Clean tractor - How often?

[ChipSmith]

How often do you all clean your tractors? Maybe it's just all the pictures that are posted, but it get the impression these tractors are getting thoroughly cleaned after each use. I've been trying to keep my new Cub clean by washing it down after each use, but I don't like the idea of the water getting on the parts that are hot after mowing and I usually don't have enough daylight left to let it cool down before putting it away.

I have an air compressor, but it's in my basement right now for powering my nail guns so it would be a pain to get it out every time. I've considered using a leaf blower, but right now I only have an electric one and pulling out an extension cord just to blow off the deck can be a hassle too. I want to get a gas powered blower, but all of the new ones I've seen aren't using a trigger throttle anymore. Looks like more of an all-or-nothing switch.

So how often do you clean your tractor, and how thoroughly do you clean it each time?

 

[SPYDERLK]

I blow off collected matter with air and only wash when the AGs have thrown up a lot of mud or I need to find a leak, or open up and fix something. Just clean enuf to serve the purpose at hand.
larrt

 

[Dave01]

I blow it off with a leaf blower after every use. I never wash it with a hose, but will wipe it down with a cloth at the end of the season. When greasing I'll wipe away the excess grease and might wipe down the wheels or other grimy areas while I'm at it.

I guess in short I spend about 2 minutes after each use and another 5 minutes every few weeks. Just enough to keep it in good clean working condition, no more.

 

[JSharp]

I blow it off with a leaf blower after every use. I never wash it with a hose, but will wipe it down with a cloth at the end of the season. When greasing I'll wipe away the excess grease and might wipe down the wheels or other grimy areas while I'm at it.

I guess in short I spend about 2 minutes after each use and another 5 minutes every few weeks. Just enough to keep it in good clean working condition, no more.

Same here except I use an air compressor to blow the grass off of the machine and particularly out of the engine fan after each use.

 

[TractorLarry]

Leaf blower after each use.

Hand wash once a year. Usually use a wash that has carnuba built into it.

-Larry

 

[keltonkrew]

leaf blower after each use....wash when really dirty. then blow dry with the blower...take off the safety shields off the deck (on the Massey - just blow out the shields on the cub) to make sure spindles are dry, then grease.

 

[OhioGuy]

I'm in the gas powered blower camp, but I do power wash my equipment several times per season. I always do it cold, I read that hot bearings will pull water into them and start the corrosion process.

It might be one of those theories like changing the oil in your boats OB motor should be done in the fall to get the corrosive oil out, no it should be done in the spring to get the condensation out, no it should be done both times for both reasons. I usually went with the spring change, no time in the fall!


Curt

 

[Kendall69]

Once every eight years whether it needs it or not.

If it's new I never wanted to scartch it, then I did and felt better, if it was clean I never wanted to get it dirty - so I never cleaned it, if it rained, it got a free wash on Mother Nature.
Then eight years later I decided to sell it, so I power washed it, and even waxed it. The new buyer exclaimed, "WOW, you sure kept in good shape" ( inside I was snickering ), then he bought it.

 

[cp1969]

Never was my intention. The only time I've ever washed it was when it blew a crankcase gasket and spewed oil all over the place.

 

[Fordlords]

I blow everything off with the air gun after every use, and wipe the paint down a few times every season with a quick spray on wax.
-Fordlords-