Vermeer 604 Baler Manuals

OK First post, hope I do this right. I have a Vermeer 604 L and as bale forms it chokes 100 hp tractor down when reaches about 5 ft + bale.

1. Vermeer 604 Baler Parts
2. Hay Baler Manuals
3. Vermeer 604 Baler Specs

It has new teeth and new belts last year rolled about 600 bales total last 2 years since installing. I have owned baler for 5 years or so and it has been like this from beginning. I have checked the belts and they are routed according to manual. I have checked the chain drive and it is routed according to the diagram on the side of the baler. The beginning density or air bags are set line between 2 & 3 or blue green which is almost minimum to start a bale. By the time hydraulic bale density reaches 4 or pretty much straight and 5 ft it will choke tractor down.

I baled last year with 85 hp tractor and it did it. This year I baled with 100 hp tractor and it did it. When I put new belts on last year checked all roller bearings out all ok. Really do not know what else could be except a bearing in a chain driven roller but how could a bad bearing last through this long and not make noise or show up when running at idle or before a bale reached 5 ft stage.

Vermeer 604 Baler Parts

I have been stopping when tractor starts choking down and have pretty much ended with 5 ft bales. I would like to make maximum size 6 ft bale as I transport 75% of my hay to home farm and would like to minimize trips. Any suggestions comments appreciated. I do not think the tractor is the issue, the 85hp is JD 5085M I thought it might be under powered because of AC pulling hp down so this year used old White 2-105 it is used to chop silage and It pulls a 2 row silage chopper with no problems. I have used the 5085 and baled with New Holland Baler that makes a 5x5 bale and it goes right a long and does not have any problems.

Hay Baler Manuals

The belts were bought new and are factory spec belts. And yes the dryness of the hay does affect the size of the bale and when it pulls hard. It had this problem before I put the the new belts on but believe it is worse now. Swmnhay Can you tell me more about the belt tension? How much slack or deflection should be in the belts when empty and gate closed? Where should it be set and how do you adjust the tension? When rolling hay you will be going along good then when is starts pulling the tractor down it does it soon and you better be clutching and you can not go any further If it was the belt tensioner being too tight then the hydraulic pressure being applied in forming bale would not have much influence as the stopping factor would be the size of the bale and pressure on belts tight bale or loose bale???

Am I thinking correctly on this? Thank you for the replies!!! Look if the belt tightener rollers are nearly hitting the upper rollers at a 5' bale. If you are overfilling it, that would explain the tractor suddenly dying. If the hydraulic tension starts to come on at 5', your hydraulic charge in the density circuit is very low. You can back off the pressure in the little door on the front of the baler, but if your charge is that bad, you should recharge it.

Take a bar and pry on the bottom drum. If it has play, the shaft may be bad. That can hog power. The best thing to try is to put in restrictor plates and see if that helps. It will cut you hp requirements while still allowing you to make a dense bale.

Vermeer 604 Baler Specs

The restrictor plate part number is 82365001 or AK00-117.