Tractor Washing

[SouthernX]

I just got my first tractor a little while back and it's looking like it's time to clean it up a little. I looked in my owners manual but didn't find anything about appearance care. So, do you having any advice when it comes to washing and cleaning up your tractor? I figure for starters it might be a good idea to take a sheet of plastic and cover the (cold) engine with it before washing it.

 

[ScottK]

Does your tractor not have a hood over the engine? I just use car care products for cleaning.

 

[Bird]

I washed the engine as well as the rest of the tractor. Of course I wash the engine in my car and pickup, too. I tried to avoid spraying water directly on the instrument panel or into the air intake on the engine. And after washing, I usually blew off any surplus water with the air hose, then run the engine (whether tractor, car, pickup, or lawn mower) long enough to get up to normal temperature and evaporate any remaining moisture.

 

[N80]

I rinse my tractor off pretty frequently. Dirt and dust hold moisture against the paint and metal. I've had my tractor for three years. I've washed it twice with soap and water. Just do the same thing you would with a car. I've waxed the painted surfaces once. Just use a basic automotive wax. I know a lot of hard core tractor folks think that is funny, but there are several things to consider. First, my tractor basically lives outdoors, just recently built a shed for it, but even that has open sides. A wax job once every few years will probably go a long way to protect the painted surfaces. Second, good paint helps resale. If you doubt that, look at used tractor classifieds. Many if not most will comment on the paint. Buyers care.....even if they say they don't. Third, I find that in general I take care of something a lot better if I feel good about how it looks. Maybe that's just me, maybe its human nature.

 

[Soundguy]

I wash my tractors just like a car.. spray out the rad fins.. blow any debri of fthe top o fthe engine.. try not to wet down breathers and vents and instruments.. and the charge system..

soundguy

 

[john_bud]

Diesels don't have distributors and plugs, so they are much less sensitive to water than a gas engine. I pressure wash mine when it's caked with mud. But, I use a normal hose for the engine and especially the radiator.

If it's just dusty or full of mowing debris, a compressed air blow out is all it takes.

jb

 

[6string]

I spray the engine and any greasy places down with SimpleGreen, let it set for 10 min. and then hose it off. Then I give hood, fenders, wheels and the rest a good washing with TurtleWax car was. Then I hit the dashboard and rearmounted fueltank with Armorall and it looks so good I could drive it to church on Sunday!

 

[PA hayseed]

When you go by a dealers lot, how many tractors are sitting inside of garages, and how many are exposed to the elements - before you buy them. Me, I have hosed my tractor off twice since new. Both times it was due to the excessive amounts of mud on it. Other than that, it isn't a show piece.

I would do what everyone else is telling you, use car care products. I wouldn't worry about the water, unless it is under pressure. Then I would be careful where I sprayed it. I would not wash it off anywhere near my yard or driveway though, as the big globs of mud and dirt will be there afterwards.

I would also lift my bucket an tip the water out afterwards, then let it air dry before putting it away.

 

[Czbilly]

I hit mine with the leaf blower every time I finished mowing before I put it away. I'm amazed how much dust and dirt flies off and how much better it looks just doing this and I'm not worried about the grass on the deck and around hot spots. About once an month or so I spray off and wipe down with a towel and still looks like new.

 

[RalphVa]

I clean my tractor most of the time with the air nozzle using air compressor pressure. I usually wash it once or twice/year with water and maybe give it a wax job. Last time I changed the engine oil, I washed the engine just like I do the engines on my cars and pickup: with spray nozzle on 45 psi well water, using Purple Power or Simple Green to presoak any especially oily or greasy areas. In the old days before Simple Green and such, I'd water wet and then sprinkle Tide powder over the oily/greasy areas and let it sit. Then washed it off with a water nozzle.

NEVER use a power washer, as the gaskets and seals on the tractor aren't good to take that kind of pressure.

The only trouble I've ever had was a loosey goosey distributor cap on one car I owned. On it, I'd have to remove the cap and dab out the water. Also, on my Ford Ranger, I had a couple spark plugs rust out because I didn't blow out the water from the spark plug wells. The Toyota I have now has even deeper spark plug wells, but they are well sealed with caps around the wires entering the wells.

Ralph

 

[WH401]

I hit mine with the leaf blower every time I finished mowing before I put it away. I'm amazed how much dust and dirt flies off and how much better it looks just doing this and I'm not worried about the grass on the deck and around hot spots. About once an month or so I spray off and wipe down with a towel and still looks like new.

I do the same thing, it gets alot of the dust off. I haven't washed mine yet but I plan to, as well as wax it. When I go to antique farm machinery shows in the summer, I useually have the best looking Gator there. Probably because I think I'm the only one that washes, waxes, and keeps it out of the weather.

 

[JonR]

I hose mine off pretty much after each weekend on Sunday afternoon. I try to get the grease fittings sprayed off real well so they're clean the next time I grease the tractor...which will be just before I use the tractor next time, usually Saturday morning. I think its important to spray the grit and such off all the 3 point connections and linkages.

 

[toddol1971]

If your gonna spray the grease fitting then you better grease it right away or moisture that entered the pin will rust it. Its also a good idea to put dieelectric grease in all the wire connections before wasing. This step is usually only needed once every couple of years or so. If you spray wd40 on your tractor before going mudding it wont stick as bad.

 

[kthompson]

And don't spray water on hot engine or parts. That can damage some.

 

[RobJ]

Don't forget to wax. And be sure to wax UNDER the hood, UNDER the fenders, and especially wax the rims(inside AND out).

 

[N80]

Don't forget to wax. And be sure to wax UNDER the hood, UNDER the fenders, and especially wax the rims(inside AND out).

That's so mean.

But seriously, waxing under the hood could be such a pain, that it seems to me the obvious solution is to have the underside of the hood CHROMED! And it seems to me that CHROMED wheels and rims would be far easier to clean than waxing.

Kinda makes you wonder why we don't see more chrome on tractors.

 

[flaming-ace]

to be honest, we treat all of our tractors like ****, most of them are always on site and we never get time to wash them. Plus our yard/field where they are stored is like a mile from the house so theres no electic or water for a pressure washer.

 

[RobJ]

That's so mean.

But seriously, waxing under the hood could be such a pain, that it seems to me the obvious solution is to have the underside of the hood CHROMED! And it seems to me that CHROMED wheels and rims would be far easier to clean than waxing.

Kinda makes you wonder why we don't see more chrome on tractors.

hehe double mean!!

 

[pat32rf]

I find that driving rain and blowing snow does a pretty good job most of the time.
I took it to the dealers once and had a intemittent leaky seal on my list of "things to look after". The first thing they did was pressure wash it, then they couldn't find which seal was leaking and couldn't duplicate the conditions that always made it leak.....

 

[johnnylight]

I use a power washer everywhere on the tractor.
Except for the seat of course -lots of cake up mud --I need power to clean.