Wash Your Tractor?

[cowboydoc]

We do use compressed air. But water, unless it's raining out when we're using the equipment, doesn't see our equipment. The only exception is if we've gone through some really bad mud. Even then we never use a power washer and always try and stay away from the engine, electronics, and bearing areas.

On planting and baling equipment you never want water to touch the equipment. Planters and balers are so touchy that getting water in areas will really screw things up. There are so many electronic sensors that any one that gets water in it will screw things up and it's not fun trying to chase down a bad sensor.

 

[icat]

I'm a washer - even thinking about picking up a power unit to make the job easier. As for waxing - I figure I will add this chore to my to-do-list in the near future. The Texas sun plays havoc on anything left to it's own. With close to 20 grand invested so far, I think I'll be washing the baby grand for awhile. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

I wash it off a couple of times over the summer, like to wax it at least once a year... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[yellowsocks93]

I agree with the baler thing coyboydoc. We never washed our baler even though it was a small JD 328. All the un washed dirt and dust would hold in the moisture and start to wreck the metal. Same goes for out flail mower and tillage equipment.

 

[5030]

I am going to respectfully disagree with the both of you.

We wash our haying equipment and tractors after every cut. We wash, and then service all the equipment.

If we left the hay chaff on the equipment, the acid from the decaying hay would eat the paint off. It's interesting, but the JD Green paint seems especially susceptible to the acid from the chaff destroying the paint.

The only exception to that rule is our square balers. We use compressed air on the knotters.

 

[yellowsocks93]

You use chemicals in your hay don't you? That may have something to with the decay. I could be wrong. If you wash your round baler you don't have to worry about that last bale in the ejection area like with a square baler. I just think its better to leave the grime instead of wet it down if I missed some.

 

[PineRidge]

I also think that you will find most any fertilizer to be a corrosive. A good reason to wash equipment, spreaders, and tractor if you handle these chemicals or spread them on your lawn. I have seen fertilizer hoppers on corn planters completely eaten away because the user didn't think it important to clean up after the job was done.

 

[BIGUN]

Yep, my fertilizer spreader is one piece of equipment that I do wash thoroughly after using it even if it is mostly plastic, because what is metal will definitely be damage by leaving the fertilizer residue on it, unlike the yard dust from mowing my yard, which seems to be pretty inert.

 

[5030]

YellowSocks:

We use Greensaver. The new stuff isn't corrosive. The old stuff was. It's just easier to service clean implements and tractors. The greensaver isn't used every time. Depends on the "window" of opportunity.

 

[Jibber]

I wash mine all the time.. at least when I get it muddy. I'd rather not drag the mud into the garage. If it's just dusty I'll blow the dust off with an air hose. I did wax it once.. right after I got it. I like to put a protective coat on the paint of all new vehicles.

Hey.. this is my baby!