How to temporarily protect tractor from weather?

[sandman2234]

Due to the wind chafing the paint by moving the tarp and the chance for moisture condensation, I would probably do it as DmansPadge brother does it. You get coverage to slow fading, damage from moisture, and it isn't as hard to uncover.
For some of the smaller tractors, a 20, 40, 48, or 53 foot container might be a good idea. The headroom for them is limited but they do make a pretty good shed.
A thought about guys that have to lower the ROPS to enter their garage or other building due to the height. How about hanging a string with a tennis ball from the ceiling at the front of the operator's station at the point just before the ROPS hits the building? If the tennis ball is right in front of you and you know your fixing to get hit in the face with it, it might remind you why it is hanging there! Sure beats having to fix a lintle! We basically did the same thing with my MIL's car, so that the tennis ball hits the windshield just before the front bumper contacts the sheetrock wall in front of her. She can't judge distances worth a durn and it seems to help.
David from jax

 

[SCDolphin]

I bought a Cargo Container 2 years ago for 1200 delivered. It will be storiing my new toy.........very sturdy. My choices would be to get a car cover for suv....less than 100 or the cosct style tent type or last the cargo container.

A friend poured a 40x50 pad.........put the cargo containers parallel to each other at each end of the pad and then set roof trusses which made a neat, sturdy secure barn/storage facility.

 

[Soundguy]

Usualy for 59/69 bucks you can get a 10x20 tarp covered tube frame. I got a few of those to park my bigger ford and NH tractors under as well as my batwing mower. Works great.. and is cheap.. easy to move.. etc.

soundguy

After delivery, my new 3520 and implements will have no home until I finish the barn. I also have no means of cleaning anything unless the neighbor is agreeable. What would you folks do?

A - Leave everything out in the weather.
B - Cover with tarp. Would condensation under a tarp be worse than no tarp?
C - Something else??

 

[Matt_W]

Usualy for 59/69 bucks you can get a 10x20 tarp covered tube frame. I got a few of those to park my bigger ford and NH tractors under as well as my batwing mower. Works great.. and is cheap.. easy to move.. etc.

soundguy

What brand name? I am very interested cause that is cheap!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I had the same dilema 4 years ago. New tractor no barn. Kept it under a tarp for most of years 1, 2 and 3. Not so much year 4. Now I have a barn and want it to look like new. Can't afford to trade up right now.

I wish I had applied a good wax to the FEL Arms, shredder, and kept some type of plastic polish on the plastic. I used the silvery type tarps and the blue cheapies too. I had problems with little yellow spiders (thousands) and ants making homes underneath the tarps.

I've managed to buy some plastic cleaner polish at a motorcyle store to restore my hood somewhat. I'm trying Maguiars plastic cleaner/polish next time.

Also, the black plastic handles on the fenders have weathered and were releasing the impregnated fiberglass in them. I had to wet sand them with 400 grit sandpaper to get them to quit making my forearms itch.

Looks like I should have bought the Costco tarp and pole set or a small steel carport in retrospect.

 

[Soundguy]

Brand? hmm.. not sure. I've gotten them at kmart and TSC.. they usually come in a big cardboard box / kit.. and you just stick all the legs and arms together then throw the tarp on.. etc.. Northern tool has them.. but they seem a bit more HD than a kmart version.. and thus more $$

I've got rolled hay, a horse trailer, my ford 5000, Nh 7610s , ford 850/loader and a mower under those kind of things right now.

Soundguy

 

[Diesel-ME]

My barn is full of junk so my tractor is sitting out until I add on a tractor shed this spring. But I'm happy that my $2.79 8x10 el-cheapo blue tarp (traditional Maine siding/roofing product ) and $4.99 pack of bungees has held up to the Nor-Easter that we've had this week. And as an added bonus the run of the mill blue tarp is pretty well color matched to my tractor

Image taken today.

~paul

BTW, some of this dialog has helped convince me to build the shed addition - so thanks all....

 

[Soundguy]

That roofing / siding is also popular in florida.. we floridians have been heavilly using the blue/green/silver 'fold up' universal roofing/siding since about 2004 storm season (wink). I always ahve a stack of 2-3 unopened tarps and a bucket of roof tar in my garage for just such an emergency...

Soundguy

$2.79 8x10 el-cheapo blue tarp (traditional Maine siding/roofing product ) ..

 

[WayneB]

My barn is full of junk so my tractor is sitting out until I add on a tractor shed this spring. But I'm happy that my $2.79 8x10 el-cheapo blue tarp (traditional Maine siding/roofing product ) and $4.99 pack of bungees has held up to the Nor-Easter that we've had this week. And as an added bonus the run of the mill blue tarp is pretty well color matched to my tractor

Image taken today.

~paul

BTW, some of this dialog has helped convince me to build the shed addition - so thanks all....

Hey Paul that looks pretty good. Lowell's has a soft tarp that y can use that cost a bit more, but stays nice and soft. They also sell add on tab connectin points so you can put bungee cords where you need them.

 

[Ford850]

I tarped for 3 years before my barn was built. The 2 years I used large tarps that coverd the tractor, front, and back blades. I weighted and strapped it all around, all the way to the ground. That was a mess when I needed to uncover it after a heavy snow. It also trapped a LOT of moisture, and attracted mice. I switched to a small tarp that only covered the engine and seat area for the last year, hanging jugs of saltwater for weight similar to what Matt described. 100% improvement. It eliminated the moisture and mice problems, and was much easier to get uncovered and working after a heavy snow.