Storing the FEL dumped

[jimpen]

This may sound stuoid.

I have a barn that I have to rehang the door on. (There are days I hate wood as it ages. ullinghair

So for now I'm backing the tractor in for storage, with the unmounted backhoe behind it. That gets the FEL under cover, but not "protected" from rain blowing in. I drop the FEL to the ground in the dumped position so that I don't have water collecting in the bucket. I'm using it on at least a weekly basis.

Any thoughts on it? Good or bad idea?

 

[Midniteoyl]

Was gonna ask this question too as I have seen both ways.. I figure one way protects the bucket from standing water, the other protects the cylinder chrome..

 

[swick1]

I'd protect those cylinders. Sit the bucket on top of a couple of wood blocks and tarp it if you are really worried.

 

[Ted Summey]

It only takes one time banging your leg against the corner on the bucket side where it meets the cutting edge or the tooth bar to convince you that bucket down is a good idea. The cylinders should be okay unless in direct rain or in a lot of dust especially if the tractor and loader get frequent use.

 

[Sysop]

My manual states in the "storing your tractor" section to put a thin coat of grease on any of the exposed portions of the cylinders to protect them from any moisture.

 

[DT86]

You all worry way too much about the cylinders rusting. I can show you farm equipment that has set out side it's entire life and no problems with the cylinders rusting.

Do you think the dairy farmers down the road from me wipe the muck off and oil the sh*t spreader's 30 year old cylinders before he leaves it sitting out for months at a time? No.

 

[Midniteoyl]

And I just came from a guy selling a ford 3000 whose cylinders where completely rusted out. Scrap. So it all depends.

 

[Midniteoyl]

My manual states in the "storing your tractor" section to put a thin coat of grease on any of the exposed portions of the cylinders to protect them from any moisture.

So does one of mine... Cant hurt and protects the seal too..

 

[DT86]

So it all depends.

You are right I suppose. I just looked at our 885 David Brown and it doesn't have a speck of rust on the steering cylinder. I'm not sure the exact year but it is roughly the same age as a 3000, 33 years old at least though.

 

[oldnslo]

Cylinders with a good chrome finish on the rod will not rust for a long period of time. Problem is that today some cylinders have poor grade of chrome or don't use chrome at all and rely on the shaft material to be corrosion resistant. With out knowing the quality of cylinders that are on your FEL it is very difficult to say yes or no that you will or won't have a problem. The fact that you are using this weekly greatly reduces the likely hood of the cylinder corroding.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Or you get a scratch in the chrome..

 

[Midniteoyl]

You are right I suppose. I just looked at our 885 David Brown and it doesn't have a speck of rust on the steering cylinder. I'm not sure the exact year but it is roughly the same age as a 3000, 33 years old at least though.

Mine are good as well.. but definitely have seen some that arent..

I was thinking about some protective boots

 

[jimpen]

I figure I'll run some car wax onto the chrome every few months just to be safe. I also have to do that for the backhoe anyway.

 

[JimRB]

My JD with a loader has sat in the weather for almost 15 years. Cylinders are fine. Tractor may sit for months if I do not have any wild hair projects. But I live in low humidity upper middle Georgia where the last week the humidity has been probably about 70%. Kind of typical weather unlike dry places of the USA.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Only junk cylinders are hurt by rain it seems to me, After 30 years setting in the rain I saw no rust on the JD310B BH during its annual grease job.

 

[DT86]

My JD with a loader has sat in the weather for almost 15 years. Cylinders are fine.

We had a Farmhand model 22 loader for that 885 DB that sit unused for 8 long years, 2004-2012. After 8 years of sitting outside it had no rust on the cylinders, I sold it to a guy I knew who put it on his 885 David Brown and worked flawlessly.

 

[jimpen]

My JD with a loader has sat in the weather for almost 15 years. Cylinders are fine. Tractor may sit for months if I do not have any wild hair projects. But I live in low humidity upper middle Georgia where the last week the humidity has been probably about 70%. Kind of typical weather unlike dry places of the USA.

Well for me, I'm in SW Ohio. The snow will put an interesting spin on the issue. :yuck:

 

[wolftree]

jimpen,

Though this is slightly off subject, I have seen winters here in Ohio where I had to put wooden 4X4s under the loader bucket to keep it from freezing to the ground. It took me many minutes of working the hydraulics to get the bucket free when I discovered it frozen to the ground the first time.

 

[Kryton619]

Perhaps you should consider spraying the FEL or whole tractor with Fluid Film.

 

[jimpen]

jimpen,

Though this is slightly off subject, I have seen winters here in Ohio where I had to put wooden 4X4s under the loader bucket to keep it from freezing to the ground. It took me many minutes of working the hydraulics to get the bucket free when I discovered it frozen to the ground the first time.

I have a rough cement floor, but I'll keep it in mind.

I figure after the second or third killer frost of fall, I'll dump the MMM and then get it setup for snow clearing. I just hope the winter justifies the effort. :duh: