Updated balers from Claas

Published: January 25, 2023

Equipment, Machinery and Shop

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In September, Claas announced updates to its North American offering of both round and square balers, the Variant 500 series round baler and the Quadrant 5300 Evolution series square baler.

Since it was first introduced as an option on agricultural tractors around the 1930s, the pneumatic tire has continued to…

"Each of these machines is designed to provide maximum performance, easy maintenance and the reliability you expect from Claas," says product manager Matt Jaynes. "By listening to the needs of our customers and bringing our brightest thinking into research and development, Claas is providing customers with a truly innovative portfolio of tools in the baler and hay market."

The new Variant 500 series round baler line will initially include six models, offered in both Roto Cut and Roto Feed versions. Both types now boast improved bale density and net wrapping performance.

The Smart Density pressure control system gets a new hydraulic control block with two independent lines for both belt tensioning arms. This allows the position of the tensioning arms and bale pressure to be set independently, giving improved control of the bale core and allowing operators to roll soft-core bales if desired.

Two Variant models, the 565 RC and 585 RC, get heavier duty components such as higher grade drive chains and a strong cutting rotor with eight millimetre double-tine stars and special knife protection. These models are designed for those operators who put up very high numbers of bales each season. The models also get a 17-knife cutting mechanism with the ability to cut material down to 2.3 inches in length.

The standard Pro Rotor drop floor can be lowered hydraulically from the tractor cab to clear plugs. It can also adjust downward by up to 1.2 inches automatically to compensate for uneven swaths to prevent plugs, and an audible alarm alerts an operator before a complete blockage occurs.

The position of the net wrap roller on the new models is 10 inches lower than on previous versions, making loading new rolls easier and safer.

The Quadrant 5300 series square balers from Claas get upgrades and a new name — the Evolution models. A key improvement is a new heavy-duty pickup with two cam tracks for improved torsional resistance and strength. The new pickup uses some of the same components as those used on the brand's Jaguar forage harvester. It also offers reduced noise levels.

The pickup now uses five rows of tines with 18 double tines per row. Adding a fifth row of tines allows the pickup to rotate more slowly, while the speed of the Power Feed System (PFS) roller has been increased. The feed roller has also been given extra paddles that can be removed when harvesting long-stalked crops. The spring-mounted PFS feed roller compensates for uneven swaths, and the overall pickup design allows for improved raking performance and throughput. The Quadrant 5300s use a hydraulic drive for the pickup and PFS.

The bale chamber gets some modifications too. The top bale chamber plate has been redesigned to create more consistent bale density right to the edges. Factory-fitted side knives and deflectors reduce material buildup in the ram guide area when baling straw.

Contributor

Scott Garvey is a freelance writer and video producer. He is also the former machinery editor at Grainews.

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