Cover Your Tractor

[MESSMAKER]

I totally agree with this. I would say listen woman, I or we worked hard and long to get a tractor like this one, and I am not going to see it get ruined. Either its parked under the porch or you get the shovel and get that snow removed pronto. I would keep repeating this to myself, till I got the gonads to tell her or have someone else tell her while I was out of town. Problem solved. zman LOL

How long you been married???? If I tried to tell my wife were to park the tractor that she was going to be using to clear snow while I was out and about, She would promptly tell me that I could park it wherever I wanted when I was finished with the tractor and she would do the same.

 

[zman007007]

How long you been married???? If I tried to tell my wife were to park the tractor that she was going to be using to clear snow while I was out and about, She would promptly tell me that I could park it wherever I wanted when I was finished with the tractor and she would do the same.

It was a joke man, read it again. LOL my wife and I just celebrated out 8th anniversary Nov. 30th. zman

 

[TGF]

Honestly I like clearing snow with the tractor, forget the wife, that's my big green toy, she can play with the vacuum cleaner if she wants to clean off something.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

A $10 tarp and $7 can of straps from WM will cover the parts most critical. Yes it is some pain but so is fixing issues from setting out in the weather.

 

[6011Artist]

You guys need to give this guy a break. He comes in here asking good advice on a cheap way to store/protect his tractor and now he gets grilled about his wife. I do not let my wife make my decisions for me but we all have different personal arrangements. Lots of women need a man to think for them but some men need a woman to think for them just the same. And his wife is willing/capable to maintain things and plow snow while he is away working, sounds like she's more than just a lil primpy female that is afraid of getting her hands dirty. Those have their place in life as well but that type is not for me. But we are not here to judge or catagory our wives.

It has been said that storing your tractor out in the weather is ok. I totally disagree with that statement. Moisture will get in the crankcases and sun will deteriate rubber. We all should know this. And a tractor covered in snow is not one that I'd want to use to plow same said snow. So the OP is right in thinking he needs a shelter or cover to protect his investment.

If I were in your place and I could afford it, I'd go the aluminum carport route. It will be more sturdy and last for years where a portable barn in a box or fabric storage might not take the weight of the snow if it gets really deep. And if you are plowing it, I would think that may be a possibility. And after you get your barn built, you'll still find a use for it or sell it. And have the installer place it in a way to put the north side with a wall all the way down to the ground or finish that side with plywood, probably just as cheap to get them to do it with the same covering. Most winter wind, rain and snow comes from the north in my area and I assume it does for you. You may even get them to go full sides on both sides if money is no problem. But definately get some kind of shed for it.

Covering with a tarp is better than nothing but you need to have a shelter if possible. A tarp holds moisture and when the sun comes out moisture rises and hovers in the tarp, not clearing away like in a shelter. And a tarp makes the job of using the tractor not as easy. She'll have to remove and replace it out in the cold and that definately isn't just getting on it and going.

Now the easy way would be to give the wife a little lesson in driving in low gear, low idle, in close places and park it where you first intended. Tell her you know she can do it and make her proud to be able to do it like the big boys do...lol. Got to build her confidence if you think she can do it. And spend that money on a heated cab...she'll think that would be a pretty good trade. For the same money, you can protect the lil wife from the weather and let the existing porch protect the tractor. And sometimes you just got to tell them how it's got to be.

 

[silvertramp]

I just lay a plywood rip over the operator station, using the steering wheel/seat for support. The plywood is held on with 1 bungy clipped to the steering wheel. In the winter I put a tarp over that, secured at 4 corners. All I have to do is brush the snow off the hood & tarp. Not all that hard to do, and the op station is clean, dry, no ice. Shoveling out the pickup bed is what I don't like.

 

[kattywumpus]

Hi all,

It looks like I will be keeping my new Kubota BX2360 outside over the winter. The wife has decided that the under the porch storage idea is unacceptable because when she has to plow the drive all she wants to do is start the tractor and GO!

So... How do you all keep your tractors covered, if you don't have a shed, garage or barn?

This is what I have been able to find thus far.

My new tractor arrives in 5 days!

~Kevin

Other then my portable shelter suggestion. For real inexpensive shelter that you can drive out of, just use some ropes or cables and tarps make a lean-to using some trees or poles. If you need to purchase some tarps, purchase the green or silver tarp. The blue tarps don't stand up well to long term use in the sun or weather.

 

[crazyal]

Go cheap, just a tarp and a few bungees to hold it on. Two reasons, one why spend a lot of money when you might be building something much better than anything you can buy now. secondly if your wife has to put the tarp on and take if off she will be much more willing to put up a place to store it next year. Most likely you'll be able to go bigger than you are now planning with just a little sweet talk about how you want her not to have anything to hit while backing it in. So save yourself a little money now and go big next year.

 

[KBEAT]

I had the same problem 5 years ago when I got my 1st tractor. I got one of the "Garage in a Box" 12x20x8 sheds from Tractor Supply for around $250 and used it the 1st year until I built a barn. Only issue is that I needed to keep the ROPS down to get it in the door. I still use the shed for storing hay and my wife uses it for lambing in the spring, so it's still up and usable after 5 years, not bad for $250 in my opinion. I just didn't have the heart to leave my new toy outside when I could cover it for that kind of money.

 

[TripleR]

Now the easy way would be to give the wife a little lesson in driving in low gear, low idle, in close places and park it where you first intended. Tell her you know she can do it and make her proud to be able to do it like the big boys do...lol. Got to build her confidence if you think she can do it. And spend that money on a heated cab...she'll think that would be a pretty good trade. For the same money, you can protect the lil wife from the weather and let the existing porch protect the tractor. And sometimes you just got to tell them how it's got to be.

This may very well prove to be the best approach. My wife has become so comfortable with "her" BX2660 that she greases the deck and FEL as well as helps me with maintenance on the other tractors as well as bush hogs with our L5030. There is no reason a woman can't do as well on a tractor as a man. Parking "anywhere" is not a problem.

I would hold off on anything other than a tarp until after your wife finds out how easy it is to operate the tractor and then discuss the options with her.

You don't even want to know how grim it would get around here if I used that last line of advice.