How to clean tractor

[moosetracks]

Hi, I have been playing with my new Kubota B7610 TLB cleaning out creeks and now it's pretty muddy. Any tips on cleaning with a pressure washer? Any parts to avoid spraying? I don't own one and wondered if the smaller electric cold water ones would clean ok. Thanks.

Moosetracks

 

[Henro]

Moosetracks,

First thought that came to mind was that you should send you husband out to clean the tractor. Being a guy, he should understand what is required, while you stand back with a cold one and supervise...

Unfortunately, this does not work with my wife, who falls back on the "I'm a woman and my place is in the kitchen" argument when I try to get some work out of her! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Man I hope she doesn't read this... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Some people pressure wash everything, all the pins in the loader and so on, and then grease real good afterwards. For two years I did not do that...and had a lot of grease build up. This summer I tried it...amazing how that grease flies and sticks to other parts of the tractor! I did grease real good afterwards..not sure what I will do next time...

Generally, I use my pressure washer with a relatively wide angle nozzle on it, and wash the crud off. I have yet to wax the tractor(s) even though I did buy an electric buffer specifically for that purpose!

If you spray the engine it is probably best to let it cool down first.

A pressure washer is better than a garden hose, but that will work well too...just take longer to get the mud off from what I can see.

I do recommend that you take my advice though, and give the chore to the husband. Get a lawn chair out, sit back, have a cold one, and apply mucho positive feedback as he gets the job done.

And don't forget to remind him that it is a guy thing, and he should be enjoying what he is cleaning... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[bczoom]

moosetracks.

An electric pressure washer will work fine. It'll take a little longer than a larger gas one but they're a lot cheaper.

I concur with everything Henro said with 1 exception.
Whomever is doing the washing should also have a cold one. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

A couple things I can think of that you should watch out for:
Don't put your pressure washer into a fine bead. They have a tendency of stripping paint (or whatever else you hit).
This one you'll have to learn from experience. (My tractor is green so I can't give specifics for your machine). You're going to find places you wash or directions you shoot that are going to shoot right back at you. Basically, you're going to get wet the first time or 2 that you wash it... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

As for the tractor, go ahead and hit the whole thing. Lubricate as needed afterwards.

 

[txdon]

<font color="blue"> "...amazing how that grease flies and sticks to other parts of the tractor!" </font>

Moosetracks, Henro speaks from experience. I try to stay away from the greased joints they do go all over the tractor and you. I wish they made the grease the color to match the tractor. I use a gasoline powered 2400psi. The electric one ought to work OK, just get closer for that really hard dried on clay.

 

[Bird]

I can tell you how I did it, personally, on my tractors; won't say it's the right way. Like Henro said, I never wanted to spray cold water directly onto a hot engine, although I have sprayed a fine mist around a running engine to cool it. Some say to avoid electrical stuff and that's probably a good idea, but I never worried about it. I just avoided getting any water in the air intake and I did not spray cold water on the instrument panel. There have been a number of posts about instrument panels fogging; mostly I think on some Deere models, but the only time I had any instrument panel fogging on my Kubota was the one time I sprayed it with cold water while it was still pretty warm, so I didn't that any more.

Then after washing, I usually blew off most of the water with my air compressor, then ran the engine long enough to dry it out good.

 

[gabby]

I use degreaser and a water hose with a small straight tapered brass nozzle. Cleans them right up.
Gabby

 

[CTyler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...and had a lot of grease build up. This summer I tried it...amazing how that grease flies and sticks to other parts of the tractor! )</font>

You did that too huh? Hey...I'll just blast this grease outta here. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif However reality sets in pretty quick when you and the tractor have grease stuck everywhere. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif.

Bleck....what a mess that was!!! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Yep, wide spray and avoid the joints unless you wipe them all clean first and regrease. Simple Green works great to clean off soot and other stuff.

 

[JerryG]

It is always better to wash it when the tractor is cold. It's not good to quick cool the injector pump or the hydraulic pump. If these are real hot from working and you cool them fast (as in hose them off) then the clearances will close up and you risk damaging one of the them. Chances are that you won't, but why take a chance. Let it cool down and then clean it good.

 

[mikim]

So let me make sure I can put this all together correctly. (1) Work tractor and self hard all day in the sun (2) At the end of day park tractor in shade for cool down (3) Go inside air conditioned house, pop a cold one, sit back, relax, nurse drink, let sweat dry on shirt (4) Tell spouse to go out and wash mud, grease, & animal by products off tractor (5) Open yellow pages and research "divorce lawyer" /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[bczoom]

mike,

close.
4.5 (insertion). Take lawn chair, beverages (and yellow pages) outside into the shade so you can supervise as you finger through the yellow pages.
I'm with Bill (Henro). Hope my wife never fires up my computer and reads my postings. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif