| Information sheets | | | Elsenburg infopaks | | | Mechanisation: 3 |
Tractor care
Afrikaans | Xhosa
The age of a tractor is not measured in years, but in the manner in which you care for it! Therefore there are certain things the driver must check before he switches the tractor on in the morning and also as long as he is using the tractor.
When anything goes wrong with the tractor, it must immediately be fixed. If the problem is not immediately attended to, and the driver just goes on working, the tractor can be seriously damaged, and repair can become very expensive.
It is always cheaper to fix a fault as soon as you hear or see that something is wrong. Remember, to be sorry cannot make things right, and to say that you had not known, is a poor excuse.
Let us briefly discuss the most important parts of a tractor:
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The cooling system
The purpose of the cooling system is to prevent overheating of the engine. The two types of systems found in tractors are those that are cooled by air and those cooled by water. |
In the case of air cooling, the fan is driven by a fan belt that blows cold air onto the engine to cool it. The fan belt must not have too much slack, otherwise it will slip and the engine will overheat, resulting in great damage.
Especially note whether any cracks or damaged places occur on the fan belt. If there are, the fan belt must be replaced. Do not wait until it breaks!
In the case of water cooling, water is pumped through the engine where it gets hot. The water moves through the upper hosepipe to the radiator where it moves through small pipes to the lower tank of the radiator. From there it flows through the lower hosepipe to the water pump which again pumps the cooled water through the engine.
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Check the water level in the radiator every morning. You will notice that it drops slightly. However, this is normal. If the level is much lower, it means that there is a leak. Such a leak must be located and fixed before there is great damage to the engine.
Be on the lookout for signs of rust in the water. If there are, the rust can block the small pipes in the radiator, and this can also cause great damage. The cooling system must therefore regularly be thoroughly rinsed, and an anti-rust agent must be added to the clean water. |
The radiator cap: The purpose of the radiator cap is to keep the pressure and temperature inside the cooling system constant and to prevent the water from spilling out.
If the spring or seals are broken, the radiator cap must be replaced with a new one.
The fan belt: The purpose of the fan belt is to transfer the turning of the crankshaft to the alternator or generator, water pump and fan.
The tension of the fan belt must be checked every morning. A slack fan belt can cause the battery to go flat, and the engine can overheat. The play should be approximately 12 to 13 mm.
The thermostat: The thermostat is situated at the site where the upper hosepipe is joined to the engine. When the tractor is switched on in the morning, the valve of the thermostat is closed, preventing the engine water from being pumped to the radiator. When the water in the engine reaches a certain temperature, the valve in the thermostat begins to open and the hot water flows to the radiator where it is cooled. When the tractor is switched off, and the water begins to cool, the valve closes again.
If the thermostat becomes faulty in that the valve does not open when the engine water gets hot, the engine overheats with great resultant damage - unless the driver immediately stops and switches off the engine.
The valve also has a tendency not to shut when the engine water cools off. In this case, the tractor engine will never get hot, with the same damaging results.
Inexplicably, many people make the mistake of removing the thermostat. When a tractor runs without a thermostat, the following things happen:
- The engine will not have strength.
- Fuel consumption will be higher.
- The engine parts will suffer more wear and tear.
The cooler hosepipes: They must be checked regularly, and if there are cracks or weak places, the pipes must be replaced immediately. Do not wait until the pipe leaks or ruptures. Oil or diesel on the pipes can also damage them.
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The temperature gauge indicates the engine temperature, and the driver must constantly keep his eye on the gauge, also making sure that it is in a good working condition.
Great damage could be incurred should the engine overheat. Remember never to remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot! |
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The air cleaner
The purpose of the air cleaner is to catch up the dust so that only clean air will go to the engine. There are two types of air cleaners, namely the oil-bath and dry type. With the dry type, the front-filter glass and the air-filter element must be removed and cleaned on a regular basis whenever work is done in dusty conditions. Remember not to clean the small element by blowing air over it, because this could damage it. The sump, sieves, pipes and front filter of the oil-bath type must be cleaned regularly whenever work is done in dusty conditions. |
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The oil
The purpose of engine oil is to:
The oil pump sucks the oil out of the sump and, at a high pressure, pumps it through the oil filter to the various engine parts, after which the oil returns to the sump. The oil level must be measured every morning before the engine is switched on. For this purpose the tractor must always stand on level ground. |
If the engine needs oil, this must be added. See to it that the oil cap and the area around it are thoroughly clean before the oil cap is removed. Also make sure that the oil jug and funnel are clean before they are used.
