3 Winter Storage Tips For Your Combine
Modern farmers rely on high-tech equipment to help plant and harvest crops throughout the growing season. When these pieces of equipment are not in use, they must be stored properly in order to preserve their integrity.
Combines are one of the largest and most expensive pieces of equipment you will find on a farm. Using proper winter storage techniques will help you preserve the quality of your combine and ensure that the machine is ready to perform effectively once the spring planting season arrives.
1. Complete a Full Inspection
No combine should be placed in winter storage without first undergoing a complete inspection. This inspection should be performed by an experienced technician to ensure no performance problems are overlooked.
The technician will inspect each component on the combine for signs of damage. Problems that are detected can be repaired immediately, preventing any additional damage from occurring while the combine is in storage.
Since the demand for combine parts and repairs is lower in the winter months, a full inspection prior to storage can help you care for your combine while keeping costs minimal.
2. Clean Your Combine
Many farmers couldn't care less about the aesthetic appeal of their farming equipment. A combine is meant to be a workhorse around the farm, but it's important to keep your combine clean if you want the machine to last.
Never put your combine into winter storage without providing a thorough and detailed cleaning. Removing all dirt and grime will help reduce the potential for corrosion while your combine sits idle during the winter.
You can also use the cleaning process as an opportunity to complete a visual inspection for signs of damage that need to be addressed by a repair technician.
Cleaning your combine before storing the machine for winter can help extend the life of this valuable piece of farm equipment.
3. Top Off the Fuel Tank
Once your combine has been cleaned and inspected, you should fill the fuel tank before putting the machine in winter storage.
Outdoor temperatures can fluctuate during the winter months. Changing temperatures can cause condensation to form in a machine's fuel tank. If there is no empty space in the tank, it is more difficult for condensation to occur.
Storing your combine with a full fuel tank will help you prevent tank corrosion and avoid performance problems caused by condensation when you fire up the combine next spring.
Contact a company that sells farming equipment to learn more.
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