Winter Covering /Tarping of a new tractor

[Dave5264]

Hi All looking for some advice here, Im in Canada (northern ontario), where we get pretty severe winters (cold, snow, thaw and freeze), I have a brand new McCormic cx100 Xtraspeed with a cab and I dont yet have an indoor stroage for it (thats a project for another year). I dont want it exposed to the elements.

I had planned a shelter but for several reasons that has proved either non practical or not possible just now, so I plan to put some sort of cover on it.

I am picking up an indoor outdoor Van/SUV cover which will cover the cab and hood/ fenders and protect the painted parts ok. Im wondering about a Tarp on top of that. My concern is mositure build up. If I tarp it I wouldnt put it to the ground, however mositure is still a concern for me. Using just the Van Cover will let it breath, but it will get wet and frozen to the machine for sure.

Any other Ideas ?, the tractor is about 10' high at the top of the Cab, so its no small rig. Tepmoray Garages are expensive (for on 12' high item) and flimsy, we are in a high wind area, Ive lost 2 in the past 3 years to wind storms where they were ripped out of the ground and carried over 500 yards !

I wont be using the tractor at all during the winter, although Ill try and start it up and run it from time to time.

[Don87]

Do you have a barn or building that you could attach a 'lean-to' to? Covering the tractor with tarps will cause moisture build up, and things will corrode and freeze up for you.

[geko]

Hey there. How come you're not using it for snow clearing?

[JerryK]

I rebuilt and repainted a '46 styled John deere B... Took it all down to fairly bare metal, a lot of it by hand with scraper made out of an old file, and put good John Deere lead based paint on it... It shore was pretty... untill I needed extra room one winter and put it outside tarped. I built a treated stand to keep it up off the ground, with lots of air around it... but it still screwed it up....

[Dave5264]

Thanks for the replies fellas, we all agree moisture will be an issue

I have another tractor on snow clearing duty (the Montana in the avatar), so this Big Ag Tractor gets winters off.

I dont have a sound structure to erect a lean to against, at least not one that I feel is sturdy/sound enough. Part of my issue is Im slowly tearing down and re building all the barns and buildings, they are in poor condition. any structure that may venture into a lean-to isnt high enough, when you consider the roof of the cab is almost 10' high the top of a lean to would have to be 12-14' to get some slope on it. Generally though Id be worried about a 100yr old bld falling into my $60k tractor.

I have one old shed that I removed a small lean-to from with the intention of widening the door on the shed to put the tractor in. After the lean-to came off, the extent of the Shed's problems became very apparent, it just isnt safe for a lawn tractor let alone this one..

I bult my new garage with 9' doors to accomodate tractors, even the ones I looked at for future purchase had under 9' cabs, 2 yrs later I buy one and it is over 9' and i cant get it in the new garage

I could revisit the tent style portable garage - should be good until the first major wind storm hits jsut seems like im flushing $700+ away on these though

what if i just use the Van/SUV breathable cover and forget about the Tarp ?

[Don87]

If it were me, I would put several coats of wax on the tractor before winter hits, then store it on the side of the house that gets the least amount of adverse weather. If the wind gets to blowing, the cover you use could work loose and destroy the paint on your tractor.

[RaydaKub]

If it were me, I would put several coats of wax on the tractor before winter hits, then store it on the side of the house that gets the least amount of adverse weather. If the wind gets to blowing, the cover you use could work loose and destroy the paint on your tractor.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Any grommets that slap down against the paint for 5 or 6 months are bound to leave a worse mark than the snow.

[Don87]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Any grommets that slap down against the paint for 5 or 6 months are bound to leave a worse mark than the snow.

I watched a guy towing his car that was on a trailer, I followed him into the truckstop to let him know that the tarp came loose on the car.

Totally destroyed the paint job on that 69 camaro.

[Dave5264]

Hmmmmm yea, good points. Maybe ill go the "wax" route, and just keep her running all winter, probably better for it any way.

If i was 2 years further into my Farm rejuvination project I'd have no problem, 2 years from now all my buildings will be new and ill be flush wih good storage.

[Don87]

Sitting around is the hardest thing there is on equipment, so if you can use it in thru the winter, by all means do so.