CLAAS VARIANT 385 RC round baler review

Timely, hefty spring rains produced exceptional growing conditions for farmers and hay producers in the North of Tasmania in late 2017. The grass in the paddock had stood 1.5m tall only a few days before, now it lay raked into long neat windrows waiting for the baler to arrive.

Scottsdale based Peter Lette has been making hay for more years than he cares to remember. He has used his fair share of machinery over the years and has witnessed how far hay production machinery has come.

The investment in his CLAAS VARIANT 385 RC (ROTO CUT) round baler was an informed one made only after careful consideration and comparing detailed specifications to ensure the production of quality bales without sacrifice on productivity. Reliability and back-up service were also key factors.

In recent times, there has been a push to produce higher density, heavier bales in an effort to reduce hay production and transportation costs.

The CLAAS VARIANT 385 RC is one of a number of balers in the market capable of producing high-density bales.

Why denser bales?

A 25 per cent increase in the traditional bale’s weight equates to 25 per cent fewer bales in the field with the same amount of hay. That means a quarter reduction in the twine used.

These heavier bales allow transport operators to load their trucks to the maximum axle weights. This means cheaper freight costs for farmers, because cartage is normally calculated by distance travelled. Therefore, by increasing the weight carried on the truck by 15 per cent means that a freight bill that came to $30 per tonne in the past is now reduced to $25 per tonne.

There are other advantages too – lesser bales mean less stops to unload the baler and consequently less movements picking up bales in the paddock. In addition, more hay can fit in the storage shed.

Tightly rolled bales are less susceptible to moisture penetration as well.

However, most farmers will agree that when you’re baling with higher pressures and higher densities, the conditions have to be spot on. If hay is not properly cured and baled with too much moisture, it can cause issues such as fire or bales going off.

Bale density on demand

Depending on their operations, farmers might prefer their bales denser at certain parts of the bale.

For example, some might prefer softer core bales to make it easier to drive bale spikes through when it is time to feed out.

Some might prefer bales with softer outer shells to reduce the amount of twine required to hold the bale together, while others might prefer tighter outer shells that are ideal for outside storage.

By simply adjusting the belt tension of the CLAAS VARIANT 385 RC at different stages of the bale rolling process, farmers can alter the density of the bale at different locations. And it is all done comfortably within the cab.

Pickup and power

The CLAAS VARIANT was the first round baler on the market with a 2.1m wide pick-up. Ideally, the raking width of the windrow should be set to a maximum of 1.9m to ensure no wastage.

The baler’s design provides enormous throughput capacity. Large caster-mounted guide wheels keep the pick-up mechanism evenly supported and securely on track, which ensures precise ground contour following and protects grass stubble even when working at high speeds and when turning.

The standard feed rotor delivers a uniform crop flow into the bale chamber and is designed for rugged performance. All components demonstrate high operational reliability and long service lives, no matter what crops you bale.

The CLAAS VARIANT operates with a PTO shaft speed of 1000rpm to achieve high rotor and conveyor speeds that in turn accelerate the bale formation process, equalling higher productivity and faster work rates.

The heavy-duty drive train in the VARIANT balers ensures top performance in the toughest crop conditions. A durable gearbox increases throughput while the baling belts are seamless for reduced wear points, and the 1.25-inch drive chains are designed for years of trouble-free use.

However, add the optional CLAAS automatic lubrication system, and the drive chains have an even longer service life.

Rotor system

When the 385 RC is used to bale silage, the raked grass moves from the pickup into the chamber and passes through 14 ROTO CUT knives, which cut the pieces into 70mm lengths. The helical rotor design of the ROTO CUT system ensures a superior cut and consistent feeding; and it produces a short chop with high compaction pressure during baling resulting in silage that is rich in nutrients and gives enhanced lactic acid fermentation – essential for high milk yields.

CLAAS’ unique high-speed rotor system forces the bale to start rotating once the crop is fed into the baler, which produces a compact core. This automatic start feature allows the operator to drive and operate the baler at full speed while achieving maximum core compaction and bale weight.

The machine has four seamless belts that produce bales with consistent shape and density. Two cambered rubber-coated rollers drive the belts at 3m/s, meaning the CLAAS VARIANT 385 RC turns faster and compresses more densely than most balers in the market. In addition, the four belts provide maximum surface coverage for minimum crop loss.

The positive bale rotation action means the crop flows only one way from the rotor into the bale chamber. This means the bale forms more evenly with the hay fed in more consistently, and it also means even and complete unrolling of the bale when feeding.

The CLAAS VARIANT 385 RC baler tailgate opens and closes to deposit finished bales within seven seconds, meaning the operator can continue baling as soon as the finished bale was released. The bale ramp helps to drop and roll the bale gently from the machine, allowing the gate to close promptly for the next bale run.

Wrapping

Like all CLAAS balers, the VARIANT 385 RC is designed so that wrapping takes place in a highly visible area. This allows the operator to clearly see exactly when it starts, follow the action as it progresses, and know the moment it is finished.

The CLAAS VARIANT 385 RC is designed to operate with a 1.2m ‘edge-to-edge’ net wrap and transitioning from one size to the other is as simple as moving a few pins. With the optional COMFORT tying system, the operator can set the number of wraps from the cab to only use the required amount of net wrap for each bale size, which allows for more secure binding and easier transporting.

Lette said he is happy so far with his CLAAS VARIANT 385 RC and added that its stability in the steeper paddocks was a huge advantage.

“In good going like this flatter paddock I’m in now, I can bale approximately 590 bales in an 11 hour shift which means it’s roughly spitting out a bale every minute,” he said.

“So the efficiency in the baler is definitely there and so far, it’s been a damn reliable machine.”

CLAAS VARIANT 385RC Specifications

Hitching

PTO shaft speed: 1000RPM

Demand for power take-off:74 Kw minimum

Main drive: Heavy Duty

Drive chains: 1.25-inch Heavy Duty

Pick-up

Width: 2.1-meter

DIN raking width: 1.9m

Hydraulic pick-up lift: Standard

Ground tracking via two oscillating pick-up castor guide wheels: Standard

Crop feed

Forced feed with: Heavy duty ROTO CUT

Number of knives: 14

Baling chamber dimensions

Width: 1.2m

Diameter: 0.9 - 1.8m

Binding

Net wrapping with automatic start: Standard

Number of net turns (optional): Continuous

Dimensions & Weights

Tyres: 480/45-17

Pick-up caster guide wheels: 16/6.50-8 4 PR

Length with bale ramp: 4.68m

Width with 15.0/55 R 17 tyres: 2.49m

Transport Height: 3.03m

Weight: 2.67 tonne