As the hay enters the forming chamber from the pickup, belts immediately turn the hay to form a tight, dense core.

Incoming hay then feeds between the bale and the lower gate roll. Hay is tightly compressed into smooth, dense layers as it enters the bale.

Chaffing is greatly reduced to prevent loss and retain hay quality in the bale.

The idler arm rises with bale growth, forcing oil from the hydraulic cylinder through a pressure-relief valve to maintain uniform bale density throughout the bale-forming process.

John Deere's 178-mm (7-in.) wide diamond-tread design ensures fast bale starts and grips the bale to prevent slippage and reduce chaffing. The treads are self-cleaning to reduce carryover. The belts are staggered to reduce the loss of fine material and are closely spaced to contain the hay for fast, easy starts.

The belts enclose 91 percent of the bale width to reduce loss of fine material and retain hay quality.

The staggered belt roll design enables any loose hay under or behind the belts to be returned to the pickup and into the baler. This design helps to prevent buildup at the front of the baler, which could cause hay loss and belt or splice damage.

Every baler in the 0 Series Family uses DiamondTough belts. Belts are constructed using a patented triple-weave process of nylon and polyester materials.

They have the strength to handle heavy shock loads and help maintain consistent belt length.

The DiamondTough belts are more puncture and tear resistant than other belts on the market and provide improved belt life and reliability.

PLATE-TYPE FASTENERS

All of the 0 Series Balers use the plate-type fasteners.

This closed-loop design uses a plate fastener with pre-assembled rivets that lock the fasteners into the belt, providing a powerful vice-type grip on the belt.

• The plates and rivets are manufactured from high-tensile stainless steel.
• Strong belt splices mean less maintenance and more productivity.
• The loop area is cold forged, making it extremely wear resistant in the coupling area, resulting in a very long cycle life.
• The spring steel pin is notched and locks into the splice connection without having to bend the pin or use external retainers.

ROUND BALER MODELS

ROUND BALER MODEL SPECIFICATION

*NOTE: The 550M Round Baler will only be available in dry hay and silage configurations.

0 Series Balers have implemented specification levels for all models in the baler lineup similar to what was done when the 459E was introduced. Pickup options will remain the same for the new models equivalent specification. The precutter pickups will have the same MegaWide™ Plus pickups that will be offered in mid specification (M) or the premium specifications (R) balers.

The 0 Series Round Baler family welcomes the first, John Deere, North-American built precutter. This feed system in front of these machines is the MegaWide HC2. The MegaWide Plus name is known as the industry-leading feed system since its introduction with the 7 Series Balers. John Deere continues that legacy with the 0 Series. Proven designs of the MegaWide were maintained and improvements were made to key components to gain significant capacity.

FEATURES OF THE MEGAWIDE HC2

The MegaWide™ HC2 will only be available in a precutter configuration (available on the 450M, 460M, 460R, 560M, and 560R models):

• 1.22-m (4-ft) wide machines will have 14 knives
• 1.52-m (5-ft) wide machines will have 20 knives

The MegaWide HC2 has the same 2.2-m (7.22-ft) MegaWide Plus pickup from the 9 Series. Dry hay and silage 0 Series configurations will also have the MegaWide Plus pickup.

Before the introduction of the MegaWide HC2 , the cam-clutch protection for the driveline was only available on the 9 Series Premium Balers. It is in the base for the MegaWide HC2 precutter configurations. This driveline pushes the limitations of the baler and the MegaWide HC2 system by offering the best machine protection John Deere can provide.

Another feature brought over from the 9 Series Premium Balers and being offered on the 0 Series is the grease banks. All daily greasing can be done from the ground in one central location.

The roller baffle on the MegaWide HC2 doubled in size from the MegaWide Plus from 10.2-cm (4-in.) to 20.3-cm (8-in.) diameter to allow for increased speeds and performance in larger windrows.

The 450M, 460M, 460R, 560M, and 560R Balers that can be configured with the MegaWide HC2 feed system will have the same flare-to-flare pickup width of 2.2 m (7.21 ft). This 2.2-m (7.21-ft), flare-to-flare, width on 1.22-m (4-ft) balers is only a feature of the MegaWide HC2 feed system.

The primary rotor is only available on the MegaWide HC2  and is located directly behind the MegaWide pickups.

• This rotor grabs the crop and drags it over the knives to size the crop to a theoretical length size of 66 mm (2.5 in.)
• For the 1.22-m (4-ft) machines, there are 14 slots to receive the knives that are located on the floor of the feed system
• The 1.52-m (5-ft) machine has 20 knives and 20 slots

Industry-exclusive, fast-pitch augers have been placed on the primary rotor to move dry hay and silage past the transition points to avoid plugging.

The secondary rotor is another component on the feed system that was re-designed from the MegaWide Plus feed system to handle the increased demands of the high-capacity system.

• The secondary rotor in the MegaWide HC2 is similar in location and design as the MegaWide Plus spiral rotor.
• The hex shaft on secondary rotor rotor on the MegaWide HC2 was increased from 3.2 cm (1.25 in.) from the MegaWide Plus to 3.8 cm (1.5 in.)
• The diameter of the tube was increased for additional strength and to prevent silage wrapping
• The number of tines was increased from two to three for additional capacity and flow of crop into the starter roll and chamber.

A third drive roll is another feature that will only be offered with the MegaWide HC2 feed system.

• Precutting crop releases additional moisture into the feed system of the baler so the MegaWide HC2 feed system added a third drive roll on the number 11 roller to ensure trouble-free bale formation even in the most difficult, high-moisture silage conditions.
• This feature is available only on the MegaWide HC2 feed system

Drop floor – if the baler exceeds capacity and plugs, the MegaWide HC2 can lower the knife floor from the cab of the tractor to easily feed the plug into the chamber.

• Drop floor is an insurance policy to allow the operator to push the machine knowing that a plug can clear in 30 seconds, not 30 minutes.
• In factory-observed testing with the 2016 test fleet, 99 percent of the plugs were cleared from the cab.

Floor is self-cleaning – when lowered to feed a plug, it allows chaff that has been built up around the knives to fall through into the windrow.

• This release of crop allows the feed system to stay cleaner
• Allows for easier engagement of the knives and servicing of the knives

The floor is also responsible for engaging the knives

• Based on lack of success for re-engaging knives in competitive machines, John Deere made sure the MegaWide™ HC2 was built to meet the demands a Deere producer expects.
• Knife-engagement forces on the MegaWide™ HC2 are 10 times that of the New Holland™ Roll-Belt™ 460 CropCutter® Baler. It gives the producer the confidence that if the knives are engaged, they are all up and cutting.
• Once the knives are up, each knife has individual spring protection, limiting bent or broken knives.
• Hit a rock and the knife moves out of the way and automatically re-engages.

All MegaWide HC2 feed systems will have silage components to limit maintenance and prevent crop build up on belts.

• Driven auger
• Starter roll scraper knife
• Auxiliary take up roller
• For precutter machines only - external belt guides
• External belt guides were designed to dramatically reduce amount of chaff in the gate
• Available through parts – retrofittable through 7 Series balers

DESCRIPTIVE MODEL NUMBERING SYSTEM

All 0 Series Balers use alpha-numeric identifiers for the model names:

• The MegaWide HC2 can be ordered on mid specification (M) and premium specification (R) balers.
• R specification balers will have the premium pickup with improved internal components that are covered under the 2-year/12,000-bale premium warranty
• M specification balers and pickups will not contain premium baler components – exception for this is the MegaWide HC2 feed system will have the premium cam clutch for the driveline and grease banks.