How Often Should You Carry Out a Farm Equipment Service?
Modern farmers face many challenges. One way to overcome them is to keep your equipment in tip-top shape.
Today, farm profits are dwindling, and equipment prices are rising. Because of this, a lot of farmers choose to forgo the traditional buying of new equipment.
Instead, they’re repairing equipment that they’d typically replace. Accordingly, farm equipment maintenance is more important than ever before.
By keeping equipment functioning properly, it’s ready to go when needed. However, you may find that it costs less to outsource your maintenance needs to a farm equipment service.
Routine maintenance keeps equipment in top condition. It’s a primary part of the farming business.
To find out how often you should carry out farm equipment service, read on.
Taking Care of Business
Farmers can cut repair costs significantly by staying on top of routine maintenance. Various tasks dictate a farmer’s schedule, including:
- Harrowing
- Planting
- Plowing
- Reaping
- Threshing
- Winnowing
You can delay weather-dependent tasks considerably by waiting for a breakdown.
Farmers must give fresh-cut hay time to dry. They must also plant seeds during a certain timeframe.
Equipment delays that make farmers deviate from Mother Nature’s schedule can cost dearly. Diligent maintenance is the best way to avoid costly delays.
Farmers wear many hats. They must fix and maintain everything from farm machinery to agricultural equipment.
Without basic repair skills, you could miss out on favorable weather conditions. You could also miss important steps in production. Accordingly, you can’t afford equipment downtime.
Many of the steps required to take care of farm equipment are similar to maintaining your car. Some farm equipment requires special tools, but the maintenance tasks are very similar.
However, managing farm equipment is more like fleet management. As such, it makes sense to keep a journal to help you keep track of when it’s time to maintenance various pieces of equipment.
Routine Farm Equipment Service Keeps the Wheels Turning
The wintertime is a great time for seasonal maintenance. Typically, farmers have lighter workloads when it’s cold. During this time, it’s a good idea to have a farm equipment cleaning service come in and prepare everything for the next season.
It’s also a good idea to double-check equipment before the start of the season. Start by checking for signs of wear on belts, chains and hoses. You should also check any other moving parts.
If you find worn or damaged parts, replace them. Don’t wait for them to break. A part that breaks while equipment is in service can result in a more costly repair.
You should also check for loose fasteners. If you see any loose connectors, such as clamps or screws, tighten them up so that they don’t get into the works and cause a serious malfunction.
Also, make sure that all tires have enough air. You should also check for wear in the wheel bearings.
Next, check the battery terminals for signs of corrosion. You should also check the charge of your batteries.
Planting often involves late hours. Accordingly, you should test the lights and signals to make sure that they’re all working. Also, check the engine and coolant levels.
Finally, after a long hiatus, check the ground for fluid leaks. Leaks are a sign that something needs maintenance.
There’s a Better Way to Keep Up on Maintenance
Farmers love the land, but they’re also businesspeople. Usually, a farmer has millions of dollars invested in their tools and equipment. This amount doesn’t include the money invested in land and livestock.
Manufacturers create new technologies every year that makes current equipment obsolete. At a minimum, older equipment cannot keep up with the production capacity of modern farm equipment.
As a result, farmers understand that they’ll miss out on opportunities if they hold on to old equipment for too long. Savvy farmers know that it’s important to keep their equipment updated to achieve optimal results.
While equipment is in service, they also know that it’s important to maintain it so that it performs at its best. Routine maintenance reduces expenses. It also helps farmers to do the most amount of work with the least interruptions in business.
Proper maintenance extends the life of equipment. It also prevents unfortunate breakdowns.
Today, farmers struggle with smaller profit margins. They need every advantage that they can find.
By partnering with a farm equipment service provider, you can reduce the work and costs needed to maintain equipment. A farm equipment service provider can maintain equipment for less than what it will cost for you to do it yourself. Furthermore, you can benefit from the knowledge of a service provider who’s an expert in farm equipment sales and service.
Farm Equipment Service Near Me
If you operate a farm in the Midwest, it helps to partner with a farm equipment service that understands your needs. By outsourcing equipment maintenance, you can access affordable support and maximize the uptime of your equipment.
Also, a partnership with a farm equipment service gives you access to invaluable emergency farm equipment repair services. Furthermore, service provider personnel can monitor your equipment and anticipate problems before they disrupt your business.
Today, technology has revolutionized every business – including farming. By partnering with a farm equipment provider, you can spend more time tending crops and livestock, and less time reading manuals.
Reliable Farm Equipment Repair Service for Your Operation
Ag Solutions Group can help you bridge the gap where technology meets agriculture. Our expert farm equipment mechanics and service technicians can diagnose your equipment and help you keep all your critical tools in tip-top shape.
It’s our mission to reduce operating costs for farmers and agricultural operations while building a strong relationship that will help you prosper. We aim to deliver everything that you’d expect from an exceptional farm equipment service.
Contact a friendly Ag Solutions Group expert today to request a quote for your farm equipment maintenance needs.