Harvest isn’t that far away, and it’s time to make sure your equipment is ready to go. Justin Render, marketing product specialist for Kinze Manufacturing, says it’s not just the combine that needs more than just a once-over. You need to check the grain cart, too.
“The combine is always one that gets a pretty good comb through before the beginning of the season because there’s so many moving parts. Grain carts are much more simple pieces, so it doesn’t take that long to do a little bit of work and to keep that uptime as we get out in the field. Just a little bit of preventative maintenance can increase your efficiency all the way through harvest.”
Render’s key pre-harvest checks include, “Always checking your wheels and your track, so making sure that your hubs are tight, we don’t have some nuts that are backing off and wiggle in that rim, for example, we have potential to dump a grain cart on its side. So, checking torque on the hubs and then also making sure that we’re inflated to the right pressures.
“If we have track systems, make sure that the belts are aligned, we’re not doing any damage or premature wear to that. As well as making sure everything in that drive line, that axle area, is greased up. Make sure that any parts, bearings, chains, auger sections, that if they’re starting to wear, to keep it at its peak performance, want to make sure that all those parts have been inspected.”
The number one concern is safety. Render says that starts with where the grain cart is hooked to the tractor.
“Something as simple as checking how your drawbar is mounted to the tractor, making sure that the bolts aren’t fatigued, pins aren’t ready to fall out, things like that, just something that gets overlooked a lot. And then, also connecting that safety chain up to that tractor. So, make sure those are all set up correctly that if something does happen that you’re not going to end up losing it or cause an accident.”
Render also reminds you to make sure you check the PTO shaft to make sure all those guards are in place and operational, as well as making sure that your turn signals, flashers and your slow-moving vehicle signs are up to date and working correctly.
Source: NAFB News Service
