Tractor Cleaning

[yellowsocks93]

Also if some tractor or skid steer needs to be worked on I have to wash it before it gets taken apart. Skid steers trap dirt and manure by the motor under the cab and this needs to be cleaned off to prevent rust and proper engine cooling. Manure is not good for metal surfaces as it will make it rust a lot faster unless promptly washed off.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm tempted to use my air compressor to clean it )</font>

I did that very frequently; washed it with water a little less frequently.

 

[DK35vince]

I have always pressure washed my tractors (1500 PSI washer), I've done it for years and have never had a problem from it.
Compressed air will work fine as long as it is only dust.

 

[yellowsocks93]

Compressed air then washing makes one heck of a combo. Then all the grime is blown off and you can rinse off the dust.

 

[gbpackerfan]

I have used a pressure washer for several years (4000 #) and had no problems. Like Henro I use a medium fan tip a distance from the tractor to keep from damaging the paint. Naturally you would be careful not to spray directly at any electrical component whether on the engine or dash. Tractor should be at environment temperature (not recently run) so cold water does not hurt engine block etc. and condensation does not form under and inside components such as distributor cap. Tractors sit out in the rain all the time starting at the dealer. Apply a dose of common sense when you wash your tractor and you will be just fine.

 

[OkieG]

Like some others here, I think dirt and grime are more an enemy than water. My tractor gets rinsed with every rainfall. I also pressure wash frequently, even around greased pivots...but don't be shy about pumping a squirt or two of grease in fittings at joints that have been washed. Also, for those pesky little rust spots, keep a wire brush and a can of flat black or orange paint handy to touch-up those areas. Touch-up the easy stuff every so often. Once a year, every spring, I have a "paint day" where I prep, prime and paint spots that have been overlooked throughout the year. Even though the fresh paint stands out against the old paint, it still looks and is better than rust. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

OkieG

 

[California]

I made a beginner's mistake the first time I cleaned my used (20 year old) Yanmar. Maybe describing it here will prevent someone else from doing the same.

The regulator was obviously well sealed with a gasket between base and cover so I cleaned the mud-dauber nest under the regulator with my pressure washer. I thought a gentle fan pattern couldn't hurt anything.

Next time I ran the tractor I eventually saw smoke and learned I had blown the flaky insulation off a nest of wires and big current resistors in the airspace under that sealed regulator. It was beyond repair, so I bought an expensive Yanmar-specific regulator. (The modern replacement is solid state and potted in plastic so it should tolerate washing.)

Then on a hunch I got the new regulator tested at AutoZone. I learned I could have bought one there for $18.95 that was identical, connectors and all.