Take care not to pour in too much oil, because this can cause the oil to be forced out through the oil seals and leaks can originate.
If the oil level is too low, this might be an indication that there is too little oil in the sump. This leads to poor lubrication of the engine parts, causing unnecessary wear.
It is important to drain the oil at the prescribed hours. When the oil is drained, the engine must be hot so that all the dirty oil, grime and accumulated deposit in the engine and sump can be drained out. The tractor must be standing level when the oil is drained. Wait until all the dirty oil has drained. Clean the sump plug well and make sure that the washer is in a good condition. If the washer is broken, the plug will leak.
Fill up with new oil to the top mark on the dipstick, replace the oil cap, switch on the engine and allow the engine to idle for one minute. Switch off the engine and wait a while so that all the oil can flow back into the sump. Pull out the dipstick and make sure that the oil level does indeed reach the top mark on the dipstick.
The oil filter purifies the oil before it goes to the engine parts. The oil filter must be replaced every time the oil is changed.
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There are two types of oil filters, namely the screw-in and the loose-element types.
The screw-in type is unscrewed by hand or by an oil-filter strap. Never re-use an old filter. Before the new oil filter is screwed in, make sure that the rubber seal on the filter fits exactly into the slot. Rub a little of the clean oil onto the rubber seal. Screw in the oil filter firmly by hand. Switch on the engine and check the oil filter for leaks. The loose-element type is placed loosely in a cap that is bolted to the engine. It is only on the older tractor models that this type of oil filter is still found. |
Unscrew the bolt and remove the cap. Take out the old element and throw it away. Clean the cap thoroughly. Before the new element is placed in the cap, make sure that the spring and washer are under the cap. Place the new element in the cap, see that the new seal fits into the slot. Fit the cap with the element into the slot and bolt it down thoroughly. Switch on the engine and make sure that the oil filter does not leak.
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The oil light must always be on when the tractor is switched on with the key. If it does not come on, it must first be fixed.
It is also very important that the driver should constantly check this light while the tractor is in use. If it lights up, the tractor must immediately be switched off and the problem sought. The oil gauge must always be in a working condition. A faulty oil gauge cannot serve as a warning to the driver that something is wrong with the oil system. |
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The battery
The battery supplies power to all the electrical parts of the tractor. The battery water must be checked every morning. Clean the top of the battery before the plugs are removed. Remove the plugs and see whether there is enough water in all the cells. Fill up with sufficient distilled (battery) water to cover the plates. If the cells are overfilled, they may boil over, and any acid coming into contact with metal, will cause damage. See to it that the battery terminals and poles are clean. When the battery terminals are removed, the earth cables are removed first. If the power cable is removed first and the spanner touches the metal, the ensuing short-circuit could damage the alternator/generator. Clean the terminals by leaving them for a while in a tin containing a solution of water and bicarbonate of soda. |
If any of the terminals have been eroded by battery acid, they must be replaced. See to it that the terminals are replaced in the correct positions - the hole in the positive terminal is larger than that in the negative terminal. When the terminals are replaced on the battery, the power cable must be replaced first.
Never place the battery on cold cement when you take it out. Put it on a plank if it has to stand on a cement floor.
The alternator/generator light: This light must always come on when the tractor is switched on with the key. If the light does not come on, it must be fixed before the tractor can be used.
When the engine is running, the light must be off. If it does not go off, the fault must be sought for and fixed before the tractor can be used.
If the light comes on while the tractor is in use, it must immediately be fixed. If it is not fixed, the battery will run down.
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The alternator/generator gauge: When the tractor is switched on, the needle must move to indicate that the alternator/generator is charging. If it is not, the battery will run down. |
The diesel
The tractor’s diesel tank must be filled in the evening when the tractor is hot. If the diesel tank is not full, vapour will condense and form droplets on the inside during the night. This may damage the diesel system. The tractor must always stand level when the tank is being filled. Clean the cap of the tank and the area around it before removing the cap.
Clean the mouth of the pipe before putting in the diesel.
Never fill the tank to capacity in summer. If the tractor stands in hot sun, it could happen that the diesel is pushed out at the cap. Remember never to smoke while the tank is being filled.
