Equipment that's left out in the rain

[ericm979]

My backhoe attachment won't fit into the barn with the tractor and other attachments. Lately one of the joysticks has been getting sticky and not traveling as far in one direction as it used to. Today I took the valve stack off and looked under the rubber covers on the joysticks. Water must have been leaking under the covers. The aluminum base was corroded and the steel parts rusty. A chunk of corrosion was keeping the linkage from moving it's full travel. I removed that, lubed and greased everything, and it all works much better.

I've been covering the BH's seat so it would not fill with water but until last year I left the valve stack out in the open. From the looks of things the previous owner did the same. I hope that keeping the valves covered will prevent further water intrusion.

Anyhow, long story but if you are leaving equipment with valves outside, maybe covering the valves would be a good thing.

 

[Smokeydog]

CorrosionX spray has worked well form me. Lasts a year outside and many inside. Mice don’t like it also a plus.

 

[oosik]

I have limited covered storage. My tractor - chipper - riding mower - ATV are under cover. My ROBB - disk harrow - LPGS - FEL bucket - bottom plow are out in the orchard. Each on its own pallet. Nothing in the orchard is covered. I DO NOT need to provide safe haven for mice and chipmunks. So far, after 40+ years - this works for me.

 

[Captain Dirty]

During the Winter, I cover my unmounted backhoe with a tarpaulin. Each Spring when I removed the tarp, I would find the debris of "Hotel Squirrel", leaves and acorns, along the top of the boom. A couple of years ago I put a couple of dryer sheets (fabric conditioner) on the boom. Apparently the trapped heat and calm air under the peak of the tarp releases and captures whatever those sheets are impregnated with, and the squirrels do not like it.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Before I built my barns, I used to leave my implements outdoors. Except for sun faded paint, a bit of rust and a few chewed hoses & belts, I didn't have much trouble. I did switch to tarps with mothballs underneath eventually.

I know it isn't an option for many but indoor storage can't be beat for maintaining the value or your equipment.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

I bought a heavy duty cover for my tractor off a guy who advertised on Craigs List. He was out of Tennessee, but we had a good email conversations, and he called with a question befor he gave me the quote. He emailed a drawing of the layout, and I showed him what I wanted changed. He had it made and shipped in a week.

I intended to build a tractor shed, but lumber price shock slowed that down. I’ll do it this spring/summer. Just wanted to see if the prices dropped.

 

[oosik]

Honestly - I don't think there is such a thing as a rodent proof out building. There always seems to be a point of entry. Particularly - the big machine entry door. I've tried most everything to keep mice/chipmunks out of the engine compartment and passenger compartment on my vehicles. Everything works - for a while.

What has continuously worked for me now - keep the hood of the vehicle open. My examples - my tractor and my Ram Power Wagon. Been over two years now since I've seen any "evidence" in either vehicle. The tractor is stored in a very large carport. So no snow on it - ever. The Power Wagon is stored out in the yard. So ...... I scrape/brush snow almost every time I use it. Small price to pay for no rodents.

It's fairly obvious - rodents do not like open areas.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

I have limited covered storage. My tractor - chipper - riding mower - ATV are under cover. My ROBB - disk harrow - LPGS - FEL bucket - bottom plow are out in the orchard. Each on its own pallet. Nothing in the orchard is covered. I DO NOT need to provide safe haven for mice and chipmunks. So far, after 40+ years - this works for me.

I covered a plow one year only to discover the squirrels like the tarped area for food storage. which I think attracked the mice. Only noticed it when I saw the cats were taking mice from under the tarped area. Never covered any equipment again.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Honestly - I don't think there is such a thing as a rodent proof out building.

This is true. Even homes aren't rodent proof either.

I don't want to hijack the OP's thread here since there are others specific to the subject. I just want to add that I manage to control rodents in my out buildings using a combination of TomCat traps and Decon baits. There are no pets or children around and the new poison formula isn't transferrable to other animals. Admittedly, the new stuff isn't as effective as the old formula but it gives the little rats something to chew on. The traps work much better.

For the first two years, I was using 6 traps and catching about 20 mice per week. This slowly dwindled down until now when I get one or two per month. It took a bit of work but I've managed to reduce the resident rodent population to the point where it's easily manageable.

 

[mcfarmall]

Lumber prices dropped slightly and went back up again. Go to the NASDAQ website and you can see where lumber prices are and where they are trending. Low was August of 21.

