Knotter Difficulties

E77641-UN-18NOV14

A - Both Twine Ends are Doubled Back Through the Knot

B - Short Twine Ends, Knot Pulls Apart (Typically Second Knot)

C - Knot in the Upper Twine, Only the First Knot

D - Knot in the Upper Twine, Only the Second Knot

E - Knot in the Upper Twine, Only the Second Knot

F - Only the Lower Twines Have Knots, the Upper Twine is Not Cut Between Bales (Upper Twine Around Two Bales)

G - Knot at the End of One Twine and No Knot at the End of the Other Twine on all 6 Knotters

H - No Knots in the Twine at all, on all 6 Knotters

I - Frayed Knot

J - Ends of the Twine are Frayed

K - Twine Ends are Not Even

L - Twine is Broken at the Base of the Knot

Problem	Cause	Solution
Knotters
Twine breaks.	Density pressure too high.	Reduce density pressure. (See Operate the Baler section.)
	Twine inserted wrongly.	Check twine routing. (See Prepare the Baler section.)
	Bad twine quality.	Replace by better quality. (See Prepare the Baler section.)
	Contours along twine path not smooth.	Smooth and clean.
	Twine tension set too high.	Adjust correctly. (See Prepare the Baler section.)
	Twine tangled in twine box.	Check and disentangle.
Bale chamber cut.	Sharp surface or points in the bale chamber that cut or catch the twine.	Remove sharp surfaces and points in the bale chamber.
The knots stay too long on the billhook (billhook hangup).	The tension of the twine brakes (upper or lower) is too low.	Adjust the upper and lower twine brake. (See Adjust Twine Tension in Service section.)
	Roller of the stripper arm is worn out or missing.	Replace the roller of the stripper arm.
	The stripper arm roller cam in the knotter disc is worn out or damaged.	Replace the knotter disc.
	The stripper arm is not close enough to the billhook.	Adjust the stripper arm: Swivel the knotter up until the stripper arm is beyond the billhook. Use a hammer to carefully set the stripper arm so that the knotter knife is closer to the billhook. (See Adjust Stripper Arm in Service section.) When swinging up the knotter, a slight resistance has to be noticeable when the stripper arm passes over the knotter pen.
	The stripper arm does not travel far enough beyond the end of the billhook.	Adjust the stripper arm, see above.
		Replace the roller on the stripper arm. (See Adjust Knotter in Service section.)
	A dull or damaged knotter knife.	Sharpen the knotter knife, replace if necessary.
	Timing of the twine retainer is out.	Adjustment twine retainer disc. (See Adjust Knotter in Service section.)
	Clamping force of the twine retainer is too low.	Adjust the clamping force. (See Adjust Knotter in Service section.)
	A rough or worm out billhook.	Replace the billhook if necessary
	The tension of the billhook tongue is too high.	Adjust the tension of the billhook tongue. (See Adjust Knotter in Service section.)
(A)—The twine ends of both twines are doubled back through the knot.	The upper slack arm can not rotate freely.	Check for any blockage and/or damage, remove the blockage and repair if necessary.
	The lower slack arm can not rotate freely
	The spring or other parts of the upper slack arm are broken or missing.	Repair and or replace any broken or missing parts.
	The spring or other parts of the lower slack arm are broken or missing.
	The stripper arm does not travel far enough beyond the end of the billhook.	Adjust the stripper arm, see above.
		Replace the roller on the stripper arm or the knotter disc.
	A dull or damaged knotter knife.	Sharpen the knotter knife, replace if necessary
	Clamping force of the twine retainer is too low.	Adjust the clamping force. (See Adjust Knotter in Service section.)
(B)—Short twine ends, the knot pulls apart (typically second knot)	The tension of the twine brakes (upper or lower) is too low.	Adjust the upper and/or lower twine brake.
	The tension of the twine brakes (upper or lower) is too high.
	Clamping force of the twine retainer is too high.	Adjust the clamping force. (See Adjust Twine Tension in Service section.)
	The tension of the billhook tongue is too low.	Adjust the tension of the billhook tongue. (See Adjust Knotter in Service section.)
(C)—Knot in the upper twine, only the first knot.	The tucker finger did not grab the twine from the needle and moved to the correct position for tying.	Adjust the tucker fingers.
	Tucker finger and/or the tucker finger shaft does not rotate freely.	Check for any blockage and/or damage, remove the blockage and repair if necessary.
	The spring of the tucker finger cam is broken or does not give enough tension.	Check the spring of the tucker finger cam and replace if necessary.
(D)—Knot in the upper twine, only the second knot	Lower twine not threaded correctly.	Check the threading of the lower twine.
	The spring or other parts of the lower slack arm are broken or missing.	Repair and or replace any broken or missing parts.
	The lower slack arm can not rotate freely	Check for any blockage and/or damage, remove the blockage and repair if necessary.
(E)—Knot in the lower twine, only the second knot	Upper twine not threaded correctly.	Check the threading of the upper twine.
	The needle is damaged or bend.	Straighten the needle if possible or replace if necessary
	The upper slack arm can not rotate freely.	Check for any blockage and/or damage, remove the blockage and repair if necessary.
	The spring or other parts of the upper slack arm are broken or missing.	Repair and or replace any broken or missing parts.
	The tucker finger is not adjusted correctly to the twine placement arm.	Adjust the tucker fingers.
	The tucker finger cam arm roller is broken or does not come in contact with the cam.	Check the spring of the tucker finger cam and replace if necessary.
		Check the roller and replace if necessary
(F)—Only the lower twines have knots, the upper twine is not cut between bales (upper twine around two bales).	Needle and twine placement arm are out of alignment, causing the needle to miss the upper twine.	Align the twine placement arm in respect to the needle.
