Good Tractor Maintenance Leads to Great Performance
When spring arrives, it’s time to dust off the cobwebs and get your tractor ready for another season. Before you wake up your tractor from its long winter nap, it’s best to give it a thorough checkup to make sure it’s ready for the new season. Even while idle, a tractor can experience some changes that need fixing. Plus, a long off-season makes it easy to forget some of the things that weren’t working perfectly last year. Doing a checkup now is better than experiencing an unexpected breakdown when the working season is in full swing.
10 Point Tractor Checkup Guide
- Oil: Spring is the season of fresh starts. Everything is new again. That makes it the perfect time to change the oil. Fresh, good quality oil is one of the most effective and simplest ways to protect and extend the life of your tractor engine. But over time, engine oil breaks down and loses its effectiveness. Of all vehicles, tractors are especially in need of routine oil changes because they work in dusty environments. Not changing oil is pennywise and pound foolish.
- Transmission Fluid: The transmission is one of the most expensive systems to repair and replace, so you want to take good care of it. Be sure to check the transmission fluid level and top off if necessary. If it’s been awhile since you changed the fluid, or it’s looking a tad dirty, you might consider draining and refilling it.
- Hydraulic Fluid: While we’re focused on fluids, you might as well check the hydraulic fluid to verify its level and cleanliness, which is essential to ensure your hydraulics operate smoothly.
- Cooling System: You’ll want to check several things related to your cooling system, including coolant level, radiator, water pump, hoses and clamps. Cooling systems can develop leaks, which can be caused by anything from a rusted radiator to loose clamps and worn hoses. Check your coolant level. If it’s down from over winter, there may be a leak somewhere. Check all components for any signs of leakage.
- Filters: It’s best to routinely change filters in your tractor. Unless you did it toward the end of last season, spring is the perfect time to get a fresh start with a new air filter and fuel filter.
- Belts: Broken belts are some of the biggest causes of sudden tractor failures in the field. Often times, belts give telltale signs of pending problems before the letdown occurs. Check your alternator and fans belts for cracks. If you see any cracks, it’s time to change them out. If your belts are old, you might also consider changing them because belts can become brittle over time.
- Fuel Treatment: If you have a gasoline powered engine, it’s always helpful to add some fuel treatment to start the season. Fuel treatment helps ensure engines start easily and run smoothly after an engine has been idle for a while. Fuel treatments can help remove deposits that occur in your fuel system.
- Electrical Components: In the fall, it’s easy to overlook some issues because you know the season will end soon. Then over winter these issues are out of sight and out of mind. Think back to last year. Was your tractor starting as quickly as it should? If not, you might check the performance of your starter. Next think about the operation of anything electrical? Did your lights ever fade at night? If so, it could be a sign of an alternator going bad. Of course, after a long winter, many batteries don't come back to life. Finally, check the condition of wiring. Is it frayed, loose or damaged in any way? Something as simple as bad wiring could stop you in your tracks.
- Lighting: A light that burns out is easy to overlook because you can still drive your tractor. But while you’re fixing up your tractor, spring is a good time to replace any problematic lights.
- Critters: This is kind of an odd one, but it really does happen. You should give your tractor a good inspection before starting it in spring. More often than you may think, animals take shelter under the hood. They may bring in leaves and sticks for nesting, and they may bring along a few snack to tide themselves over during winter. If not removed, those items can lead to smoke or fire when the tractor is operating.
By doing a preventative checkup in the spring, you’ll be in better shape for a full season ahead. A spring checkup can prevent many unexpected problems from occurring when you least suspect it. Routine maintenance is always better than out of the blue breakdowns.
