A round baler having a frame, a baling chamber for forming cylindrical packages of crop material mounted on the frame, a pickup for feeding crop material into the chamber including a tubular rotatable shaft extending transverse of the frame and concentric with a stationary shaft also extending transverse of the frame. The tubular shaft is journalled via a bearing assembly including a generally cylindrical stationary first race and a concentrically disposed generally cylindrical rotatable second race between which races a bearing cavity is formed for seating a series of bearings housed between the first and second races. The first race is affixed to the stationary shaft and the second race is rotatable relative to the first race and affixed to the tubular shaft for rotating in concert therewith relative to the first race. An annular shaped cover encloses the cavity and has a first edge adjacent the stationary shaft. A holding collar is fixedly disposed between the inner race and the annular cover, which annular cover has an integral cylindrical portion contiguous with the rotatable tubular shaft. A generally ring shaped sleeve extends adjacent to the outer surface of the integral cylindrical portion to maintain integrity of the bearing cavity against unwanted debris.