A baler for making rectangular bales includes a main drive transmission section embodying a planetary gear set including a planet carrier which serves as an output member for delivering power to a plunger crank and to a knotter and feeder drive shaft. Power is delivered to the sun gear of the planetary gear set through a path including an input shaft adapted for connection to a towing tractor PTO shaft, a wet slip clutch, a simple input bevel gear set, a flywheel and an intermediate shaft having a plate fixed to one end thereof and secured to the flywheel by a shear bolt and having the sun gear integral with a second end thereof.