Parking tips

[RickB]

I hope the title made you curious. I have thought about posting this for a while,and this morning is the time.
Many of us use our tractors in winter, and store them in unheated buildings or out of doors altogether. Here are a couple things I try to do year-around, but especially in cold weather to ensure my rigs will start when I want them to.
For tractors with neutral safety switches on the transmission and PTO shifters, park the tractor with the gearshift and PTO in neutral. This allows the switches to return to the proper state while the tractor still has a little heat in it. Some switches, particularly ball switches located above the static level of oil in transmissions, can freeze with just a little condensation on them. Leaving a shifter in gear can allow the switch to freeze in the wrong state and when the shifter is moved to N for a cold start, the switch won't follow. No start.
Leaving manual transmissions in neutral also prevents a tractor from moving if the starter is powered by a short circuit induced by a rodent lunching on the wiring. This can and does happen.

Operating cables can freeze as well. My older diesels both have manual fuel shutoffs. I kill the engine, then return the shutoff to the run position so if the cable freezes, I can start the tractor. Engine heat will usually thaw a shutoff cable in time but if it won't start, there is no heat.

Minor annoyances become big problems in winter, I hope this may help smooth someone's day. Be safe moving last night's snow from your path.

 

[Bird]

I'm far enough south, and accustomed to parking indoors, that I didn't have those problems, but it all sounds like good advice to me.

I'm one of those who routinely uses the parking brake on my cars, but I learned, in freezing wet weather, you can have a parking brake cable freeze and fail to release when you want to go again.

 

[escavader]

I never thought of it,but it sounds like a good practice.Ithink ill do it.The only thing might be if you have a youngster around and you have it already in neutral...probably good idea to remove the key.
ALAN

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

everything in neutral is good - I use my BB as a brake, so no danger there. I would never consider leaving the keys in the tractor - for one it wold prevent me from closing the dust cover over the ignition. for 2, it would just make the thing that much easier for the local freebooters to "borrow" it long term...

 

[actionaj]

Thanks for the good tip, Always seemed like mine froze up worse when I put in the barn than if I just left it out under the car port.

 

[johnnylight]

Thanks Rick,

I'll start doing that right away.

 

[john_bud]

If you are not going to use the tractor for 2 weeks or more, you should use the clutch peddle hold down. If your tractor does not have that, use a stick or vice grip or clamp. That will keep the clutch from rusting to the flywheel.

jb

on edit

I also put the rpms to 1500 before shutting it off. Then when I next want to use it, I know the throttle is set for winter starting. It also tells me when it's ready to move. If it's too cold, the engine will drag down by as much as 2-300 rpm.

 

[smfcpacfp]

I don't do this either, but it sounds like a good practice, and I believe the manual on my B3030 says to do so.

Not doing so has not been a problem even though it has been to -25 since I got my tractor. I think the coldest outside temperature when I started it was -11.

 

[Jimmy Joe]

Definitely good info all the way around, I have had problems with my old 3600 because of a little moisture in the gear safety switch had to remove top of transmission, remove switch and take it in the house to thaw out then replace it to start tractor. I finally replaced the switch. Like you said it takes very little moisture sometimes for these switches to hang up.
JJ

 

[Reg]

I don't do this, but many years ago I had read that in winter you should park your tractor with the radiator/hood to a wall.
Not only to keep the cold wind out, but more importantly to make sure you have to start by backing it out.

 

[PILOON]

I do all of those suggestions (except key as mine is broken in the switch ((don't tell the thieves)) and use a screwdriver to start)

But also I always park nose in so that my snowblower is oriented so as to blow my way out. Also rotate the shute to the desire location as once it froze and was aimed at the door. Kinda hard to turn the tractor around in 16" of snow!

 

[escavader]

l also drive it in ,so i can snowblow my way out.Before i park ,i dump a little oil on the blower ,chain while its running ,then lower it onto two sticks of wood to keep it off the ground.Iclean all the snow off with a broom and look it all over good,as well as hoses and 3 point hard ware.Doing this insures its good to go next time.
ALAN

 

[deere755]

I park in an unheated shed. I always back in just in case it does not start. I can at least unhook the implement I am attached to and winch the tractor on the trailer if needed. I have enough room to turn the tractor around in the shed and back into the snow if I need to.

 

[flusher]

I'm far enough south, and accustomed to parking indoors, that I didn't have those problems, but it all sounds like good advice to me.

I'm one of those who routinely uses the parking brake on my cars, but I learned, in freezing wet weather, you can have a parking brake cable freeze and fail to release when you want to go again.

I made the mistake of setting the parking brake on my Subaru wagon and letting it sit 6 weeks in freezing winter weather while I was away on business. Result: warped rear brake drums that had to be remachined.

 

[LBrown59]

I made the mistake of setting the parking brake on my Subaru wagon and letting it sit 6 weeks in freezing winter weather while I was away on business. Result: warped rear brake drums that had to be remachined.

I didn't do that.
What I did one time many moons ago was leave my 71 ford PU setting in the side yard one winter.
Well the drainage ditch got dammed up and ran the water out into the yard.
Staid real cold below freezing for about 2 months.
Went to move the truck one day.
It wouldn't budge.
All 4 wheels were frozen soled in about 6 inches of solid ice.
Wound up letting it set there till the spring thaw.

 

[PILOON]

Frozen wheels:
Purchased a small airplane (Tailorcraft BC12D) once that wheels were frozen in ruts.
We thawed them out with a 50,000 heater (or believed so).
Test flight proved all to be OK so proceeded to ferry the AC but followed the frozen Hudson river heading towards Burlington Vt.
When I came to land one of the brake drums had re-frozen due to cold air flow.
Now that landing was one of the hairiest that I ever made!

Talk of 'pucker factor'!
No damage occured (except to the seat).

 

[jimmysisson]

I bought a Farmall A once ($200) that had previously been frozen into a puddle rears only. Trouble is, the owner chained around the front steering box to urge it out, and broke the casting. It stayed together, welded, but the break went through an oil passage and I could never get it to stop dripping. Finally hung a can under to catch the drip! Misspent youth, I guess.
Jim

 

[jimmyj]

My neighbour and I backed a case skidsteer (he has the biggest one they make) into the shed one day when it was bitterly cold. We backed right up so the rear was almost touching the wall and shut er down. Well, the **** battery died and we could not open the rear hood. It was NASTY to solve as we had to dig a hole across the shed, wrap a chain around the pole footing and winch the skidsteer away from the wall by hand. Moral of the story, wherever you park, make sure if the beast dies you can work on it. LOL

 

[Danno1]

Moral of the story, wherever you park, make sure if the beast dies you can work on it. LOL

I follow that advice w every vehicle I own. Even if I'm only parking to go in a store for 5 minutes!

.

 

[scott_vt]

If you are not going to use the tractor for 2 weeks or more, you should use the clutch peddle hold down. If your tractor does not have that, use a stick or vice grip or clamp. That will keep the clutch from rusting to the flywheel.

jb

.

Good Afternoon JB,
Oh thats what that little dohickey by the clutch pedal is !