Anyone know about Owatona haybines

jon f mn

Well-known Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #1

Craig's list has an Owatona haybine for
sale not far from me, but I've never used
one. Anyone ever used one? If so how did
it work? I'm not worried about parts as I
have 2 excellent salvage yards that do
have some for any parts I can't get new.
Here is a pic of what I'm looking at.

 

T

tomturkey

Well-known Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #2

Jon, I always enjoy the posts about your projects and kingdom. I know nothing about that moco, but know that ANY moco is better than a cycle bar mower. Of course thats just my opinion. I've used a 489? New Holland for several years now, had to do several repairs, that Owatonna looks to be much more accessible than my 489. gobble

 

D

DRussell

Well-known Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #3

I've never owned an Owatonna, but had a close neighbor who did. His always did a poor job of mowing. It left a lot of streaks of unmown hay throughout the field. He was frequently having to work on it too. Watching him work on and use his kind of turned me off about them. While this neighbors machinery in general was not new, it was always well kept, which made me further turned off by Owatonna.

My opinion, if you are looking for a sickle bar type of machine instead of a disc machine, you won't find any that mow better than a New Holland haybine. NH made several 7 and 9 foot models to choose from, any of which would do a decent job of mowing hay. As far as I'm aware, parts are readily available for all of them.

 

OP

OP

jon f mn

Well-known Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #4

I know New Holland is a great machine, but also a lot more money. I would prefer a Case 555 which is the same as a Heston PT 10, but haven't found one yet. Thought maybe this one would work til I find the case.

 

D

DRussell

Well-known Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #5

With your skillset I'm sure you could get it to work. Based on the picture, it doesn't look like it's been beat up too badly.

 

N

NY 986

Well-known Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #6

Your timing is off. There were a couple of Cases around here within the last year. But they do come up for sale.

 

2

2SteveWI

Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #7

Assembled quite a few of those Owatonna haybines in the mid 70's at a dealer in North Central Wisconsin. They were fairly popular, but nowhere as prevalent as the New Hollands. I recently purchased an Operator Manual for an Oliver haybine and based on the pictures its an Owatonna in Oliver clothes. The Dealer I worked at is now a bank and the only remnant of it is the concrete base for the Bell and Laessig Imp sign. Steve.

 

E

Erik Ks farmer

Well-known Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #8

Looks like a 217? I had one for a couple years, the only trouble I had was the cables that lift the head and I had trouble finding a ball joint for the sickle drive when mine gave out. Im assuming the lift cables were supposed to be one piece, mine had broken and been spliced and that was a constant problem. It mowed hay fine.

 

E

Erik Ks farmer

Well-known Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #9

Its been awhile but I think theres a ball joint on a pitman under the cover on top of the machine and another on the sickle head. Check them over.

 

Bruce from Can.

Well-known Member

Location

Woodville, Ontario, Canada

• Feb 6, 2023

• #10

We had one for several seasons. And yes the lift cables could be a problem. Guards had become crazy expensive. I think Gehl took them over.

 

S

sotxbill

Well-known Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #11

Had a ford mowco that was made by owatona. It was a great machine. Finally after 35 years it got hard to get parts for it, so I retired it.

 

C

chcase

Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #12

Jon, Had a few friends that had the Owatonna machines and one was a ford (owatona) good machines. They ere replaced with newer New Holland machines. Ckeck the drive ball joints and lift cable.
.

 

M

muleman51

Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #13

Jon if you do get it, I may have some of the parts guards and sections for sure. I bought two huge pallet boxes of parts from OMC many years ago because ther were two swather canvases in them and I got the whole lot for far less than one canvas and lots of misc. parts.

 

OP

OP

jon f mn

Well-known Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #14

Thank you, I'll let you know if it buy it.

 

L

Leroy

Well-known Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #15

Jon, had the Case 555 from about 77 to 81 when cows left. Good machine. 9 ft 3 inch cut. The platform lifted itself unlike some other makes. And the Farmall H had no trouble lifting or powering it. Dealer before he had ours ready for use brought out one of the other styles that lifted the complete machine none of our tractors could lift it to even get it to cutting position.

 

P

Phil-mar Farms

Member

• Feb 6, 2023

• #16

We had a Owatona swather in the 70s and it cut fine. It handled 5 foot timothy that grew on the bottom land. The only weak parts of the machine were the belts and the Wisconsin engine

 

A

anderson farms

Member

• Feb 7, 2023

• #17

I have no idea what it is worth but I wouldnt mind finding a haybine to use. We have a 7' disc mower now but think I would like the conditioner in certain situations

 

I

INCase

Well-known Member

• Feb 7, 2023

• #18

correct. Gehl bought the hay tool division.

not sure which model Gehls were Owatona based if any. of course Gehl farm equipment side isn't around any more. Not sure if they are supporting any parts for the hay tools or anything else.

 

Gary Mitchell

Well-known Member

• Feb 7, 2023

• #19

One thing's for sure, if you're driving a self-propelled one downhill, be careful about touching the brakes. gm