Remove obstruction.

Hay buildup on the belts in the gate area in some crop conditions.

Remove buildup. Operate PTO while closing gate.

Hay buildup at the gate latch area due to incorrect routing of the hydraulic pickup lift hoses.

Route hoses correctly.

Adjust gate close switch. (See procedure in Service—BaleTrak™ Pro or Plus System section.)

Tractor hydraulic valve leaking oil into baler.

Repair tractor hydraulic valve. (See your John Deere Dealer or qualified service provider.)

Air in the hydraulic system.

Open and close gate several times to remove air.

Internal leak in the tension or gate hydraulic cylinder.

Repair or replace cylinder. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.)

Hydraulic cylinder not retracted when the gate is closed.

Hold the tractor selector control valve lever 2—3 seconds after green light is on.

Gate is sprung.

Straighten. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.)

Remove obstruction.

Hay buildup on the belts in the gate area in some crop conditions.

Remove buildup. Operate PTO while closing gate.

Hay buildup at the gate close area due to incorrect routing of the hydraulic pickup lift hoses.

Route hoses correctly.

Move hydraulic lever to neutral while baling.

Defective density gauge.

Replace gauge. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.)

Defective bale density valve cartridge.

Replace or repair valve. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.)

Adjust idler or replace belt, if necessary. (See Adjust Pickup Drive Belt Idler—Regular Pickup (450M and 550M) in Service—Baler section.)

MegaWide™ Plus Pickup: Slip clutch worn.

Replace pickup slip clutch. (See your John Deere dealer.)

Check the pickup slip clutch torque. (See Check Pickup Slip Clutch Torque [MegaWide™ Plus] in Service—Baler section.)

MegaWide™ Plus Pickup: Main drive slip clutch slipping.

Adjust main PTO driveline slip clutch. (See Adjust Main PTO Driveline Slip Clutch in Service—Baler section.)

Windrow wet on the bottom.

Turn windrow. (See Bale Wet Hay in Operating the Baler section.)

Ground speed and rpm too high when starting the bale.

Reduce rpm until the bale core has formed.

Windrow is too large.

Decrease windrow size.

Install starter roll scraper. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.)

Material pinched under the pickup crop divider, tire, or gauge wheels (if equipped).

Start bale with windrow centered on pickup. Gathering wheels can help for scattered windrows.

Nicks or rough places on the starter roll.

Smooth with a file.

Hay too tough or tacky

Add high moisture kit.

Move to operating position. (See Adjust Belt Tracking in Service—Baler section.)

Crop or mud buildup on the rolls.

Clean the rolls.

Belt tension arm not fully down.

Lower the tension arm with the tractor hydraulic lever.

Belts not routed properly.

See belt routing diagram and reroute. (See Install Belts in Service—Baler section.)

Belts too short.

Repair belts. (See Repair Belts in Service—Baler section.)

Repair belts. (See Repair Belts in Service—Baler section.)

Belts not tracking correctly.

Adjust belt tracking. (See procedure in Service—Baler section.)

Making oversized bales.

Check maximum bale size adjustment. (See Adjust Oversize Bale Switch in Service—BaleTrak™ Pro or Plus System section.)

Belts not routed correctly.

Route belts correctly. (See Install Belts in Service—Baler section.)

Material wrapped on the rolls.

Remove material from rolls.

Check pins for wear or breakage every 2000 bales (every 1000 bales in sandy conditions). Replace pins if broken, or if more than one-third of pin thickness is worn through.

Incorrect belt length can cause excessive load on the shorter belts.

See Repair Belts in Service—Baler section.

Operate tractor at full rpm when closing gate to ensure that tension arm tightens belts before gate close indicator comes on.

Water dripping off the belts and rolls.

Avoid baling in rain or frosted crop.

Belts too long.

Check belts for proper length. (See Repair Belts in Service—Baler section.)

Excessive wrappage of net material around the top idler roll (No. 11) pinches belt against the top baler frame tube.

Remove net and crop around top idler roll (No. 11).

Upper tension arm compression spring out of adjustment.

Adjust spring. (See Adjust Take-Up Arm Compression Spring in Service—Baler section.)

Third drive roll not re-engaging.

Wear between the shift plate and the bushing causes the springs not to be able to return the cylinder. Adjust bushings for clearance between the outside diameter and the holes in the plate.

Trigger plate and/or the valve poppet worn out. Replace the trigger plate/poppet valve and adjust so that when the poppet is compressed the gate closes.

Third roll not reengaging after the gate closes.

Adjust the third roll drive trigger plate to compress the valve poppet during the gate closing.

Third roll drive not driving.

Replace clutch, contact dealer.

Third roll drive spur gears will not transmit power under high load.

Replace the gears if worn out. To provide better gear mesh, readjust the jackshaft.

Make sure that valve spool is not binding. If handle contacts bracket before spool is fully out, bend bracket slightly to allow full travel of the valve spool in both directions.

Binding at the gate pivots.

Eliminate binding.

Check gate close switch adjustment. (See Adjust Gate Close Switch in Service—BaleTrak™ Pro or Plus System section.)

