New F5 balers from McHale

Superseding the current F5000 series, the new range includes the F5-540 standard machine, the F5-550 equipped with a 15-knife chopper and semi-automation, the F5-560 with a 25-knife chopper and full automation, and the F5-560 Plus that features a 25-knife chopper, with automatic film binding.

All four machines are fitted with the newly designed Profi-Flo pickup, designed to increase crop intake through more efficient crop flow, while buyers can choose between a five-tine bar cam track pick-up or the optional, wider six-tine bar cam-less version.

Up front, the new tapered feed channel helps the crop flow towards the rotor and into the bale chamber, with several changes behind the tines to improve the flow of crop into the chamber.

A new Adaptive Intake System allows the intake area to automatically adjust to changes in material flow.

While all F5s are fitted with a 540rpm gearbox as standard, a 1000rpm option helps reduce torque loadings throughout the driveline, with revised clutch settings offering 10% more capacity to reduce the risk of blockages. The company says that the 1000rpm option also leads to better fuel economy, achieved by lower tractor engine revs, delivered by running the machine at the recommended PTO speed of 890rpm.

Other new features include improved performance on both Net and NRF binding mechanisms, particularly when operating at high densities. Dual Feed Netting increases net tension on all F5 machines, with net applied using a rubber feed roller, while a steel roller maintains the net at the chosen tension.

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As part of the design brief and subsequent development, ease of operation was a key consideration. Clever detail sees quick-attach pick up support wheels that can be quickly and easily fitted to the pick-up or removed without the need for any pins-by simply pulling a lever.

The F5-560 and F5-560 Plus machines are ISOBUS- compatible as standard, with the option on the F5-550, allowing operation via the tractor’s own terminal. ISOBUS controlled machines can also be operated by non-ISOBUS equipped tractors using the optional McHale ISO-Play 7 or ISO-Play 12 console and additional tractor wiring loom.

Depending on machine specification, several additional features are available for ISOBUS-equipped machines, including auto unblock, automatic drop floor reset, auto knife drop and knife cleaning cycle along with the optional internal panel lighting.