Twine wrapped on top of the billhook, the first and second knot are connected.	The needle does not place both twines correctly in the twine disc.	Adjust the needle.
	The twine is running off the right side of the roller of the twine placement arm.	Check that the twine is on the roller, fix it if necessary.
	Needle and twine placement arm are out of alignment, causing the needle to miss the upper twine.	Align the twine placement arm in respect to the needle.
Twine wrapped on top of the billook on the second knot.	The tension of the twine brakes (upper or lower) is too low.	Adjust the upper and/or lower twine brake.
	The lower slack arm can not rotate freely.	Check for any blockage and/or damage, remove the blockage and repair if necessary.
	The spring or other parts of the lower slack arm are broken or missing.	Repair and or replace any broken or missing parts.
	Needle and twine placement arm are out of alignment, causing the needle to miss the upper twine.	Align the twine placement arm in respect to the needle.
The lower twine is over the roller of the billhook tongue (backside of the billhook)	Bale density too low.	Increase the density of the bale
	The tension of the twine brakes (upper or lower) is too low.	Adjust the upper and lower twine brake.
	The knotter knife is not close enough to the billhook.	Adjust the stripper arm: Swivel the knotter up until the stripper arm is beyond the billhook. Use a hammer to carefully set the stripper arm so that the knotter knife is closer to the billhook. When swinging up the knotter, a slight resistance has to be noticeable when the stripper arm passes over the knotter pen
	The stripper arm does not travel far enough beyond the end of the billhook.	Adjust the stripper arm, see above.
		Replace the roller on the stripper arm.
	Timing of the twine retainer is out.	Adjustment twine retainer disc. (See Adjust Knotter in Service section.)
	A rough or worm out billhook.	Replace the billhook if necessary.
		Do a check that the path of the lower twine and correct if necessary.
	The tension of the billhook tongue is too high.	Adjust the tension of the billhook tongue.
(G)—A knot at the end of one twine and no knot at the end of the other twine on all 6 knotters.	One or more tucker finger(s) is going over the center, this prevents all the tucker fingers from working correctly.	Adjust the tucker fingers.
	Tucker finger and/or the tucker finger shaft does not rotate freely.	Check for any blockage and/or damage, remove the blockage and repair if necessary.
	The spring of the tucker finger cam is broken or does not give enough tension.	Check the spring of the tucker finger cam and replace if necessary.
	The tucker finger cam arm roller is broken or does not come in contact with the cam.	Check the spring of the tucker finger cam and replace if necessary.
		Check the roller and replace if necessary
(H)—No knots in the twine at all, on 6 knotters	The routing of the twine (upper and lower) is not correct.	Correct the routing of the twine (upper and lower). (See Install Twine in Prepare the Baler section.)
	Tucker finger does not work correctly.	Check the working of the tucker finger, adjust if necessary.
	The tucker finger cam arm roller is broken or does not come in contact with the cam.	Check the spring of the tucker finger cam and replace if necessary.
		Check the roller and replace if necessary
	Clamping force of the twine retainer is too high.	Adjust the clamping force. Clamping force of twine retainer spring, see page 251.
	Timing of the twine retainer is out.	Adjustment twine retainer disc. (See Adjust Knotter in Service section.)
	Twine is broken in the twine retainer.	Check the twine retainer for twine, remove twine residues.
	The tension of the billhook tongue is too low.	Adjust the tension of the billhook tongue. (See Adjust Knotter in Service section.)
	The billhook is damaged.	Check the billhook, repair or replace the billhook if necessary.
	Billhook not rotating.	Check the billhook gear, repair or replace if necessary.
(I)—A frayed knot	The tension of the twine brakes (upper or lower) is too high.	Adjust the upper and lower twine brake. (See Adjust Knotter Shaft Brake in Service section.)
	A rough or worn stripper arm.	Check the stripper arm, replace if necessary.
	A dull or damaged knotter knife.	Sharpen the knotter knife, replace if necessary.
	Damaged twine retainer or clamping segment.	Check the twine retainer and clamping segment, replace if necessary.
	A rough or worm out billhook.	Replace the billhook if necessary.
		Do a check that the path of the lower twine and correct if necessary.
(J)—The ends of the twine are frayed.	The base of the knotter knife is holding the twines.	Check the knotter knife, replace if necessary.
	A dull or damaged knotter knife.	Sharpen the knotter knife, replace if necessary.
(K)—The twine ends are not even	A dull or damaged knotter knife.	Sharpen the knotter knife, replace if necessary.
	Clamping force of the twine retainer is too low.	Adjust the clamping force. (See Adjust Knotter in Service section.)
(L)—The twine is broken at the base of the knot	The density of the bale is too high.	Decrease the density of the bale.
	The strength of the twine is not enough.	Use a better quality of twine. Machine specifications.
Twine not caught (although not frayed).	Retainer discs do not catch the twine.	Adjust needle height. Adjust groove of retaining discs and removers.
After tying of bale: twine rupture upon ejection of the bale.	Too high a crop moisture.	Decrease baling density. (See Operate the Baler section.)
	Too high a baling pressure.	Decrease baling pressure. (See Operate the Baler section.)
	Twine quality bad.	Use better quality of twine. (See Prepare the Baler section.)
	Retaining discs disc tension too high.	Decrease retaining discs tension. (See Service section.)
The twine retainer leaves correct setting.	The worm wheel slips on conical shaft seat; the hole is too wide.	Replace worm wheel or shaft.
Stripper arm
Twine stays on bill hook.	Wear of control roller or control comb.	Exchange stripper arm.
	Bend stripper arm.
	Bearings in pivot point at stripper arm.