Rotary Cutter Winter implement storage

[jtheise4]

Its that time of year in Michigan to put away the rotary mower for the year. Unfortunately, I don't have room in my garage to store my bush hog, so I have it sitting outside on cinder blocks. My question is, should I place a tarp over it or just leave it exposed to the elements? How does everyone else in this situation store their equipment? Thanks.

 

[teg]

Outside on the ground, no tarp. ...but I did not spend much $$$ on them since they're all used. When I bought them, they were outside unprotected. Really depends on how you treat YOUR equipment.

 

[foggy1111]

I store everthing with a gear box inside....and try to oil or grease things like disc blades and get em up off the ground. Cover 'em is better in my mind....but I use some tin or a piece of scrap plywood which allows air cirulation yet keeps the snow and weather off. I suppose a tarp is good too?...if some air can circulate? I would take any PTO shafts off (if its easy to do) and store them inside. Cover any slip-clutches for sure.

 

[knightrider955]

Everything is outside on the ground in the weeds. Even my post hole auger is on the ground. Never caused any problems.

 

[jtheise4]

I store everthing with a gear box inside....and try to oil or grease things like disc blades and get em up off the ground. Cover 'em is better in my mind....but I use some tin or a piece of scrap plywood which allows air cirulation yet keeps the snow and weather off. I suppose a tarp is good too?...if some air can circulate? I would take any PTO shafts off (if its easy to do) and store them inside. Cover any slip-clutches for sure.

15 attachements and you have room to store them inside?!?! WOW!!!! I am very jeleous. I'm hoping to build a new building on my property sometime in the next couple years, but that doesn't do me any good now.

 

[E/S]

I grease / oil everything up good and store them outside with no tarps.
Tarps make a great place for rodents to live, I all ready have enough problems with that.

E/S

 

[Opti-Mist]

I grease / oil everything up good and store them outside with no tarps.
Tarps make a great place for rodents to live, I all ready have enough problems with that.

E/S

Not to mention condesation (but you may not .....) :laughing:

 

[jake98]

I moved my york rake and the box channel frame was filled with water. Glad I found it before old man winter did. I set it on blocks, tipped the other way.

 

[Thomas]

I place on pallet so unit won't sink into mud come spring,also cover enough for air movement.

 

[foggy1111]

15 attachements and you have room to store them inside?!?! WOW!!!! I am very jeleous. I'm hoping to build a new building on my property sometime in the next couple years, but that doesn't do me any good now.

Well....the only things with a gear-box are my Tiller, Rotary Cutter, Stump Grinder, Grapple (cylinder), and Cyclone Spreader (and a few smaller items). The rest goes outside: Disc(s), Rake, Cultipacker, Lime Spreader(s), Plow, etc. I wish I had more space inside....but at some point......the storage space would cost more than what I have to store. :laughing:

I have a good shed.....and its two years old now......and its too small.

 

[jtheise4]

Well....the only things with a gear-box are my Tiller, Rotary Cutter, Stump Grinder, Grapple (cylinder), and Cyclone Spreader (and a few smaller items). The rest goes outside: Disc(s), Rake, Cultipacker, Lime Spreader(s), Plow, etc. I wish I had more space inside....but at some point......the storage space would cost more than what I have to store. :laughing:

I have a good shed.....and its two years old now......and its too small.

Do you mind me asking how big your shed is? I'm trying to plan the size of what I want to build and I'm struggling with it. I don't want to go crazy and have a huge barn, but I also don't want to end up with a full barn right after its built!

 

[Deadman]

You'll never have enough space, so build it bigger to begin with.
I built a 36x60 2 story, and it holds alot, but it fills super fast.

 

[Code54]

I put everything on blocks or even landscape timbers, then just throw a tarp over them to keep the water and snow off. Everything faired well and never had any real issues. I don't tarp it real tight, just sort of lay it over and throw some old logs on the corners to keep them down.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

I grease and oil everything that moves. I make sure every thing is fairly clean when I park it for the winter.Things like dirt , grass and leaves hold moisture and will cause more rust. Then I park it out side uncovered,
Bill

 

[kebo]

Its that time of year in Michigan to put away the rotary mower for the year. Unfortunately, I don't have room in my garage to store my bush hog, so I have it sitting outside on cinder blocks. My question is, should I place a tarp over it or just leave it exposed to the elements? How does everyone else in this situation store their equipment? Thanks.

Can you stand it up on end by hooking the rear of the frame to a winch and and hoisting it up? You don't have to get it all the way off the floor. Something to think about anyway.

 

[techwrtr2]

I put as much as I can under the shed on old carts that may have come from a feed mill. they work to roll things around and pack them in as close as possible.

 

[adjusterr]

place the implement up on blocks, logs, anything to get it off the ground. clean off excess dirt, leaves, grass etc., if you choose to cover it, do so loosely so you have good air circulation. some of my implements, bush hog, scraper blade, posthole digger, are 30 years old and have always been stored outside. The key to longevity in implements is taking care of internals and lube points, a little surface rust is the least of your worries. If you want them to look good you will need a building.

 

[foggy1111]

Do you mind me asking how big your shed is? I'm trying to plan the size of what I want to build and I'm struggling with it. I don't want to go crazy and have a huge barn, but I also don't want to end up with a full barn right after its built!

Me?? I built a 30 x 40 x 12 high pole builidng. It's big enough for my farming toys....but in fall I put a 25 foot boat and two jet-ski's in it and it fills up pretty fast. Still......I have room for most every thing that needs cover.

Shed's are never big enough to cover it all.....bigger is deffinatelty better.....if you want to spend the dough. :thumbsup:

 

[jimmer2880]

All my stuff is on a skid, under a cherry-tree. One year, I kept an old Yanmar under the same tree, with an old, plastic p/u bed liner, strapped up-side-down over top of it. The bed liner did a great job.

 

[Johndeere3720]

I have my implements on 3 sites so I get to keep most if not all of them under cover. At my Dads, i keep my blade, middle buster combo, grapple, and rusty arena drag in the arena with all the hay. At my grandpa's I have an area by his utility trailer that i keep implements (currently Jake Rake), and behind the manure barn (tiller currently there plus 3 Jake rakes in the rain), and at my Moms, I have a 12x40' bay in the barn where i keep my PHD, boxblade, yanmar quick hitch, landscape rake, brushhog x2, riding mower, utility trailer, pallet forks, tractor, and log splitter. So i have most of my implements under cover. :thumbsup: All i can say is that 12x40' bay sure filled up fast.