Washing

[MJZ]

How do you wash a tractor? Anything to avoid?

I'm a first time tractor owner, a yanmar ym342. I mow, box blade, drag and lift cedars. Soon I will get a chipper, haul firewood.

Til this weekend we have been in a typical Oklahoma drought. So, super dusty when I mow.

I use a leaf blower to dust it off. It's time to get cleaned up. Just hose it off? Do I avoid getting the instruments wet? No pressure washing?

I'm probably overthinking this. Any input appreciated. Thank you.

 

[jyoutz]

Be sure to clean your radiator from the backside pushing out. A blast of air and or water. Invest in a set of radiator genies to keep it clean or you will soon have an overheating issue. I always just hose everything off afterwards. A few times a year I’ll use the soap foam cannon on my pressure washer to get everything really clean. Be careful washing under the hood and not when the engine is warm.

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[JJT]

How often do I wash my tractors? Never.

 

[RjCorazza]

I soap mine down rather than just rinse. I avoided the dash on my previous open station tractor, as well as most of the engine area.
Pressure washers can do damage of you're not careful, but I do occasionally use one.

 

[jyoutz]

I soap mine down rather than just rinse. I avoided the dash on my previous open station tractor, as well as most of the engine area.
Pressure washers can do damage of you're not careful, but I do occasionally use one.

I only use the low pressure foam cannon with the pressure washer to soap things down, and a regular garden hose for rinsing. High pressure washing can indeed cause damage.

 

[Yander]

How often do I wash my tractors? Never.

I have had my Yanmar for over two years and it has never had a bath. It needs one. I've worked it a bit and I do keep it maintained very well, grease, oil, air filter etc. Just no bath. It doesn't mind. Just gave it it's third oil change. I'll grease it before winter. I've almost completed all my winter service on equipment.

 

[jyoutz]

I have had my Yanmar for over two years and it has never had a bath. It needs one. I've worked it a bit and I do keep it maintained very well, grease, oil, air filter etc. Just no bath. It doesn't mind. Just gave it it's third oil change. I'll grease it before winter. I've almost completed all my winter service on equipment.

Washing is often an operator comfort factor more than maintenance. I don’t like climbing aboard a dust cloud, especially if I’m not field mowing.

 

[DK35vince]

Pressure washer.
I've been pressure washing all my equipment (tractor, mowers, atv's, side by side.)
including the engines for decades.
Never an issue

 

[ericm979]

Be sure to clean your radiator from the backside pushing out. A blast of air and or water.

Be careful you don't bend the radiator fins.

 

[MJZ]

How often do I wash my tractors? Never.