Tractor Operation Tips

Every farm worth its salt has at least one tractor on its premises. Tractors are the background of the agricultural industry, making short work of tasks that used to take several days or weeks of hard labor by dozens of laborers.

But your tractor can only assist you if it’s well-maintained. Arizona Tractor Sales, serving Chandler, is your local tractor dealer. Here are some of our top tips for keeping your tractor in good working order all year long.

Read Your Owner’s Manual

The first and best thing you can do when it comes to keeping your tractor functional is to fully familiarize yourself with how it works. And the best resource you have for this knowledge is your tractor’s owner’s manual. You’ll be able to learn the ballasted weight recommendation for your trailer, the recommended psi level for your tires, how every control works, what types of fluids to use and what filters to use. You should keep the owner’s manual in a place where it’s easily accessed so that you can refer to it whenever you need to.

Distribute Weight Evenly

You should make sure that the weight placed on your tractor is distributed recently. Your tractor is powerful enough that it’s more likely to run out of traction long before it ever runs out of power, unless you overburden it. Don’t go over the maximum working weight so that you don’t overstress the drive train, which can increase your risk of rollover and decrease your engine’s reliability.

Performance Needs

Some specific parts of your tractor need to be maintained to ensure good performance. Air filtration is one of the most important parts, because fields and farms will produce a great deal of dirt, dust and debris that can easily clog up the filter. You should replace the filter on a regular basis and you can even install a dirt restriction gauge that can let you know when the filter needs to be changed so you won’t have to worry about it.

Your tractor’s cooling system is another part that needs to be regularly maintained, and you can test it using a kit that will help you to optimize the coolant. Bear in mind that any antifreeze you use should be designed for tractor usage rather than for car or truck use.

If you change the fuel in your tractor, you should make sure that it’s the correct fuel for the season. Using winter fuel in the summer can really reduce your engine’s performance. You can have your supplier confirm the fuel density so that you know you’re using the right fuel.

Safety Precautions

Working with heavy equipment means that you need to consistently practice good safety habits. Keep all the safety guards intact, wear protective gloves and goggles and follow all the operational guidelines laid out in your owner’s manual. Wear snug-fitting clothes with no loose strings or fabric and tie back long hair while using your tractor. Protect your feet with work boots that have good traction. You’ll also want to wear hearing protection in the form of earplugs or earmuffs.

Never let other people ride on the tractor with you and always be responsible in how you operate it. Ride only while sober and alert.

Following these tips should help you to keep your tractor functional in every season. Check out our online selection or give us a call to learn about the products we offer. We offer financing options to help you get the tractor you need. Arizona Tractor Sales proudly serves all of the western United States.