 

[EddieWalker]

I tried covering an older log splitter a long time ago with a tarp to keep it dry. If I remember correctly, it had the tarp on it for about a year. When I took off the tarp, it was ruined from rust. It was so bad that I gave it away.

If you cover something, make sure there is air flow around it!!!

 

[crashz]

I cover my brush-hog and finish mower with a tarp for the winter to keep some of the finish intact. I put them on a pallet, cover with tarp and bungee cord the tarp to the pallet. It allows airflow but covers from rain/ sun / snow. It also it the local critter hotel.

 

[Loaderman22]

I have some IBC totes that I cut the bottoms of the plastic liners as rain shields for the firewood. The leftover "tops" of the plastic liners I use as random covers for equipment. I have one over the log splitter engine only, since its just sort of draped over it, its not really ideal for critters, plus the cat can get in there easily if need be. Just enough cover to keep out the rain/snow, but not enough to create comfort.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Honestly - I don't think there is such a thing as a rodent proof out building. There always seems to be a point of entry. Particularly - the big machine entry door. I've tried most everything to keep mice/chipmunks out of the engine compartment and passenger compartment on my vehicles. Everything works - for a while.

What has continuously worked for me now - keep the hood of the vehicle open. My examples - my tractor and my Ram Power Wagon. Been over two years now since I've seen any "evidence" in either vehicle. The tractor is stored in a very large carport. So no snow on it - ever. The Power Wagon is stored out in the yard. So ...... I scrape/brush snow almost every time I use it. Small price to pay for no rodents.

It's fairly obvious - rodents do not like open areas.
View attachment 732564View attachment 732565

The Extension Agents say a 6-ft band of pea gravel deters mice, the like to have escape tunnels. they cant dig them through th pea gravel

 

[5030]

I keep EVERYTHING inside, tractors, implements, vehicles and even the RV is inside. Stuff lasts so much longer that way. I cringe when I drive down a road and see a nice RV sitting out in the weather, especially in the snow. RV's especially suffer from continuous weather exposure and then they start to leak and that is bad too. Nothing depreciates an RV like water leaks.

 

[jyoutz]

This is true. Even homes aren't rodent proof either.

I don't want to hijack the OP's thread here since there are others specific to the subject. I just want to add that I manage to control rodents in my out buildings using a combination of TomCat traps and Decon baits. There are no pets or children around and the new poison formula isn't transferrable to other animals. Admittedly, the new stuff isn't as effective as the old formula but it gives the little rats something to chew on. The traps work much better.

For the first two years, I was using 6 traps and catching about 20 mice per week. This slowly dwindled down until now when I get one or two per month. It took a bit of work but I've managed to reduce the resident rodent population to the point where it's easily manageable.

I do the same thing with similar results.

 

[jyoutz]

I keep EVERYTHING inside, tractors, implements, vehicles and even the RV is inside. Stuff lasts so much longer that way. I cringe when I drive down a road and see a nice RV sitting out in the weather, especially in the snow. RV's especially suffer from continuous weather exposure and then they start to leak and that is bad too. Nothing depreciates an RV like water leaks.

I store everything indoors except implements such as plow, grader blade, pallet forks.

 

[John0829]

I store everything indoors except implements such as plow, grader blade, pallet forks.

I do as well but prefer to have it all under roof, gotta add more roof if the price of things ever gets back closer to normal.

 

[5030]

All my hay tools with the exception of the shredders stay inside when not in use. I never wash my round bailer, just blow it off with compressed air and service it after bailing. Had it (my traded in NH) get caught out one time in the rain (at the remote fields I run), should have tarped it but didn't. Unexpected rain event and what a PITA to clean. Nothing better to clean than coagulated hay chaff that turns to a rock when it dries out. Took me a couple hours of concerted blowing and cussing to get it cleaned out. Same applied to the disc machine except in the fall, I'll pressure wash the cutterbar and the underside of the housings and coat the cutterbar, turtles and knives with a spray of diesel fuel and motor oil before I put it away for the winter (after servicing it, checking the oil in the bar, and changing out the knives, which I do every fall). The knives are 2 sided so one year they get flipped, the next year replaced along with the pivot bolts and insert nuts

 

[jyoutz]

I do as well but prefer to have it all under roof, gotta add more roof if the price of things ever gets back closer to normal.

A steel carport could be a quick option.