Hotter Than H

4 tips to keep your tractor cool

Yes, it’s been hotter than H- E- double hockeysticks lately.

Heat is your tractor's worse enemy. Don’t let summer’s heat get you down by causing a tractor breakdown when you least want it

1. Get it clean. Cleanliness is next to seeing-what’s-leaking. Especially after a hot, dusty day on the acreage, get out the pressure washer and clean your tractor thoroughly (after it cools down). Any grease, coolant, or hydraulic leaks will cause dirt and dust to stick, making things hotter.

2. Check the fluids. Top off coolant with the right mixture, and refresh the hydraulic fluid to proper levels. You don’t want to know how expensive it will be if either runs down. While you’re at it, check tire pressures, too—who wants to fix a tire in this summer’s heat?

3. Blow it out. If your tractor can’t breathe, it can’t work. Use a high-pressure air hose to blow out the radiator…from inside out. When bugs, seeds, weeds, and dirt are stuck in the radiator, blowing them back out the front promotes free breathing.

Some tractor manufacturers offer reversing-pitch blades that can do this for you with the flip of a switch. Aftermarket manufacturers offer these for many brands, too.

4. Consider filming it. With more tractors offering four-season cabs, you can keep your tractor’s AC unit from working overtime by applying some reflective or tinting film to the inside of the cab. Heat stays out, AC works less.

As with everything related to safe and efficient operation of your tractor, refer to your owner’s manual for the correct way to do things. Oh, you filed it away in a drawer? Call your local dealer, who knows your tractor’s needs inside and out.