Know How to Prepare The Tractor For Winter

If you have a storage area for the tractor, it can make a big difference. This will ensure the engine, hydraulic hoses & even the tires have shelter from cold winds. Ultimately this will prevent stress cracking and allow for an easier cold start. If you are unable to provide shelter from the elements, you will need to ensure your block heater is in working order. 

The test to see if a block heater is working is incredibly simple. All you need to do is plug in your block for approximately one hour. After an hour of plug in time, feel the top of the block to see if you can feel some heat. You should be able to tell the block is warmer than the ambient temperature. 

Most people think of greasing as a springtime job to help keep the moving components lubricated. This makes sense because, for a lot of us grain farmers, the brunt of our work takes place in the spring-summer season. However, greasing serves as a secondary purpose of removing excess moisture. 

The fall and winter means lots of rain and snow for a lot of areas. This excess moisture can get into the joints and moving components of your tractor. Once moisture has moved in, you run the risk of potential rust. The best way to combat this is by greasing the joints via the grease nipples. Always remember overfilled is never better! 

You know exactly how important this is if you have ever had your snow plowing tractor go dead after a snowstorm. The first part of the battery check should be looking at the connections and determining if there is any corrosion. If there is corrosion present then simply clean up the connections. 

From there, you want to use a multimeter to check the voltage. You will want to google the specs for your specific battery and ensure it's within the allowable tolerance. If you don't have a multimeter, bring it into a battery shop, and they will perform the tests and even the maintenance for you. 

The fuel station will begin to start adding chemicals to protect the fuel against the cold soon. However, to be on the safe side, you can also add your own winterizing products. This will help protect your injectors, cylinders, and other mechanical portions of the engine. Diesel fuel is known to turn into a jelly-like material under cold conditions; this gel can do a lot of damage to your injectors in particular. 

Tires 

Tires will start to lose pressure as the temperature outdoors decreases. A quick check and even a slight overfill may be needed for the next little bit. If the tractor is not going to be used during the winter months, consider covering the tires to reduce environmental weathering. 

For these you will want to check for cracks and dust build up. The cracks should be checked to see if they run deep enough to cause an issue with pressure. Hydraulics will be needed on tractors that are involved with snow removal, so having them in working order is important. If you notice there is any dust build up this is a good sign there may be a leak. Be sure to replace or mend this location to help keep the hose under pressure. 

Change these now before the shop turns into an icebox. It will be much more comfortable to do regular maintenance when the snow has not yet reached the ground. This will also allow you to look for potential water build up in the fuel and oil, which can cause major issues in the cold. 

When you change the oil, consider using a winter blend. There are several videos showing a major difference in regular oil vs winterized oil under cold temperatures. The winterized blends are able to stay less viscous under temperatures as low as - 40 degree celsius. This means a lot less strain of the cylinders and engine components when the engine is first started. 

Check the headlights and maybe even add a lightbar. Every year I underestimate how dark it can be during the winter months. This means the lighting is key for anyone intending to use the tractor during the evenings or mornings. Which is the case for a majority of use homesteaders with day jobs. 

There isn't much dust during the winter season, but you can taste the dust in the air in the fall during harvest. This means your tractor's air filter was breathing the same air and should be either cleaned or replaced. For more on doing this on your own, check out our article on cleaning combine air filters. 

Once you have checked all these off the list you are ready for the winter months. The key here is to provide the tractor with the proper fluids to operate during the colder months or place it in storage with the fluids topped up. The winterized oils, fuels and grease will be a less viscous solution to ensure seals are not broken under pressure. If the tractor is going to be sitting for the winter months, topping up the levels will push out excess moisture that may cause rust.