The coming weeks will see a lot of seasonal machinery kick in to gear that isn’t used for a large portion of the year. If you have not done so already now is a great time to get the header and harvest machinery out of the shed and give it the once over.
Some key areas to look at include:
• Oil Levels: Check all levels on even ground. Check for any hoses that may have deteriorated over winter, this is more likely with machinery that has been left outside exposed to the elements.
• Coolant Levels and Leaks: Sometimes a machine can develop a “cold leak” that is only present when the machine has been sitting and generally disappears when operating temperature is reached.
• Tyres and Wheel Bearings: It is a good idea to jack all wheels up and check for bearing wear and tear.
• Rodents: Blow cabins, engine bays, coolers and filters out and inspect for any signs of rats and mice. These can cause costly down time with chewed wiring.
With seasonal conditions becoming harder to predict the importance of getting your crop or hay out of the paddock and in the shed or silo when you need to is more important than ever.