Tractor belts are the unsung heroes of farm apparatus upkeep, regularly lost sight of till a breakdown happens. Having spare tractor belts on standby could be a game-changer when this occurs.
Regimen Farm Upkeep
I take excellent care of my lawn tractors. I keep on most sensible of oil adjustments. I steadily blank and/or exchange oil and air filters. I most sensible off different fluids (akin to hydraulic fluid and coolant) when wanted. I alternate the mower blades, and I blank leaves and grass clippings out of the mower deck steadily.
This care extends to the snow blower attachment I take advantage of with one in all my lawn tractors. I be sure that the gearbox remains stuffed with gearbox oil. I’m cautious to not scrape up gravel from my driveway when clearing snow. And I stay spare shear pins available so I received’t be out of success if one thing reasons the snow blower to damage a shear pin, disconnecting the blades from the facility of the engine.
Tractor Belts & Snow Elimination
Even probably the most diligent farmer can on occasion put out of your mind a space of upkeep that calls for consideration, such because the tractor belt that transfers energy from my lawn tractor to the snow blower.
My lawn tractor with its snow blower, were hooked as much as the snow blower the former 12 months, and at first of wintry weather, I’d long past via a upkeep tick list and concluded the whole lot used to be so as.
I hooked it up and cleared a few passes up and down my driveway when the snow blower impulsively stopped operating. A handy guide a rough visible survey printed the issue: the tractor belt had snapped.
I’d by no means idea to test the situation of the belt as a result of, in all my years of mowing with lawn tractors, I don’t imagine I’ve ever had a belt put on out. Just a little garden tractor wore out a belt as soon as, however that used to be a very long time in the past. Mower belts, in my revel in, opt for years and years with out factor, and I wasn’t anticipating anything else other from the snow blower belt.
Alternatively, I’d bought the snow blower used, so I will be able to’t say evidently what number of hours were placed on that belt. It didn’t strike me as worn the primary time I put in it on my tractor, and the belt went via one wintry weather with out factor. However the pressure of its first process again in motion proved an excessive amount of to take care of.
Thankfully, there wasn’t such a lot snow as to be unmanageable, so I used to be ready to get by means of with a smaller self-powered snowblower whilst I ordered a brand new belt and waited for it to reach.
Tractor Belts: Courses Realized
Suffice it to mention, I’ve discovered a lesson. It may be simple to overlook about belt upkeep since they regularly opt for years with out factor and there isn’t a normal agenda for changing them. However any more, I’ll visually check up on the situation of my snow blower belt prior to wintry weather every 12 months, and I’ll all the time you should definitely have a spare available. Who is aware of, subsequent time, it would snap when there are 18 inches of snow within the driveway and I wish to get it cleared in an instant. And I don’t need to be caught and not using a substitute at a time like that.
This tale about hand pollination used to be written for Interest Farms mag on-line. Click on right here to subscribe.