# John Deere 14t Bill Hook Damage



## DB1200 (Apr 23, 2021)

Last fall I was bailing with my 14t and it was missing a lot of knots on the right side. The bill hook had some wear so I figured I would replace it before hay season this year. When I pulled the bill hook out there was a lot of damage to the roller. What would cause this kind of damage to a bill hook?

















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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

seizing, tight spot, dirt and dust.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Not following your comments but, I bet you are using poly twine instead of Sisal. The 14T and other earlier bailers were never made to run poly. It's a Sisal only bailer. Poly bailers have hardened bill hooks and multi section twine discs. Yours has neither and that is why the bill hook wear is so pronounced. Far as the follower ball is concerned, just replace it and keep the knotter stack well greased. Sure looks to me like you don't grease the knotters often. There are score marks on the bill hook shaft and that is from poor lubrication. Those score marks can contribute to flat spotting the follower ball because if the bill hook shaft cannot rotate freely, it locks the ball and causes flat spotting.

When I ran idiot cubes (I don't any more), I greased my bailer EVERYTIME I used it. Every fitting. Grease is cheap. Bailer parts aren't.

Nothing worse as going to to the field and having a failure. Just sold my NH 575. Bought it new 13 years ago and sold it for 3 grand less than I paid for it but I kept it inside when not in use and I kept it greased and it never got washed, just blown off with an air hose.


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## DB1200 (Apr 23, 2021)

Wow. Thank you for the knowledge there. Although you did guess wrong. I have never run poly twine. I have always run 9000 sisal. I grease my knotters and all fittings before I use. The previous owner said he did not grease them very much because he found that when he greased much at all it would show itself. But yes, I do grease every single fitting. Idiot cubes??? I have six cows and bale around 250 to 300 bales a year for them to be fat and happy in the winter. I am a young man and actually enjoy the work of getting them up, feeding every morning and evening in the winter. Lets me spend time outside before I go to work and spend time and check my cows over twice a day. My barn is not designed for round as when it w as built they didn't have round bales. But hey, thank you for the knowledge. 

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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

*It would show itself?* Don't get that. The score marks on the bill hook shaft are indicative of it seizing and causing the brass follower ball to flat spot. *Maybe you don't run poly but someone did, why the bill hook is worn like it is*. Think I'd replace them both. Idiot cubes are what we call small squares. Labor intensive and itchy..... Curious as to what the cam's look like and the gears and the twine discs. We have cattle as well but feed rounds. No milk cows here, feedlot operation and I'm a commercial forage grower so what I don't feed, gets sold. My owned land plus on shares.

Would have never bought the bailer if the previous owner told me something like that. Poor and infrequent lubrication destroys a bailer, especially the knotter stack. Hope you got it real cheap because you'll be putting some jack in it.

Never been a fan of JD bailers anyway but the knotter stacks are basically the same across all makes.

Far as storage of rounds go, I keep them outside, on plastic pallets covered with poly hay tarps, stored end down, at least what I use. The rest go down the road directly from the field.


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