rolls out onto the ground.
Hay baler belts are available in various tread surfaces depending on the hay baler equipment and needs, and are made from synthetic fabrics and rubbers. Routine maintenance for baler belts is important and unfortunately, commonly overlooked. One misconception is that you only need a replacement belt when they break. However, as baler belts wear over time, just as belts for any engine do, the tread will wear. Regularly check and replace baler belts when needed or slower bale starts, damaged belt fasteners and poor belt tracking will result. A belt splice repair can be simple and new heavy-duty hinged-plate mechanical belt splices promise easier and faster installation, as well as longer life and significantly lower cost than other plate-type splicing methods.
John Deere Diamond Tread Belts are purported to provide unbeatable performance and longer wear life. Two-ply belting is known to improve dimensional stability flexing characteristics. New Holland is also a trusted name in baler parts. The two predominant suppliers of original equipment belting for manufacturers of round balers in the U.S. are Goodyear and PBI.
As long as you do your research and buy only from trusted sources, your search for baler belts should be successful.
