Fear and trepidation is normal when searching for used equipment. If only we had supernatural powers to see and know where trouble may lie.… Since we do not have such powers, a systematic examination of the used piece of equipment can help you locate problems which might otherwise be overlooked.

Disc-type mowers have revolutionized hay mowing by eliminating cutter bar clogs and by increasing the speed at which an acre of hay can be mowed. Disc machines come in pull-type models, with or without conditioners, and three-point-hitch-mounted models, with some manufacturers offering attached conditioners.

The auto wrap system is a mechanical operation, and if you understand how the process works, you can tackle repair jobs easier. Here’s how it functions.

Belt-tracking issues have several causes. The most common belt-tracking problem I have seen stems from poor operating habits. During core formation, it is important to get hay under all the belts as soon as possible.

The slip clutch is probably the most cursed component on a piece of equipment, and every operator has encountered it at some point.

The hay dog may be a small part on your baler, but the hay dog plays a critical role in the proper operation of a square baler. A hay dog, when operating as designed, serves to hold the hay in place when the plunger returns to the front of the baler.

There are days when you walk out the door in the early morning hours, before the sun is a full circle in the sky, you smell the freshly cut hay, head for the baler and think, “Man, I love my job.”

Well, let’s face it; if you’re repairing the twine disc or twine holder, then you probably have hay ready to bale … yesterday. The good news is: If you take a little time to learn how some of these parts work, then the next time you’re up the proverbial creek, at least you’ll have a paddle of knowledge.

We’ve come a long way from cutting and binding sheaves of hay. Yet very few folks can explain how a bale knotter works. And I won’t try. As a farm equipment mechanic, what I will try to do is tell you how to repair one.