Cold Weather Tractor Tips -

[clanter]

@RAyers

Hence why you alway maintain the batteries and generally replace every 3 years (even if you don’t use them, the plates will degrade). A Battery Tender is your friend.

yes for a lead acid which is a standard auto battery, but we switched all of our trucks and off road equipment over to AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) batteries, these last longer, preform better in cold and fail less due to harsh driving of off road jolting

AGM batteries can be frozen without serious ramifications (will not ruin the battery, nor burst the case) Also AGM batteries offer the advantage of being maintenance-free. (Lead Acid require periodic adding of water)

Lead acid

During use, water in the electrolyte is broken down into oxygen and hydrogen gases and water is lost. This requires regular additions of water to be replaced to keep the battery plates fully submerged in the electrolyte.
https://www.altenergymag.com/article/2020/03/understanding-the-differences-between-agm-and-flooded-deep-cycle-batteries/32829/

[PaddockWood]

I bought Howes Diesel Treat and see good reviews online. And yes, we just replaced the fuel filer and did an oil change. Don’t have a torpedo heater. Thanks for all your thoughts. I’m relaxing. If worse comes to worse, I’ll dump my manure in the driveway and use the FEL to get it once we get out of this spell.

[PaddockWood]

@Leather Thanks for your thoughts. With the cold spell coming I wonder what other ideas/tips you have to share on cold weather farm tips. Thinking we need another thread started.

[anon81364900]

Glad you brought this up. As long as you’re buying your diesel retail, it’ll be winter-conditioned by the supplier.

[foggybok]

We have a block heater, but didn’t even use it the first winter here and the tractor ran fine. Also we put a trickle charge on the battery to keep it full. Right now, it’s in the shop, which helps a lot because it is warmer, but it has lived outside as well. It’s full of winter diesel now, so good to go in that department.

[goodhors]

I see no one has mentioned that glo-plugs do eventually “wear out” and need replacing. They do last a very long time generally. But at some point on older tractors, they could be an issue in starting.

Our tractor was over 10 years old, low hours, when husband thought the glo-plugs were not very effective. Calling the tractor company about service, was a BIG sticker shock with labor and their plugs!! This was a smaller Kubota, 2600DT. Husband decided to tackle it himself, with the aid of utube tutorials. He purchased the plugs thru the auto parts store, about $20 each. He said he did have to dismantle a fair amount of the tractor, but was successful in changing the plugs and reassembling everything in the correct order. Tractor does start much easier now, any weather.

He is not a real mechanical person, but can follow directions, watch the videos, to get things going again. Hates spending money on machinery, where the visiting mechanic is well paid! Looking at repairs as a challenge! So far, he is 100 % successful in his efforts on a wide range of things.

So yes, plug repair at home is possible. Lots of ladies on here do their own tractor repairs successfully.