The heat of summer is tough on tractors. During one of the seasons when you need your tractor the most, it must survive hot temperatures that make cooling and electrical systems work harder than ever. If your tractor is not in prime operating condition, the odds of you becoming stalled in the field increase as the summer temperatures rise. Before fate deals you an unpleasant surprise, it’s best to give your tractor an inspection to make sure everything is in good working condition.
Here’s a 9-point checklist of what to inspect to keep your tractor working through summer:
Tractor Cooling Systems
1) Radiators
The job of a radiator is to reduce heat produced by the engine. It’s a big job because engines naturally produce a lot of heat while operating. When you throw in extra external heat from hot summer days, it makes the job of cooling all the more challenging. If the radiator is not in top condition, it can’t do its job effectively, and that could lead to an overheated engine. Before your radiator is put to the summer heat test, you should inspect it for leaks, rust and clogs, as well as low or poor-quality coolant.
2) Radiator Hoses
These hoses carry coolant throughout the system, making periodic inspection of the hoses a good idea. Radiator hoses will eventually fail due to age and high pressure. Look for cracks, holes and poorly clamped connections.
3) Water Pumps
The water pump circulates coolant from the radiator to the engine. When the water pump doesn’t do its job, excessive heat builds up. Like everything else, summer heat makes it harder to function. Heat also creates conditions more conducive to corrosion, accelerating corrosive effects during hot summer weather. Corrosion leads to loss of functionality and leaks. If your engine is running hotter than usual, inspect your water pump for any problems.
Tractor Electrical Systems
4) Batteries
Excessive heat messes with the chemistry inside your battery, reducing its ability to generate power. As your battery ages, you should inspect it more frequently. Additionally, you should also inspect it more often if you live in an area with longer and hotter summers. Inspection items should include charging capacity and terminal connections.
5) Alternators
Heat is no friend of an alternator, even though it produces a lot of it on its own. But when you layer on the extra heat of hot weather, it can sometimes be too much to handle. Heat reduces output capacity for alternators. As output declines, the need to charge the battery becomes stressed, eventually leading to failure of the system. Warning signs of an impending alternator failure include electrical accessories working sporadically and dimming lights. A voltmeter can give you a good read on the health of your alternator.
6) Voltage Regulators
Voltage regulators are often overlooked because they’re not the first thing that comes to mind when electrical problems occur, but they play a significant role in your electrical system. The voltage regulator is the mechanism that regulates the flow of voltage. If it is not doing its job, too much voltage can cause damage to other electrical components. Voltage regulators will eventually wear out due to age and usage, and summer heat can shorten their lives.
7) Ignition Systems
Ignition system components are made with exacting specifications, and summer heat can cause physical changes that deteriorate performance. Heat can cause expansion of the materials in ignition components, separating connections that need close tolerances. These physical changes can be just enough to make starting difficult.
8) Starters
If your starter is getting older and not working as efficiently as it once did, heat can make the shortcomings worse. Starters rely on precise electrical connection points, and hot temperatures can play tricks with the flow of electric. Summer heat can speed that deterioration.
9) Solenoids
The solenoid serves as the link between the ignition and starter. It magnetizes and completes the electrical circuit to the starter. Hot summer heat along with humidity can interfere with the precise functions of a solenoid. Starting problems should include an inspection of the solenoid along with the starter.
Summer heat is hard on tractors
The best advice is to control what you can control. There’s nothing you can do about the hot summer weather, but you can reduce the chances of your tractor breaking down because of it. New tractor parts can boost the likelihood that your tractor will sail through the summer without a problem. Do an inspection now to make sure everything is in top-running condition.
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