Washing Tractor

[Laminarman]

I just moved to my new digs and finally have water to wash my tractor. It's been parked in a barn and now is crusted. How do I wash it and do I worry about washing out all the grease from the joints. I would like to use a pressure washer judiciously since it's so dirty. Can I use a degreasing agent? I have dirty, smeary grease at all the fittings. Thanks guys/gals.

 

[russG]

I pressure wash mine a few time a year. I blow all the grease fittings and then re-grease them. I just use my car wash soap to do a normal wash.

 

[BadDog]

I wouldn't pressure wash it. It's too easy to put water deep inside places you really don't want water.

I just use a hose and a spray nozzle, a big sponge and some decent car washing soap.

Don't worry about washing the grease away; juse regrease all the zerks really well with fresh grease.

The dirty grease and the smeared grease only exist because someone overgreased the thing and never wiped off the excess very well.

'Simple Green' spray cleaner dissolves grease really well. It's pretty useful for cleaning up old equipment or over-greased joints.

 

[Bird]

I know there are a lot of folks who know more than I, and who recommend being very careful about where you spray water and using a pressure washer, so you can take my opinion for what it's worth. I've been washing car engines at the coin operated car washes for years. Now I spray mine with Simple Green, then hose them off only because I don't have a pressure washer and don't want to go to the coin operated ones. I had a gun to which I could hook both my garden hose and the air hose from my compressor for more pressure and that's what I used on my tractor. The only thing I'm cautious about with the water is the instrument panel on the tractor and the air intake on both tractor and cars. I don't hit a hot engine with cold water and after washing, I blow off excess water with the air hose, then drive the car or tractor long enough for the heat to dry out the engine. Like others have said, if I wash out the greased joints, then I re-grease them.

 

[RickS]

Wash a tractor??? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

I think I've washed mine once, and I wouldn't use a pressure washer except on the very lowest of settings. I would keep it to no more than a heavy rain would cause if you were out working in the rain.

Regardless of how you do it, as Bird said, keep it away from the instrument cluster, use a moist cloth as they are not sealed really well in my experiences.

You may need to drain the clutch housing after you wash it, there is often a plug just for that.

Bird's suggestion for drying is also right on. Operate at normal temp for at least 15-30 minutes afterward to ensure that everything is good and dry.

I love my grease smears. It's how I know I have enough grease in those bushings! It's not a bad idea to inject enough grease to change out what's there once-in-a-while anyway to make sure there isn't a lot of dirt mixed in. Normal operation will squeeze out a lot of grease, so wiping it off after greasing is only part of the story.

John

 

[Highbeam]

I am an overgreaser. I believe this is true because after working in the woods I always come back with black grease on the hood, the fenders, the dash, the loader arms, etc. even though I use red grease. I pump grease until I hear the crackle which is about 2-3 pumps every time I work it for a day. Maybe too much but grease is cheap. Grease is messy.

A pressure washer with water won't clean grease of of the body work. You have to use a solvent. I just mix up a strong batch of carwash soap and have at it. I noticed once that a tiny bit of diesel on a paper towel, like you have after cleaning up diesel spilled on the hood, works extremely well at wiping up grease. I just worry about the effects of a diesel bath. The diesel works extremely well, so does a touch of wd-40, they have an armor-all effect too.

I now use a hose and strong carwash mix and things look pretty. Washing your machines is a great way to bond and find signs of trouble or broken parts. Regrease after you're done.

 

[Laminarman]

You folks have all been very helpful. Thanks!

I'm not much into appearances, but it sure would be nice to have a cleaner looking tractor for two reasons: one, I like to take care of my things (but am not afraid to use my tools very hard) and two, she's not all paid for (call it a psychological reason!!).

 

[N80]

a lot of us are folks for whom a tractor is a luxury. For some of us it is an expensive toy. We might keep it a lifetime or we might sell it after a while. Or, if things don't work out well, we might _have_ to sell it for financial reasons.

From the luxury/toy perspective, why not keep it nice and pretty? The short amount of time it takes to wash it doesn't really take us away from tractor related income.

For those of us still paying or who wish to maintain resale value, I think keeping the paint looking good is very important. The main reason is that for CUTS and sub CUTS, the potential buyers are usually going to be people like us...you know, we like 'em pretty and we want a cup holder. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

It might be purely psychological but I think you are more likely to get more from a tractor that looks good than for a tractor that is just as good mechanically that looks beat up or uncared for.

Yes, sometimes I feel a little foolish washing something that is going to be covered in mud or dust in another day or two, but it may pay off one day and even if it doesn't, its nice when it at least looks new. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[dooleysm]

I washed my L3000 last weekend for the first time in the year that I've owned it. It looks great now, no doubt about it.

I just have a hard time making the time to wash it. I'd rather spend the time playing with my newborn or the dogs or my wife /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif