Bought new Vermeer equipment. Questions

Hi all,

 

 This year we decided to really splurge and upgrade our haying equipment.

 

We purchased a TM1400 mower, 605N baler, and vr1428 rake.   I've got some questions on all of them and figured if there was anyone who might have real advice, it'd be here-

 

TM-1400-

 

Love the mower.  In short crested wheat grass it likes to streak a bit.  My vermeer rep told me to slow engine rpms, and increase ground speed.  that didn't do anything but make a bigger mess out of the hay.  I've had best results with keeping the knives in excellent condition, lower the cut as much as I can tolerate, and drive about 7-8 mph with wide open throttle (2300rpm).   Is there any other tips you guys can give me for a better cut in short grass?  is there better knives out there?

 

VR1428-

 

This rake is built like a buffalo.   it's advertised to span 28 feet, which should be even close to covering two passes with the mower (36feet), but it actually comes within a foot or two of getting it.  so, going to try swathboards on the mower to see if we can make that happen.  The rake when fully open likes to "streak" between therake wheels.  I've tried more rake wheel ground pressure, which helps some (their reccomended pressure makes lots of dust), but the only real solution has been to close the rake up about 4 feet.  I've also raised the cut height of the mower thinking that if the hay was off the ground a little more it'd be easier to pick-up.  it's helped some, but not completeliy.  

 

Next problem, is the center kicker wheels.  they do kick out a good portion of the hay. however there's still hay between what the kickers don't touch, and the last rake wheel on each wing that never gets moved by the rake wheels.  When I go to bale, our balers are leaving "streaks" where this unmoved hay was laying.  Narrowing the rake in the back helped, but you can only make a windrow so narrow.  is there adjustment to the center kickers that I'm not seeing?

 

605n-   The baler has been great-  And this may be more of my ignorance than anything, but it seems that the bales have a little bit softer core than my JD 567 has.  the tension is adjusted just into the red barely.  but is there a starting tension I missed?   Next, it seems that all the pickup height is adjusted by the pickup wheels.  if I adjust the wheels so the pickup can be all the way down, the teeth are still 1/2-3/4 inch off the ground. which is close enough any other time, but I'm trying to pickup these streaks of hay that my rake is leaving, and cannot lower it enough.!

 

Overall, I give this equipment high marks, and I'm learning more every day I run it.  Just looking for words of experience for these issues!

Bought new Vermeer equipment. Questions