Compact Multifunctional Tractor Maintenance Tips

Most people don't maintain their tractors themselves, points out Joel Hicks, product line manager for Kioti tractors. The owner's manual provides a maintenance schedule, but he says that if you're working in dusty conditions, you should shorten the maintenance intervals. However, he recommends keeping an eye on a few key points, such as whether tires are visibly flat, whether there's rust around bolts, whether washers are crushed, whether tires are leaking air, and whether bird nests have appeared when the machine hasn't been used for a long time. "Perform a visual inspection," Hicks advises. "Walk around the machine before getting on. Check tire pressure, whether the coolant recovery tank is leaking, oil levels, lift the hood to check all fluids, and clear away debris before parking." He also recommends blowing debris off the grille and radiator with compressed air. One problem with using a compact tractor on a hobby farm is that the operator may not put in enough hours each year to reach the maintenance threshold. John Deere offers a Smart Connector attachment that connects the tractor to the Equipment Mobile app via Bluetooth, which can view machine information such as engine hours and can read service intervals from the operator's manual. Market manager Mark Davey says that for those who at least want to do basic maintenance on their tractor, "at John Deere, we design tractors to be easy to maintain, and the information in the operator's manual will guide you through proper maintenance over the life of your ownership." According to Lena Bioni, market manager for Ag North America, New Holland tractor owners enjoy the longest oil and air filter change intervals in the industry, at 600 hours (the industry average is 400 to 500 hours). She notes that you can conveniently perform engine and transmission fill points from ground level.