Winterizing Your Tractor

When the harvest season ends and winter sets in, you’ll want to make sure that you’re tidying up and keeping your farm equipment in good condition during the long, cold months of disuse. Proper tractor winterization and storage is essential to your tractor’s continued functioning, and there are some important maintenance steps you should undertake before you walk away from it until spring.

As your Kansas tractor dealer, Prairieland Partners has the tips you need to properly winterize your tractor. Read on to learn how to go about this process correctly.

Clean Your Machine

First things first: you’ve likely got a very dirty tractor on your hands so it’s time to clean all that mud, dust, grass and other debris off. Letting these substances sit will not only be unsightly, but they can also do some damage. Use a mild detergent like car-wash soap as you scrub down your tractor. Try to keep water from getting into the electronics or the instrument panel in your cab. Once your tractor is clean and dry, you can lubricate the grease points to keep them mobile. 

Perform Basic Maintenance

Now you can set about performing those necessary tasks that have built up over the summer and fall. Check the engine oil as you would the oil in your car or truck: remove the dipstick, wipe it with a soft cloth, reinsert it and remove it again to check the color and consistency. Clear, runny oil only needs a top-off, but sludgy, opaque oil (which is much more likely after a long harvest season) will need to be changed. Change the oil filter at the same time.

Remove the battery from your engine so that you can hook it to a tender. A battery tender or trickle charger, kept in a warm, dry area, will keep your battery all powered up so that it doesn’t lose its charge completely.

Inspect the tires on your tractor for any signs of wear. Tractor tires are pricey and you don’t want to replace them any sooner than strictly necessary. So it’s important to check for cracks, tears, bald patches and embedded objects. If you’re storing your tractor for a while, you’ll want to use stands or supporting blocks to prevent flat spots from forming on the tires. Releasing some of the air from the tires until they’re a third of the pressure they usually are will help to prevent further wear while the tractor sits still.

Cover & Store

Now you can cover up your machine and put it away! You should have a sturdy, well-fitting cover for your tractor to keep it from accruing dust or being infested with pests. A cover is especially important if you have to store your machine outdoors. Don’t use a plastic cover, since it will reduce air circulation, allowing water to build up and cause corrosion. A water-repellent cover out of another material like canvas is better.

You should ideally have a secure, indoor space to store your tractor, like a garage or barn. A locking door will help to prevent theft, and indoor storage also reduces the risk of weather damage or pest infestation. However, if you must store your tractor out of doors, then your cover should at least help to protect it until spring.

Your tractor is the most vital piece of equipment in your farming arsenal, and we hope this guide helps you to keep it in good working order. If you’re in search of a great piece of farm equipment, visit one of our many Kansas dealerships today to check out our full stock of new and used farm equipment for sale, including tractors. Prairieland Partners proudly serves all of our Kansas customers.