Austrian firm Göweil has made lots of detail changes to its fixed-chamber combi baler, the latest generation of G-1 F125 Kombi.

KEEPING IT BRIEF

  • Although it may say G-1 F125 Kombi on the sticker, these are known as the Version 14, replacing the Version 13.
  • Revised crop intake.
  • The film cut-and-hold system has been improved.

There ls a certain Austrian logic to Göweil’s model designation for its G-1 F125 Kombi, which breaks down as: G-1 for Generation 1, F125 means fixed chamber, 125cm bale and Kombi is self-explanatory for this combi baler. But G-1 F125 Kombi doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue; nor does it help if you are trying to suss out which is an older or newer machine. So that’s why Göweil people refer to the newest model as the Version 14. Which, incidentally, last year replaced the Version 13 that had been launched in 2022

We caught up with the first Version 14 to land in Ireland during the 2025 season as it was doing its demo tour, and, although it looks almost identical to a Version 13, there have been numerous tweaks to the design to give gains in performance and reliability.

Getting into it

There are no changes to the actual drawbar, which has the option of hydraulic height control. Not only does that allow the user to quickly alter the height to suit different tractors but also increase clearance around the pick-up for easier daily maintenance or driving through a rutted gateway. However, the real benefit comes in wet, short grass where you can lower the drawbar to help the six rows of camless tines reliably gather the crop off the ground.

Swivelling gauge wheels are now standard specification on the 2.20m wide (tine-to-tine) pendulum mounted pick-up. A detail design change around the nylon stripper bands is that the spacing in between is slightly wider, allowing any material pulled in by the 6.3mm diameter, 114mm long tines to escape again.

The chain drive to the pick-up has changed from 60 to 80HSP so there are more teeth on the sprocket engaging with the chain, which has also been added to the auto-lube system — on the Version 13 there was a separate grease bank for the pick-up drive.

Behind the crop roller, there are now fingers (angled at the sides, straight in the middle), to aid forage flow. The height of the drawbar can be adjusted hydraulically.

The double crop press roller has been replaced with a single roller and comb set-up. The outer fingers are angled to direct the material towards the baler intake. As well as improving crop flow, it is over 10kg lighter than the double roller.

The side augers are 20mm longer to ensure forage flows into the mouth of the baler. The hydraulically driven intake roller has also been modified, increasing in diameter by 25mm to better engage the crop.

Side augers are now longer to help direct the material flow into the machine intake.

Göweil sticks with its existing chopping system, which has the knife bank positioned above the rotor. The latter spins upwards, passing the crop through up to 30 knives (for a theoretical chop length of 35mm). 

The knife holders have been beefed up in response to operators who were using the full set of knives.

Up to 30 reversible knives can be fitted. Spares and unused blades are stored here.

When not being used, the machine’s spare knives are stored in a rack above the knife bank. Rather than having to enter the bale chamber, the reversible knives are changed from the access platform at the front of the baler. The locking system is hydraulically activated.

When the Göweil does encounter a lump, the drop floor is engaged and the knives automatically raised up. There is no rotor- disengage system, but if the chamber slip clutch is triggered, then the machine will automatically open the back door slightly, allowing the bale to turn in the chamber and the binding cycle to be completed. Speaking of chambers, Göweil has 18 rollers in the F125 to produce bales of up to 1.23m in diameter and 1.25m wide.

Driveline beefing

The Version 14 continues to use a Walterscheid pto, driven in the 1,000 speed. The bearings in the main gearbox have been changed to pendulum roller bearings, and they are now connected to the central lubrication system.

Under the outfit’s right-hand panel is the driveline for the bale chamber. The chain oiler holds 16 litres of lubricant.

Lifting up the side panels on the right-hand side, the machine’s main chain adjuster has been beefed up and more of the pivots are connected to the auto greasing system.

Incidentally, on the Version 13, the greaser was supplied by Beka while on the Version 14 it comes from ILC. And to show if there is a blockage on the auto-greaser there is now a pressure sensor on the distributor block.

On the left of the machine is an updated auto greaser, which is now supplied by ILC.

One or two binding units

There is a choice of two binding units giving you the option to load net into one and film into the other. Alternatively, you can load both with the same and then swap in the field between the two, saving time having to swap and fit a fresh roll. There is also the option of applying net and film at the same time — just make the selection on the control box and get to work.

A spare roll of net/film is stored in the lockers on either side of the Kombi. These lower hydraulically from a control panel at the rear making loading easier. Up to seven rolls of 750mm wrap are also stored on either side. There is a cradle on the front platform that you manhandle the net/film into, making it easier to then lift into either of the binding units.

A pictogram on the front guard shows you the various layouts for routing the net/film.

The view from the driver’s seat in the cab. You can clearly see the pair of film/net dispensers. There are air brakes, load-sensing lines and a double-acting spool.

Wrapping up

To help speed things up once the bale is made, Göweil has altered the tailgate hinge allowing it to open slightly wider so the bale is ejected quicker. 

The holder for the net and wrap lowered hydraulically — easier on the operator’s back when loading a new roll into one of the two binding units. Our testers picked this out for praise.

On the Kombi, the wrapping table slides down to the rear of the baler to catch the bale before retreating back to its wrapping position.

One of several updates to the wrapper on the Version 14 is the position sensor; this has been relocated so it is less susceptible to dust and debris. But more noteworthy are the changes to the cut-and-hold system — when the main ram closes, the second smaller ram pushes the knife up into the held plastic to ensure a clean cut.

Upgraded bale position sensors are less susceptible to dirt and dust ingress.

These little steps have given the Göweil combination a boost in output. Speaking to Bob Conroy who works for contractor Tom Alley — Tom operates a pair of Version 12s — the demo model was delivering the step up in work output that had been promised, particularly with the tweaks made to the wrapper unit, such as the increase in oil flow from 25 to 60l/min when the wrapping table is completing its sealing rotation before tipping the bale.

With just 13 chopper knives engaged, the material chop length is 70mm.

From the cab, the Kombi had no issues with our wilted rows of second-cut grass. The contractor was only employing 13 knives on the demo machine, which wasn’t posing any power issues for the Claas Arion 650.

Other detals

  • The axle supplier has changed from FAD to TVZ.
  • Standard tyre fitment is 560/45 R22.5 with the option of 650s or 710s, but these increase the overall width to 3.00m and 3.30m. There is no steering axle option but you can place downward pressure on one axle.
  • Optional powered axle is now operated through the ISObus controls.
  • Pre-wired for telematics.
  • Latest software includes a ‘road transport’ soft key that moves the wrapping table to its road position. The cutting knife on the binding unit is raised every time the machine is restarted.
The cut-and-hold system has been revised by the manufacturer to make it faster.

Summary

Göweil is still seen as an exotic brand with a premium reputation. The Version 14 is the latest generation of its fixed-chamber combi baler which has numerous changes, many of them around the pick-up and intake to enhance crop flow, while the wrapping table has been given a bit more speed, too.

Mervyn Bailey

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