How dusty is too dusty?

txhawg · Apr 28, 2005

I was mowing this past weekend, well, mowing is a relative term I guess. Anyway, I was using my rotary cutter to clear some areas around a pond on my property. Well, it hasn't rained in about a week or so, and in Texas that means dust. The cutter kicked up a ton of dust, I mean like a thick fog. It was really bad. I guess my question would be are these tractors made to operate in such conditions? I don't really know a way to get around it, especially with summer coming. I had dust caked on the front and side grilles of my 4310. Does this damage the tractor?

As a side note, I don't think there is anything that an MX5 won't cut. I ran over pine trees, small hickory and oaks, and tons of youpons (to my wife's delight)

Kyle_in_Tex · Apr 28, 2005

Your air filter is 2 stage with a little "pop up" style indicator I believe. Keep the outer filter clean by reverse blowing thru it or tapping it lightly to remove dust. A dirty filter can rob performance. And it sounds like you can use all you can get. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

rancar · Apr 28, 2005

<font color="blue"> I had dust caked on the front and side grilles of my 4310. Does this damage the tractor? </font>

The same problem plagues me during hot, dry days of bush hogging. I try not to cut during these times. Much better to cut shortly after a heavy rain and after the hay/brush dries for a day or so. The dust caked on the front and side grilles as well as dust clogging your air filters will likely cause your engine to start over heating, especially if you're cutting heavy brush or working on hilly terrain.

...Bob

KennedyDiesel · Apr 28, 2005

Should be OK, but I'd also think about some air filtration for the operator...

Shorter drain intervals with the engine oil would also be a good idea in what would be considered severe operating conditions.

JerryG · Apr 28, 2005

Just keep the air filter and the radiator clean. I know that I have one job that is so dusty that I have to clean the radiator screen about ever 30 minutes. I have to have filtration for my self also. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

GRUMPA · Apr 28, 2005

Just a thought, those old oil bath air cleaners, aren't those made for tractors as an add-on? My dad used to swear by those when I was a kid (looong time ago) saying those were the best things for filtering the air in engines. He wondered why they stopped putting them on cars. Said that they were the best thing since sliced bread.

beenthere · Apr 28, 2005

If they were 'the best' then I think they would still be used. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

But they were better than nothing.

beenthere · Apr 28, 2005

Maybe more damage to your lungs than to the tractor. They are built to take dust, but as mentioned, cleaning the filters is a good plan.

Read the manual about the air filters. Good suggestions there, I believe. I use a vacuum cleaner to try to keep from getting any of the dust around the filter from entering the intake air stream. Just a hang-up I have.

If real dusty, I go into the wind, to keep the tractor out of the dust, even if that means making a return trip with the mower deck dis-engaged. I don't like to be dusty. Too many memories of farming in dusty fields as a boy.

txhawg · Apr 29, 2005

Wow, never thought about it being bad for my lungs. There wasn't any breeze, so there was no upwind safety zone. I do have a respirator I used when spraying TWP on our cabin, I'll use that next time.

I have seen farmers plowing or discing fields and kicking up a lot of dust also, which led me to ask the question. So, you all think that the JD filters are that good?