Tractor selector valve leaking.

Repair or replace gate as necessary. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.)

Operate baler with the gate lock lever in the UNLOCKED position.

Repair or replace tension arm as necessary. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.) (See Check Gate Lock Valve Interlock Lever Adjustment in Preparing the Baler section.)

Make several bales out of dry hay to polish side sheet. Do not crowd ends so the finished bale has soft ends.

450M and 550M: Bale sticks in the front frame due to damp crop.

Install High-Moisture Kit. (See Attachments section.)

Excessive side sheet friction caused by build up on the side sheets.

Remove buildup. Make sure gate deflectors (if equipped) are installed in gate.

Bale when hay is drier.

See Bale Short, Dry, Slick Crops, and Bale Cornstalks in Operating the Baler section.

Foreign objects in the windrow (for example rocks, sticks, and others).

Operate with the pickup as high as possible. (See Adjust Pickup Height in Operating the Baler section.)

Remove foreign objects from windrow.

Wrappage on the lower drive roll forcing the belt into the starter roll.

Remove the wrappage.

Bale forming belts contacting each other.

See Diamond Surfaces on Bale Forming Belts are Rubbing Together in this section.

Third roll drive not disengaging as the gate opens.

Check for the orifice inside of the block behind the supply line port on the main valve block.

Third roll drive not staying disengaged.

Check valve or manual valve in the third roll drive valve block. Ensure that the valve is not allowing oil to leak and not hold pressure in the cylinder. Replace the check valve or manual valve.

Third roll drive not disengaging as gate opens. Slow gate time or low flow going to the valve block.

To target a 5 second gate open time, adjust the hydraulic flow.

After break-in period, the fuzziness will stop.

Trim loose cords.

Adjust the belt tracking. (See Adjust Belt Tracking in Service—Baler section.)

Check for grooves worn into the tension arm wear channels. (See Tension Arm Wear Channels in Lubrication and Maintenance section.)

Center tension arm rear tips and replace the tension arm wear channels. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.)

Operate the tractor at full rpm when closing gate to ensure that the tension arm tightens belts.

Adjust upper tension (takeup) arm cylinder. (See Adjust Upper Tension (Take-Up) Arm Cylinder in Service—Baler section.)

High hydraulic system back pressure.

Use the lowest back pressure selective control valve (SCV). (See tractor manual).

Inspect or change hydraulic tips for damage.

Tractor selector control valve lever in detent while closing gate.

Adjust the selector control valve lever for no detent, so lever returns to neutral when released. (See your tractor operator's manual.)

Sticking or contaminated check valves in tensioning valve assembly.

Repair or replace components as necessary. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.)

Adjust rollers. (See Adjust Belt Tracking in Service—Baler section.)

Belts not correct length.

Correct belt length. (See Repair Belts in Service—Baler section.)

Belts not cut square when splicing.

Resplice belt. (See Repair Belts in Service—Baler section.)

Twine or mud buildup on the baler rolls.

Remove buildup.

Belts not routed correctly.

See belt routing diagram and reroute belts. (See Install Belts in Service—Baler section.)

Bad bearing on the roll.

Rotate all rolls by hand and inspect for loose bearings. Repair or replace components as necessary. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.)

Disengage the PTO before opening gate.

Install the auxiliary take-up roll kit to reduce the belt slack during bale discharge. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.)

Operating baler empty with gate up and no tension on the belts for extended periods.

Do not operate in this manner for an extended time.

Driving too long on one side of windrow at the bale start. Hay pushes out between the belts.

Center pickup on the windrow at the bale start.

Third roll drive not disengaging as the gate opens.

Check for orifice inside the block behind the supply line port on the main valve block.

Use oil dry granules to the polish rolls.

Belts not correct length.

Belt lengths must be within 38 mm (1-1/2 in) of each other. (See Repair Belts in Service—Baler section.)

Bad fabric or construction of belt.

Repair or replace belt. (See procedures in Service—Baler section.)

Use oil dry granules to polish rolls. (See Belt Tracking Issues in Preparing the Baler section.)

High belt friction for sticky silicone on the belts.

Use oil dry granules to polish rolls. (See Belt Tracking Issues in Preparing the Baler section.)

High roller friction from paint on the rolls.

Use oil dry granules to polish rolls. (See Belt Tracking Issues in Preparing the Baler section.)

Improper belt tracking at the belt guides

Check and adjust three belt tracking rolls as needed. (See Belt Tracking Issues in Service—Baler section.)

Adjust tension arm. (See Belt Tracking Issues in Service—Baler section.)

Make sure that the belts are centered on the rubber stripe of the drive roll. (See Belt Tracking Issues in Service—Baler section.)

Engage the soft core option, if equipped, for the first 36 inches of bale. (See Adjust Variable Core Diameter in Operating the Baler section.)

Install the silage auger kit. The auger can scrape off crop from the back of the belts, allowing the crop to fall back onto the windrow. (See your John Deere dealer.)

Excessive wear of lower drill roll strips.

Replace the lower and upper drive rolls. (See your John Deere dealer or qualified service provider.)

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