McHale V8 baler range launched

In response to customer demand from across its key markets including Australia, McHale has unveiled its range topping V8 variable chamber round baler series with increased capacity and output.

The V8 series, now McHale’s largest baler range, was the result of three years of design and testing and will be available for the 2021 hay season.

The new baler range consists of the McHale V8940 non-chopper baler and the McHale V8950 15-knife chopper baler. The high output machines have been designed to produce dense bales from 0.6m to 1.9m in diameter.

SEE ALSO: McHale lands next-gen V6 round balers

The increase in bale size and improved density means a 1.9m bale made by a McHale V8 baler has up to 30 per cent more crop compared to a 1.68m V6 bale, McHale added.

“Our new V8940 & V8950 have brought baling to a new level with higher density, increased bale size, better intake and easier maintenance,” said McHale Marketing & Sales Director, Martin McHale.

Visually, the new range of V8 variable chamber balers feature a new look with twin skin durable panels that open upwards to provide better access to the machine’s components.

A key feature of the V8 series of balers is a new pick-up with a 5-tine bar cam track pick-up or 6 tine bar cam-less pick-up option with double crop roller.

McHale has increased the size of the lateral feed augers which direct crop into the rotor while also increasing the rotor diameter to improve intake. The angle at which the floor is positioned has also been redesigned to maximise the flow of crop into the chamber.

A new adaptive intake feature allows the intake area to automatically adjust to changes in material flow for a better crop intake and reduced chances of blockages.

The McHale V8 variable chamber round baler range is fitted with a new Expert Plus Control Console with a large graphic display. From the control console, the operators can adjust a wide range of settings including core and bale size, core and bale density and revolutions of net being applied.

The new console also gives the operator the choice of selecting a soft or hard bale core, depending on the customers’ feed out requirements.

A new bale shape indicator provides a more accurate reading of the bale shape, McHale said. The sensor detects bale formation in the chamber and indicates live information to the driver via the control console regarding which side of the chamber to fill in order to get the best bale shape.

The McHale V8950 comes standard with a 15-knife chopper unit that can be engaged or disengaged from the tractor cab. With all 15 knifes engaged, the McHale V8950 can deliver a chop length of approximately 65mm.

An optional selectable knife system consists of two knife banks that allow for various knife configurations (0, 7, 8, or 15) to be chosen for chopping.

As baling conditions are not always ideal, uneven swaths can occur which can lead to blockages. The McHale variable chamber baler range is fitted with a drop floor unblocking system that clears blockages in three simple steps.

Should a blockage occur, the sound of the slip clutch will alert the operator to hydraulically lower the floor from the tractor cab. This widens the feed channel and on re-engaging the PTO, the blockage will be fed through. The floor can then be reset to its original position and baling can resume.

All machines in the V8 range come fitted with three heavy-duty endless belts as standard. McHale said the belts are extremely hard wearing and have been reinforced with synthetic material which ensures that the belts can absorb and apply high pressure to the material in the bale chamber.

The V8940 & V8950 balers can create bales with diameters ranging from 0.6m to 1.98m. The bale sizes can be adjusted up from the minimum setting in increments of 10mm.

All McHale V8940 machines are fitted with a primary drive to aid belt and material rotation. On the McHale V8950, a secondary drive is fitted. In difficult conditions, such as wet short grass, the secondary drive will engage should the primary drive slip to ensure material rotates in the chamber.

The McHale V8 range has a high-performance netter that has endless net adjustment and ability to take rolls of net up to 1310mm in width. It also features 180-degree wrap around on the feed roller to prevent any net slippage while feeding.

A simple yet effective netting system comprising a moving roller allows the roll of net to rotate as it is being applied to ensure even net application. The operator can adjust net tension on the control console in the tractor cab.

Manual greasing blocks come standard on the McHale V8940 and V8950 models.

The McHale V8950 variable chamber baler has the option to be fitted with an automatic greasing system which delivers a measured amount of grease around the baler every time a bale is ejected from the bale chamber.

A heavy-duty telescoping channel type bale kicker available as standard on both baler models ensures a clean separation between the netted bale and the machine.

A bale discharge sensor notifies the driver when the bale has left the chamber and has passed over the bale kicker.