The diesel filters: They remove the impurities in the diesel before it goes to the injector pump. The filters must be replaced after the prescribed number of working hours. Otherwise they will become clogged and the tractor will come to a standstill. When diesel filters are replaced, the tap at the diesel tank first has to be closed.
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There are three types of diesel filters, namely:
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The loose-element type is usually found in older tractors. The filter is removed and mounted in the same way as the oil filter is.
Before the metal-type filter is removed, the filter and the area around it must first be cleaned. Unscrew the bolt on top of the filter. Remove the lower cap and the metal filter. Remove all rubber seals. Clean the lower cap. Put the new seals, metal filter and lower cap in position and mount them firmly with the bolt.
The screw-in type is removed and mounted in the same way as the oil filter is.
Bleeding the diesel filters: When the diesel filters are replaced, the diesel system must be bled to remove air from the system. Always begin with the diesel filters. Turn open the tap at the diesel tank.
Slightly loosen the air valve on top of the filter. Work the fuel pump by moving the lever up and down. Keep on pumping until clean diesel spurts out of the air valve. Close the air valve again.
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The clutch
The life span of the clutch depends on the tractor driver. The driver must not drive with his foot on the clutch pedal. It is not a resting-place for his foot. Driving with a foot on the clutch can cause great damage to the clutch parts. If a tractor gets bogged down and the driver tries to get it out himself, he can burn out the clutch in the struggle and cause great damage. It is cheaper and quicker to get another tractor to haul out the bogged-down one. |
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The brakes
The brake pedals must always be linked together for ordinary driving. See to it that the brake pedals take at the same height. To test this, the pedals must be unlinked. Push the pedals down with both hands. If one pedal is lower, that brake must be adjusted upwards until both pedals are of equal height. This kind of adjustment is made only for mechanical brakes. |
If the tractor has a hydraulic brake system, the brake-fluid height in the reservoir must be checked every morning.
If the brake fluid has to be added regularly, it is a sign of a leak. It must be found and fixed.
When there is no brake fluid in the reservoir, there are also no brakes. When the reservoir is filled, the brake system must first be bled to get rid of the air in the system.
The handbrake: The best way to test the handbrake is to stop the tractor on a slope and pull up the handbrake. If the tractor moves, then the handbrake must be fixed.
The differential and gearbox
In the differential and gearbox there are many gears and bearings. The oil level must be checked regularly to prevent a shortage of oil in the differential and gearbox.
Ensure that the oil dipstick is clean before it is removed. If oil is needed, fill up only to the mark.
The hydraulic filter
Because the filter must purify the oil before it goes to the three-point system, it must be cleaned or replaced regularly to prevent clogging. If the filter becomes clogged, the oil will not be able to pass through it, and the three-point will not be able to lift the implement.
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The steering
When the play of the steering wheel increases, it must be determined where the wear occurred. For this purpose, the front wheels must stand on the ground and the steering wheel must be turned from side to side. If the tractor has power steering, the tractor engine must be switched on before the steering wheel is turned from side to side. |
The oil level in the steering box must be checked regularly. Always put in the correct kind of oil.
If the tractor has power steering, the oil level must also be checked regularly. If the wrong oil is used, the power steering will not function properly.
Grease
Before grease can be applied, the grease nipples must first be cleaned. If any of the grease nipples are blocked, they must be unscrewed and blowing air through them cleans the holes.
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The tyres
Check the tyre pressure regularly, especially when an implement is secured to the three-point and it is lifted from the ground. Flat tyres get damaged and they increase the fuel consumption of the tractor. If the front wheels are too flat, the steering wheel is difficult to turn and the steering system can be damaged. If cracks and faulty places on the tyres are fixed immediately after they occur, large expenses later on will be prevented. |
If the caps of the back tyres are worn, the tractor will be usable only for road haul-age. Ensure that there is always enough water in the back wheels. If there is not enough, the back wheels will slip when the tractor is used for ploughing. The tyres will also soon become worn and the fuel consumption will be very high.
When a wheel is filled with water, it must be jacked up from the ground with the valve at the top of the wheel. If too much water has been let into the wheel, wait until all the excess water has escaped through the valve. Screw in the valve and pump up the wheel. Make sure that the pressure is correct.
The tyres can be damaged by contact with grease, oil or diesel.
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Safety
For personal safety, remember never to race with a tractor.
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D Louw
ELSENBURG / Training
