Cleaning your Tractor

[Redneck_Randy]

I have a pressure washer but not the type you can run cleaning solution at high pressure. You soak the item you are washing with low pressure, let it sit and then wash it off with the high pressure. I tried the automotive cleaning solution but it doesn't work very well on grease. I tried Simple Green and it seems to work better but not good enough for me.

What cleaning solutions do some of you use to clean your tractors with and will it harm the paint?

Thanks

 

[Steelfan]

I have used Grease Lightning with very good results. I actually have a 2 gallon pump sprayer that I use to apply it since I use it for my work truck also. I think that it does a nice job.

 

[ccsial]

For grease I use gunk and an assortment of brushes to get different areas. I don't use my pressure washer since I'm afraid of forcing water into a seal or otherwise damaging something from the pressure. Simple Green cleans the rest good enough for me.

 

[RalphVa]

Use of pressure washers around greased fittings is not a good idea, unless you want to regrease every one after you finish. Also, tractor engine gaskits, aside from the head gasket aren't designed to take much pressure, particularly pressure applied from outside.

For grease, best to wet with hose or hand sprayer, wet with detergent or cleaning solution like Greased Lightning, Purple Solution, etc.; let soak and then remove with water hose spray. In the old days before these exotic things came out, I used to wet, sprinkle greasy areas with Tide, let soak and then spray off. Removed most down to bare metal or paint this way. The newer liquid Tide would probably work really well spritzed on.

I normally just spray clear with air pressure unless there is any caked dirt or grease. Caked dirt comes off by wetting, let soak and the spraying off with water hose.

Beware of using pressure washers as a toy. I'd really only use them on really hard to clean things like concrete and CAREFULLY on decking, etc. NEVER on an engine or machinery.

Ralph

 

[Farmwithjunk]

How I wash my tractors;

Got 2 of 'em washing right now. Rain looks to be letting up. (No, I don't normally let 'em get rained on.)

They get washed good once or twice a year. Usually around "service time".

One tractor I own went more than 30 years without washing. When I did clean it last fall, I was amazed at how well preserved everything was. A layer of protective dirt and grease had protected everything.

 

[john_bud]

Redneck,

Some of the de-greasers like the purple stuff can take the paint off. They are a strong caustic solution, that's why they attack the grease. Caustic breaks down grease/oils. It also can nail the paint!

I use a pressure washer on my tractor/equipment. For the greasy areas, I use the foamy engine cleaners. But, I scrub with a nylon bristle brush to break up the grub and hit it multiple times with the cleaner. I use the pressure washer as a little more controlled stream with the 25 degree nozzle. The spinning power nozzle, the 0 degree and the 15 degree are too strong. I know for a FACT that the spinny deal will take the decals off the side of the hood. That's why one side is a "KUBOT" and the other is a "KUBOTA". (oops!)

9 times out of 10, I use compressed air to just blow off the dust and dirt. The new tractor doesn't leak, so there are no real globs of gooey goobers. It's also much quicker than a water cleaning. The other times, it's to get mud and muck off and that does take water.

jb

 

[normde2001]

"Gunk Engine Degreaser" and a waterhose works about as good as anything. You can't get the old concentrated stuff that you mixed with kerosene, but it's still pretty good.

 

[GeneD14]

"Gunk Engine Degreaser" and a waterhose works about as good as anything.

Thats what I use for oily or greasy areas. It works great.

 

[Soundguy]

I have a small electric pressure washer.. 1500 psi.. has a low/hi setting. the low setting lets you syphon the cleaning soloution... then you blast it with high.

I used some brigs/stratton pw cleaner fluid.. and it was pretty wimpy.

I then tried simple green. it works ok.. but it still hard to cut grease.

My best luck was with buying cans of gunk engine cleaner.. spraying the heavy stuff down, and then letting set a while.. then pressure wash off.. then douse with cleaner.. then pw again.

Purple stuff works great.. but if yuo leave it on.. it can damage the paint. Greased lightening is somewhere between purple stuff and simple green in strength. ( used that too! )

All in all.. i had to pw my batwing mower 4 times prior to prime and paint.

Soundguy

I have a pressure washer but not the type you can run cleaning solution at high pressure. You soak the item you are washing with low pressure, let it sit and then wash it off with the high pressure. I tried the automotive cleaning solution but it doesn't work very well on grease. I tried Simple Green and it seems to work better but not good enough for me.

What cleaning solutions do some of you use to clean your tractors with and will it harm the paint?

Thanks