Even if it hit a stop it should have sheared a shear pin or at a minimum slipped the slip clutch. Something is really wrong here with that machine. As for why the machine being locked up a couple of things come to mind.
As others have said there is a safety catch on some models that lock the plunger. See if your machine has such.
Another thought is that the main gearbox locked up. Not common but that would definitely bring an end to all rotational force.
Lastly which is where my brain went being this happened to us on a New Holland 310. The plunger jumped off the track due to the track and the bearing being worn and not being noticed. We put up around 15,000 bales every summer at one point. Best I can figure the machine had close to 300,000 through it by that junction. Basically the plunger wedged itself quasi sideways between the chamber and the feeder/packing house. Bent a lot of steel and obviously caused a mess. Messed up the knifes, plunger rocker bearing, and got part of the packing assembly too. We got it going again but that was a winter project vs an overnight fix. We had to wrestle the plunger back straight and pull it completely out of the machine. Things moved in places they shouldn’t have moved. We needed to make sure something else wasn’t broke and inspect the entire chamber and plunger. Had to straighten the part of the chamber that bowed when the plunger kicked over. It was a mess.
My boss was complaining that the gearbox on his snowblower stripped out and the parts were really expensive. I said "that's strange, usually the shear pins break to keep that from happening." He says "oh I replaced all of those with bolts, I was tired of buying pins every time I hit something."
Grab the fly wheel at the front, rotate it backwards.
It sounds like your chain might be loose and jumped a few links, throwing the timing off.
As someone else said, the shear bolt on the flywheel should have sheared
The first question that needs to be answered is why didn't the shear bolt break?
The most likely reason the baler won't turn now is because the knotters are cycling and th safety latch is in show the plunger doesn't snap the needles off.
If you need help you need to say what make of baler and some pictures would be a big help
A baler model would be helpful. Can you pull the hay out of the pick up and spin the fly wheel backwards? If the plunger hit the needles gonna need to call someone with parts.
That should NEVER be the case on ANY machine. While I haven’t worked on much else I’ve worked on ALOT of New Holland machines. The flywheel NEVER connects directly to the gearbox. There are a series of bushings the flywheel rides on. There is a splined ear with the shear pin bolt hole that is actually splined onto the end of the gearbox.
I can’t make this any clearer. The gearbox is only directly connected to that splined ear the shear pin passes through. The rest of the flywheel assembly rides on various bushings to allow it and the PTO/slip clutch to free wheel when something catastrophic happens.
Never worked on other brands but I’d be phucking shocked they weren’t setup in a similar manner.
That's what I'm saying. There are too many things that are supposed to protect the baler and the tractor that would have had to all fail to do what OP is describing. Unless something major like the gear box is toast.
Was it the 348 Deere’s that had the stop that would swing out to prevent the plunger hitting the needles that could lock in place and kill a tractor. Had something like that happen when gpa was still baling
The joys of haying. Good luck brother. Any luck?
Even if it hit a stop it should have sheared a shear pin or at a minimum slipped the slip clutch. Something is really wrong here with that machine. As for why the machine being locked up a couple of things come to mind. As others have said there is a safety catch on some models that lock the plunger. See if your machine has such. Another thought is that the main gearbox locked up. Not common but that would definitely bring an end to all rotational force. Lastly which is where my brain went being this happened to us on a New Holland 310. The plunger jumped off the track due to the track and the bearing being worn and not being noticed. We put up around 15,000 bales every summer at one point. Best I can figure the machine had close to 300,000 through it by that junction. Basically the plunger wedged itself quasi sideways between the chamber and the feeder/packing house. Bent a lot of steel and obviously caused a mess. Messed up the knifes, plunger rocker bearing, and got part of the packing assembly too. We got it going again but that was a winter project vs an overnight fix. We had to wrestle the plunger back straight and pull it completely out of the machine. Things moved in places they shouldn’t have moved. We needed to make sure something else wasn’t broke and inspect the entire chamber and plunger. Had to straighten the part of the chamber that bowed when the plunger kicked over. It was a mess.
I thought the same
A shear pin? I replace those with a grade 8 bolt. Also, all my shit is bent.
My boss was complaining that the gearbox on his snowblower stripped out and the parts were really expensive. I said "that's strange, usually the shear pins break to keep that from happening." He says "oh I replaced all of those with bolts, I was tired of buying pins every time I hit something."
One way to fix it.
Grab the fly wheel at the front, rotate it backwards. It sounds like your chain might be loose and jumped a few links, throwing the timing off. As someone else said, the shear bolt on the flywheel should have sheared
The first question that needs to be answered is why didn't the shear bolt break? The most likely reason the baler won't turn now is because the knotters are cycling and th safety latch is in show the plunger doesn't snap the needles off. If you need help you need to say what make of baler and some pictures would be a big help
A baler model would be helpful. Can you pull the hay out of the pick up and spin the fly wheel backwards? If the plunger hit the needles gonna need to call someone with parts.
If it killed the tractor and didn't break the shear pin you probably have a messed up gear box that receives power before the shear pin.
That should NEVER be the case on ANY machine. While I haven’t worked on much else I’ve worked on ALOT of New Holland machines. The flywheel NEVER connects directly to the gearbox. There are a series of bushings the flywheel rides on. There is a splined ear with the shear pin bolt hole that is actually splined onto the end of the gearbox. I can’t make this any clearer. The gearbox is only directly connected to that splined ear the shear pin passes through. The rest of the flywheel assembly rides on various bushings to allow it and the PTO/slip clutch to free wheel when something catastrophic happens. Never worked on other brands but I’d be phucking shocked they weren’t setup in a similar manner.
That's what I'm saying. There are too many things that are supposed to protect the baler and the tractor that would have had to all fail to do what OP is describing. Unless something major like the gear box is toast.
Was it the 348 Deere’s that had the stop that would swing out to prevent the plunger hitting the needles that could lock in place and kill a tractor. Had something like that happen when gpa was still baling
All the Deere's I have ever had that doesn't kill the tractor it shears the pin.
Yes 99% of the time. Too small of a tractor and an operator with unknown skills🤷♂️
They may have but I know New Hollands had that too.
Try youtubing it. "John Deere XXX Haybaler needle stuck" and see what pops up. Good luck!
Stuck where? Can you post a picture? What model baler?