How Do You Clean Your Tractor, Or Dont You?

[Finn farmer]

Some of this driving in socks malarkey tells me some of you havent enough work to do! By all means keep it clean and tidy, but its a tractor ffs, you're not living in the thing, get some work done!

Tbf in summer i spend more time in the tractor than in my house, so in theory i do live there.

Too bad the others don't share my mindset of cleaning after every day. I always wash the tractor after manure or fertilizer, if i have time i'll also wax it. Having a workshop with running water and 10 pressurised air outlets is great. I'd like a real washing station though, one with rails for washing detergent and pressurised water so wouldn't need to set up the washer.

 

[Ashtree]

Zetor tractors don‘t need washing.

 

[Rob Graham]

I owe a thanks to Colin, he posted up an Autoglym ceramic spray wax a few months back, nipped to Halfords to grab it (had 2 vouchers to use) but sadly they didn't have it, grabbed Turtlewax Hybrid Ceramic Wash and Wax and Ceramic spray on wax...did the car and tractor and the results were superb!
It means 75% of the tractor is easier kept spotless by a blast of the powerwasher once a week, compared to the upper half of the car (understandable doing 500 salty miles per week!)

 

[aled1590]

It’s got one of those Anti clean devices fitted. AKA a front end loader

You’d pass out if you saw the baler twine and net behind the seat. To be fair it does need a good wash soon! Thing is it’s hooked onto the straw blower and I often have the back window open as when it’s wind and rain the chaff and dust sticks to all the glass. So then it all ends up in the cab and I end up having a nice crop of barley growing in there

 

[Drillman]

I like tractors spotless inside and out,

however I hate cleaning stuff, don’t have the patience for it.

so insides get air line before chucking an occasional bucket of water over the exterior.

 

[ColinV6]

Do you use it in the rain? Do you take it into nasty muddy fields? Do you have a life?


On a more serious note, does anyone think they get more trading in a super shiny tractor than one in it's working clothes (well used but not a sh it heap) ?

Yes
Yes
Yes
Absolutely. !

 

[ColinV6]

I owe a thanks to Colin, he posted up an Autoglym ceramic spray wax a few months back, nipped to Halfords to grab it (had 2 vouchers to use) but sadly they didn't have it, grabbed Turtlewax Hybrid Ceramic Wash and Wax and Ceramic spray on wax...did the car and tractor and the results were superb!
It means 75% of the tractor is easier kept spotless by a blast of the powerwasher once a week, compared to the upper half of the car (understandable doing 500 salty miles per week!)

Good to hear. It’s the shine and hydrophobic that’s amazes me with it. Never seen new Holland paint have so much lustre. The more you use it the better it gets.

 

[Finn farmer]

Any way to get the windows somewhat sh!tphobic?

 

[Lakes Nash]

Do you use it in the rain? Do you take it into nasty muddy fields? Do you have a life?


On a more serious note, does anyone think they get more trading in a super shiny tractor than one in it's working clothes (well used but not a sh it heap) ?

I know which I would prefer to buy, a good clean tractor or one that’s used and abused!

 

[Secret Agronomist]

I know which I would prefer to buy, a good clean tractor or one that’s used and abused!

How about one thats spotless but never seen a grease gun!

 

[Lakes Nash]

How about one thats spotless but never seen a grease gun!

I think you taking it to the extreme, but it might be the rough one that has never seen any maintenance at all,

 

[Big_Alan]

I try and wash tractor down at least once a week depending on how busy I am and how dirty it is. Always try and keep the inside clean though. Boots off too but that came from driving lorries where I was living in the lorry all week. Once it’s washed, it’s gets all greased. i would like to think that when it comes to trading in. It will be worth the effort.

 

[Secret Agronomist]

Would that ceramic stuff do to make the sprayer easier to keep clean, on the booms etc?

 

[Finn farmer]

Would that ceramic stuff do to make the sprayer easier to keep clean, on the booms etc?

Absolutely.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

@Ducati899

 

[kiwi pom]

Guess it's about individuals priorities. I'd rather grease it than wash it. I know which will make it last longer.

We've had a great spell of weather and been using it for what we bought it for/work. It's in a mess and so is cab.

Will wash it when the weather breaks, or all work done. I know which one it will be.

I'm the same, when the machines parked at the end of the day its fuel, blow down (its amazing how many "clean" tractors have radiators rammed with s**t) grease and implement maintenance ready for the next day. IF there's time I might clean the windows.
Always been an employee though so never had time to fart around polishing. Had one boss get grumpy if you "wasted time" checking oils before start up. He'd be straight out the house if you got the pressure washer out.
I do manage to keep the cab clean though, that's easy to do and can often be done while you're driving, waiting for something or having a quick break. Can't be doing with sitting in crap all day.

 

[brentnz]

Live shots. Busy tipping muck on stubble with no hydraulic door so it’s a bags and wellies kind of day. Not a speck of mud or grease on any points of contact though. It’s suprisingly easy to keep this way IF YOU WANT TO.

View attachment 1010541View attachment 1010542

Heaven forbid one needed to use the brake pedal…

 

[ColinV6]

Heaven forbid one needed to use the brake pedal…

Very rare occurance that thankfully!!

 

[ACEngineering]

With the price of farm machinery getting more expensive by the day, it , in my opinion pays to try to look after it, if you are lucky to afford to by a brand new tractor, do you first, like me put seat covers on?, do you try to wash the outside of the tractor to keep it looking smart and stop corrosion setting in, what do you use, best thing i bought was an extending cleaning brush, use a bucket of water with some shampoo waxer in it, that and a hand spong? ive also got a pressure washer with a foam gun, used that a few times, i think foam guns are a bit over rated? Do you try to then either wax the bonnet and mudguards, spray duckoil, wd 40 round the back end? Any comments please? One of the worst jobs i find for getting a tractor dirty is muckspreading .

Was never that impressed with my foam gun UNTILL I realised it was mostly the chemical I was using was crap.

Switched to Jenychem snowstorm TFR (Green one) now and miles better and next to no nasty white water Mark's after. I use it on my van and dont even bother to sponge or brush now either! Foam on wait up to 5 minutes and wash off, sometimes if really bad I repeat it again but never need to lift a brush or sponge.

The second thing I did was buy a smaller nozzle for the foam gun, if you unscrew the inlet on the guns there is a small nozzle I bought a smaller one and now it foams up much thicker.

Third thing is to rinse the foam gun out after use and occasionally clean the mesh filter behind the fan nozzle.

 

[Bill dog]

Live shots. Busy tipping muck on stubble with no hydraulic door so it’s a bags and wellies kind of day. Not a speck of mud or grease on any points of contact though. It’s suprisingly easy to keep this way IF YOU WANT TO.

View attachment 1010541View attachment 1010542

What’s the lever that looks like the throttle to the left of the clutch ? By admission my most modern tractor is an 02 reg 6420 jd !