Tractors are the most important part of your agricultural toolkit. It’s your key to good yield and a trophy of successful produce. Which is why, looking after your tractor and caring for it is important. From motor oil leaks, tire burnouts, loose valves and engine pistons, you need to keep a check on every part of your tractor. To make that process easy, Here are a few tips to make regular maintenance of tractors easy.
- Always check your engine first:
What good is your tractor if it doesn’t run? Your engine is the most important part of your tractor. Your tractor engine is very likely a heavy duty long running engine. But that does not mean you ignore its maintenance. Regular oil checks and replacement of engine oil is important. It is advised that you change your engine oil after every 700 – 1000 hours of usage. When you get your engine oil changed, be sure to check the engine for any valve damage, corrosion and wear of the parts. Don’t forget to replace the oil filter every 6 months.
- Check for fluid leaks:
Brake fluid and hydraulic fluid are very important, especially for agricultural vehicles. It’s good to remind yourself that these vehicles serve one purpose, and are designed to behave in one specific way. The various other fluids in your tractor such as coolant, battery fluid and transmission fluid may need regular checks for any leakages. If there is such a leakage in your tractor, repairing it will be costly. So it’s best to check and replace any damages to the battery, brakes and choose the right lubricant to keep the vehicle in top condition at all times.
- Keep an eye on the Tyres:
The tyres on your tractor need to be in the best condition on every day of the week. Identify the weather conditions in your location and accordingly ensure that your tractor tyre pressure is at optimum level. Ensure they are filled at all times to avoid burnouts and punctures. Make sure the front and rear tyres of your tractor have relative pressure.
- Overloading your tractor is bad for it:
Depending on the hours you spend in the field with the tractor, you will get an idea of how much you can strain it in a day. This depends on whether conditions, the attachments you are using on your tractor around the plot. Weather conditions may affect this too, as heat and humidity can have extreme effects on the engine and extreme cold conditions may lead to less warming up of the engine before usage. This can damage the tractor in the long run. Either limit your usage per day or use the vehicle for long periods of time instead of stop-&-go methods.
- Keep up with manufacturer guidelines and visit your mechanic:
There may be times when you are confused about what to do with maintenance. In that case, it is best to visit your mechanic at their workshop or request your manufacturer to review your vehicle as per their guidelines. Keep the manufacturer’s handbook with you as it will help with the small maintenance and repairs you can perform yourself.
Ensure your mechanic or manufacturer advises a bi-monthly maintenance schedule. This will include them helping you with the maintenance such as:
- Engine oil Replacement.
- Axle and brake lubrication.
- Change of belt-pulley oil.
- Filter changes for engine, hydraulic pump and coolant.
- Changing the steering oil.
- Greasing tyres and checking for air pressure etc.
Since your tractor maintenance relies on the amount of field work. Spend around 30 minutes every day looking for and identifying problems within the mechanisms every day. It is also advisable to keep a tractor or farm vehicle tool set prepared, to avoid mishaps and maybe fix the small issues that come up. Remember to keep an eye on the engine filter, the type of agriculture engine oil and even give it some aesthetic love and care, if your tractor looks good, you’ll feel good while driving it.