operating on a hot summer day with side panels on?

techwrtr2 · Jun 24, 2012

I can't speak for why newer tractors versus old not having them nor can I speak with certainty of any issues you might find from not running with the panels. I can offer three pieces to speculate on.

First could be noise, they probably add some measure of sound reduction.

Second could be safety, harder to touch hot engine parts if there's a cover.

Third (and I think most likely) could be as a part of the cooling mechanism, the covers in place form a duct for air to pass through that is controlled where without them it just goes wherever. I have numerous pieces of equipment that state you should not run them with panels removed due to a greater chance of overheating. Mind you these are air cooled pieces of electronics, but I suspect it's got a measure of validity with our tractors.

burnieman · Jun 24, 2012

Would it help if I removed the hood also? I've seen some tractors that don't have a hood. Is that for hot days? And the grill could come off too. That could help with air flow on a hot day. If I took all that stuff off along with the side panels I should be able to work in the Sahara all day. Not that I own property there, well not yet but I bet i could run all day with all that stuff gone. Then again, why would you need a tractor in the Sahara anyways. Bad example but you get the gist of what I'm saying. Don't you? I just want what's best for my tractor.

RoyJackson · Jun 24, 2012

burnieman said:
Would it help if I removed the hood also? I've seen some tractors that don't have a hood. Is that for hot days? And the grill could come off too. That could help with air flow on a hot day. If I took all that stuff off along with the side panels I should be able to work in the Sahara all day. Not that I own property there, well not yet but I bet i could run all day with all that stuff gone. Then again, why would you need a tractor in the Sahara anyways. Bad example but you get the gist of what I'm saying. Don't you? I just want what's best for my tractor.

Unless you are, in fact, experiencing overheating; there is no need to remove the panels or hood.
If your machine has an aircooled engine, just keep the cooling fins clean.

scrappy isb67 · Jun 24, 2012

there are tractors out there that will overheat without the panels installed. if they are there from the factory, leave em' in place

glc24 · Jun 24, 2012

I think you would be defeating the cooling system by removing the side panels. I'm pretty certain the air flow is channeled in a specific pattern.

Greg

DennisFolsom · Jun 24, 2012

glc24 said:
I think you would be defeating the cooling system by removing the side panels. I'm pretty certain the air flow is channeled in a specific pattern.

Greg

The side panels, and the vents on the side panels, appear to be part of a designed air flow pattern on my JD4600. I think that's the case with most modern tractors.

A farmer near me runs a Massey Ferguson that's a couple of generations old, with all of the side panels and the hood removed. It sits outdoors all the time, too. It now looks like a piece of junk. When he got it, it looked like a nice little tractor.