I Won't Operate My Equipment in Wet Weather

[rockinbbar]

If I can help it, that is. Of course I get caught by a shower now and then, but really try to avoid that.

With what I do, dusty conditions, as well as fine vegetation particles get into the radiators, and I've had a mess to clean out, before.

I've other people's radiators nearly completely clogged~ solid on the intake side.

Also seen a lot of people who don't know how to maintain/clean a radiator. Caught my brother with the water hose on his Kubota tractor radiator after he said it was getting hot. Told him the radiator needed cleaning, and went around back, and there he was... just hosing down the radiator. Umm... No! I had to soak his radiator and use pressure to clear it. It was packed with mud.

I think he knows how now. I got him a correct high pressure air wand, and showed him how to use it.

Summer's coming. I watch that temp gauge closely.

You guys have any issues with your radiators clogging and the tractor getting hot?

 

[CalG]

I don't like dust.

So I mow in a drizzle when possible. ;-)

 

[ptsg]

I mean, this picture was only about 30 min worth of brush cutting to get to that point. In this case, it wasn't getting hot. I just knew with the stuff I was mowing, it was prone to happen very fast. It was just a matter of cleaning the screen too and it was good to go again.

A lot of people don't even realize that depending on what they're cutting, they may need to cleaning those radiators multiple times during the job. Then, they found the expensive way that they really should pay more attention to cleaning the radiator. I've seen others blame the manufacturers for using small radiators or some nonsense like that.

This is all part of owning and operating a tractor.

 

[5030]

I always carry my Harbor Freight Bauer 20 volt cordless blower behind the tractor seat and blow out the rad often blowing from the inside (fan side) towards the front side and when I greas the units, I soak the rad down with diluted Dawn dishwash soap, let them sit and wash them out, inside out with a garden hose. Never use high pressure compressed air or a high powered pressure washer as you'll damage the somewhat fragile heat exchanger fins between the coolant columns. You can but a 'Radiator Genie' online but my methods work just fine and don't forget to change the antifreeze regularly as well. Older AF turns acidic in the cooling system and eventually eats it up from the inside out... Finally check the rad hoses to make sure they haven't gone soft and the clamps are tight as well.

I change my AF every other year and backflush the rads with clear water only.

I use conventional AF. I guess you could use extended life but I don't. Glycol is cheap anyway.

 

[ConawayFarms]

I’ve had my share of radiators clogging up from fine dust and vegetation. It’s a pain, especially when you're trying to keep things running smooth. I’ve found that keeping an eye on that temp gauge and cleaning out the radiator regularly really saves the day. If you can, blowing it out with a cordless blower between jobs helps a lot too.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've never had any issue with dust in the radiators of my tractors, it's always been debris from what I'm mowing. Before heading out, I blow out the radiator with an air hose, and clean the screen. While mowing, as soon as the temp gauge starts to rise, I shut it down and clean out the screen.

I used to just have a smaller 37hp tractor and 6 foot mower for my place, so I had a lot of areas that got really over grown by the time I got to them. It was slow going to get everything mowed, and also maintain my important areas.

Now I have a 70hp tractor and a 12 foot mower that allows me to mow everything a lot faster, and more often. I don't deal with overgrown areas anymore, I'm more into maintaining and making it look nice mowing. The build up in my radiator screen is almost non existent now compared to what I dealt with on the smaller tractor.

One of my best finds at the Feed Store was a set of Radiator Wands. One is for air, the other is for water. It lets me get into areas of the radiator that I couldn't get to before, and the bend at the end of the Wand puts more air pressure on the radiator. It was shocking the first time I used it!!!!! Now my radiators are pretty clean, and overheating hasn't been an issue in years.

Radiator Genie Cleaning Wands | Atwoods

<li> Air wand for blowing out debris.<br/><li> Water wand for washing out debris.<br/><li> Infinite adjustable pressure.<br/><li> Specially designed fan head to increase working width.<br/><li> Special sized tube for access to close, confined areas.<br/><li> Special sized opening to increase...

www.atwoods.com

 

[workinonit]

Good grief. What are you guys cutting? Might want to consider cutting it more often. I blow mine out but hardly ever have anything in it. The cowl screens get some stuff in them now and then. Anything over a few inches gets cut around here. I never let stuff get head high before cutting.

 

[MossRoad]

If I can help it, that is. Of course I get caught by a shower now and then, but really try to avoid that.

With what I do, dusty conditions, as well as fine vegetation particles get into the radiators, and I've had a mess to clean out, before.

I've other people's radiators nearly completely clogged~ solid on the intake side.

Also seen a lot of people who don't know how to maintain/clean a radiator. Caught my brother with the water hose on his Kubota tractor radiator after he said it was getting hot. Told him the radiator needed cleaning, and went around back, and there he was... just hosing down the radiator. Umm... No! I had to soak his radiator and use pressure to clear it. It was packed with mud.

I think he knows how now. I got him a correct high pressure air wand, and showed him how to use it.

Summer's coming. I watch that temp gauge closely.

You guys have any issues with your radiators clogging and the tractor getting hot?

I had a mid 70s IH2500b tractor loader that the radiator and hydro coolers would get seriously plugged when I drove through weeds and grass. As you mentioned, the temp gauge would go up, and, a warning light would come on and a buzzer would sound. Carried a fine fin brush for air conditioner coils with me for just that reason. Similar to this, but only about 3" wide.

 

[masseyrider]

In the way back machine we had a neighbor who only did maintenance when something broke down.
He had, at that time, a fairly new MF135 gas tractor.
The abuse that little machine endured.
One time driving by his place he was standing by the tractor at the end of his vineyard rows.
He was obviously agitated.
My father stopped and went over to see what was going on.
"piece of sh-t MF!"
"worst junk!"
As Nick continued to denigrate this poor abused machine Pa opened the front grill.
Packed between the rad and the grill was a pillows worth of dandelion pappus.
Not just loosely. Packed in there.
My father pulled it out and started the overheated tractor.
The temperature gage immediately started to return to normal.
Just goes to show not everyone who operates equipment should.

 

[EddieWalker]

Reminds me of all those first-time posters who come on here to bash a tractor brand that they supposedly own. I'm not sure if they are making stuff up, if they caused all their issues, or if there really is something wrong with their tractor.