It may be grey, cold and snowy right now – but spring and planting season will be here before you know it. Now is the time to begin making sure your vital farm vehicles ready to hit the field so you can get a good start on the season.
Any delays can cost you time. And for farmers time very much is money.
However, time spent sitting inactive over winter can cause more issues to vehicles than you may think. Even if they have been kept in a climate-controlled space (and especially if you haven’t) the cold weather can cause the need for mandatory maintenance that may delay your vehicles from hitting the field.
It’s best to deal with any issues now before it costs you valuable time. Here’s a quick rundown of things to do to get your farm vehicles ready for spring.
Check the Tires
We’ve talked about what winter can do to the tires on your car. Well, the same goes for tires of all sizes. The last couple of months spent in storage may have resulted in a change in your tires’ pressure levels. Before you send them out, make sure to check each tire’s pressure and ensure they are filled to the correct levels.
This is also a good opportunity to check the quality of your tires. Check for any rot, wear, tear and damage from animals or pests that may have occurred over the winter. Don’t hit the field with sketchy tires, get them changed if need be.
Give it a Deep Clean
Hopefully, you had a chance to give your vehicles a cleaning before you put it away for the season. Even if you did, make sure before you send your vehicles out for a new season of planting you’ve given them a thorough cleaning with plenty of soap and water.
Not only is removing dirt, mud and debris build-up important for keeping your vehicle clear of rust, damage or wear, but making sure your vehicle is clear of any chemical or biological contamination is equally important. The chance of harming a field of crops with a contaminant from your tractor or plow is too dangerous to overlook.
Ensure Functionality
As your dusting off the cobwebs and checking the tires, make sure you spend ample checking out under the hood too. There are so many crucial belts, hoses, chains that keep your vehicles running smoothly. But, out in the field can be a rough place, with all the dirt and debris. These parts can be easily worn out or otherwise messed up.
Give everything under the hood a thorough check to make sure everything is working as it should and is in good condition. Dealing with a broken down vehicle in the middle of the season is a serious burden of both time and money.
Perform Necessary Calibrations
More modern farming equipment is outfitted with all sorts of electronics. Whether it’s programming just the right amount of seeds to be distributed, fertilizer to be dispensed or pesticides to be delivered, these machines make life much easier. They can also be used to gather valuable data for farmers for planning ahead for the next year.
Whether you can do it yourself or you need to call in help, ensure all of your vehicle’s electronics are properly calibrated and functioning. Not only will it help make the planting and harvesting seasons go much smoother but bad data can make things harder to manage and lead to less fruitful seasons in the future.
Need service on your farming vehicles? Raben Tire offers major brand tires and on-site service for farm vehicles of all sizes. For information, contact the Raben customer fulffulfillment at 800-77RABEN.