Tractor Maintenance Tips

There’s no questioning the importance of tractors for agricultural work. They’re powerful enough to deal with the roughest of tasks and tough enough to come out the other side barely bothered. With as much use as they provide, tractors can get overlooked when it comes to regular maintenance. Despite their tough exterior, they’re just as susceptible to wear and tear as any piece of equipment, and part of having such a long-lasting is keeping it in as good repair as possible. While that might mean spendy service shop visits, proper tractor maintenance starts at home with some preventative care. 

At Morgan Power Equipment, we take tractor maintenance seriously. If a tractor forms a vital part of your work, then you should know how to care for it. Even with a small amount of knowledge and understanding, you can help to prevent trips to the repair shop and keep your tractor happy for years to come. Read on for some of our tractor maintenance tips, or head into our location in Halifax, Massachusetts , where we proudly serve Taunton, Brockton, Plymouth, and Middleborough.

Visual Inspection

Before you even touch the tractor, take a moment to give it a good once over while looking for any obvious problems that stick out. Check for leaks, loose hoses, or misplaced cables. Leaks can be fixed with some extra tightening of attachments or making sure a hose is connected properly. Also, look at the glass sediment bowl under the fuel filter. If there’s water or material in there, that means there could be something wrong with the fuel, fuel filter, or engine, and it might need to be taken into the shop.

Radiator Fluid and Engine Oil

Running day in and day out, your tractor’s innards see a lot of friction and heat if not properly lubricated. Having enough coolant and lubricant for your engine and radiator are extremely important when running a heavy piece of equipment all day. Overheating an engine is a quick way to waste a lot of time and money in the service shop. Check radiator fluid daily and top it off as needed. The need to replace a lot of coolant every day is a sign there might be a problem. If you think this is the case, take care to check periodically through the day, and if it’s clearly an issue, don’t hesitate to have the tractor serviced.

Engine oil keeps all things mechanical running smoothly under the hood. Just like your coolant or the oil in your car or truck, you need to check the engine oil on your tractor regularly. However, don’t check the oil on a cold engine. Start up the tractor and let it run for a couple minutes. Shut it off then wait a few more minutes. Then check the dipstick like you would on another vehicle: take it out, wipe it off, reinsert, then pull it out again for a clear reading. The oil should be light in color, but if it’s discolored and sludgy then it’s time for an oil change and filter replacement. Otherwise top levels off to the indicated level and move on.

Fuel 

Fresh fuel is more important than you might think. Hopefully you’re running it enough that this isn’t an issue, but even the hardest working tractors usually get some time during the off-season to sit around without operating. If you plan to store your tractor for more than a week or two, pick up a fuel stabilizer to add to the tank. This will keep water from collecting or separating out of the fuel, which can either rust right through the tank or else get sucked into the engine and cause all kinds of issues. The same goes for storing backup fuel. Just make sure to use the freshest gas or diesel you can!

Tires

Tractor tires are big. They’re expensive. And they’re an important component to keep an eye on, not just for maintenance, but for replacement. It’s unwise and unsafe to work on tires with too-low air pressure, so take a minute to check with a simple pressure gauge. You’ll find the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure in PSI either printed on the tire wall, in your owner’s manual, or on the manufacturer’s website. 

Tractors help us do a lot of work, so it’s only fair we do a bit of work for them too. Your tractor will show its appreciation by running for years to come, and  you’ll save on expensive service and repairs by preventing serious problems before they can do real damage. If you still have tractor maintenance questions, or you just want to check out our stock of new and used equipment, head into Morgan Power Equipment in Halifax, Massachusetts, where we are proud to serve Taunton, Brockton, Plymouth, and Middleborough. Head in today and speak with our team of experts who’ll answer all your questions and help you find what you’re looking for.