How bad is it to store tractor outside?

[JoeinTX]

The little 8n lives outside under a $25 plastic tarp from Harbor Freight. And, for $25, it's been a pretty darned good little tarp. Had a green plastic tarp from Northern Tool before that and it lasted about five years before it began to disintegrate due to sun and such.

No problem with condensation or anything like and I keep it secured with bungee chords. It is a tad inconvenient (since I essentially have to "unwrap" my tractor every time I want to use it and vice versa when I'm through) but in terms of money versus the $700-1000 portable carports I've been considering to replace it with it's an extremely inexpensive way to shelter your rig from the elements.

 

[silvertramp]

Just got a Kubota B9200. It's apprearance is already fairly weathered. I am tight for garage space. How bad would it be to store it outside? Would putting a tarp help. BTW, I'm in western PA.

I bought a pre-weathered Yanmar. It's got weathered paint & surface rust, but basicly, the sheetmetal is as good as new. I just lay a plywood rip (1.5X6') over the steering wheel & seat for the summer, & put a small green tarp bungied on 4 corners over that for the winter. The op station stays ice & snow free. I just brush off the hood & tarp & I'm good to go.
No moisture build up-tarp doesn't reach the ground. Total cost: 1 6x8 green tarp.

 

[knightrider955]

My Oliver 77 has never been indoors or covered with anything since we,ve owned it, about 20 yrs. It still starts and runs ok, but as for the appearance,well....its seen better days.

 

[Johnbro]

My old L2250 spent most of its life outdoors, and our climate here east of Seattle is very like Vancouver Island where you are. I always kept the seat tilted forward just so I didn't start my day with a wet butt but other than that it rarely was covered up. Paint faded horribly but tractor worked fine.

Only issue i had and I don't know that you could avoid this inside or out was for awhile mice moved in and started to munch my wiring. We solved that problem by getting 4 free feral cats from the local feral cat lady and before they either took off or got eaten they reduced the rodent population nicely.

 

[SARG]

Keep the exhaust stack covered & the operations area with the shifters etc covered to keep the water out and you'll be OK.

That's why you see coffee cans and exhaust caps on top of the upright exhaust pipes.

 

[deere755]

I disagree with most of the people who say it is ok to leave them sitting out. If you have no other choices then you do what you have to. I would at least put a tarp over it. It is a large investment to sit outside. I know people say well it was sitting outside when I bought it but that doesn't mean it has to the rest of its life. My car and pickup were sitting outside when I bought them too but I still put them in the garage in fact if I had to choose between the 2 my truck would set outside and my tractor would sit inside. The sun will take its toll on the paint and seat as well as the snow and rain blowing in every little spot it can. If you think in time you will be trading it off someday it will bring better money if it has been sitting inside. A dealer may let his stuff sit outside but they will frown upon a piece of equipment that has sat outside all its life. I bought a disk a couple of years back that had been sitting in a fence row for 20 years. The tires were dry rotted, the bearings all froze up and the blades were shot. I put different tires on it, worked to get the bearings freed up and put new blades on it. Even though it still looks ruff from not being painted I rented a spot from my neighbor to store it. I would suggest that you put a tarp over it if that is all you can do. Another option would be to see if a neighbor has a place to store it and offer to plow their driveway this winter in exchange for them storing it or maybe another tractor job you could do for them. Its a win win situation for both of you. I mow my neighbors pasture and roadsides for the use of her empty barn. She is happy to get the job done for free and I get the use of her barn that would other wise sit empty. I have my shed full at home and her barn as well

 

[picker77]

Indisputable fact: UV rays eat rubber, plastic, and paint.

I'm with deere755. I can't fathom people paying $15K (or much more in some cases) for a new tractor and then being too frugal to spend a couple hundred more on at least a basic open sided rain/sun shelter for it to protect their investment. Seems the same to me as spending a thousand bucks on a new camera and refusing to buy a $40 case for it. If the extra cost of the shelter is simply too much to bear, buy a slightly cheaper tractor and a shelter for it.

 

[Dead Horse]

one thing I know after 60 some years..there is a difference between giving a man your opinion and telling him what to do..........

The latter rarely ever goes over well.


My guys have indoor homes....... though, on nice nights in the summer, they have been known to sleep outside once in a while........they are strong but not too smart...heckfire, I have actually caught em sleeping out side in the rain a few times........

 

[woodchuckie]

Yes the tires don't stand up very good to the sun all the time. My cover I use is wide enough to reach the ground on one side which leaves the other side a foot or so off the ground to prevent moisture build up.

 

[rickster]

A $16000 tool is in the garage when not in use. Build a small shed
for it. If you ever want to sell it you will get more for it if its not all cracked and faded.