Haybine work

I have my hay all baled, and Buddy who finished cutting my hayfield said he would cut Donna's field next week, so I don't need my haybine until my second hay cutting.  My u-joint, who they said would be fixed on Wednesday, is still to fixed.  I stopped by this morning and they said they are waiting for a part.  They expected the part this afternoon and will call me when my u-joint is fixed.  No call yet.

I used my air compressor to clean the hay off the haybine.   I also checked the gear oil.   Not easy to do as one needs to remove 9 bolts to lift off the cover.   I found the gear oil was chocolate brown.  Not good.  Donna and Curtis thought water had gotten in the gear oil.   I drained the bad gear oil which was not easy to do as there is no plug at the bottom of the unit.  The plug (a bolt) is 80% from the bottom.  I had to use a small plastic cup to get most of the rest of the oil out.  Then several paper towels to remove the rest of the oil.  Then I put new gear oil in the haybine.

Here you can see the bolt near the bottom I had removed to drain as much of the oil as I could.   The top of the oil is supposed to be at the height of the top bolt.

The dirty oil.

A future project is to replace a bolt and hard spring that sheared off the 8 bolt count where the driveline attaches.  I still was able to cut the hay with the seven remaining bolts in place.