Winter Tractor & Machinery Tips
Even though the plants are dormant, and the animals are in for the cold months, there is still plenty of maintenance to keep up with. This can require some special equipment, but making sure your compact tractor and attachments are ready for winter is also key.
Cold Weather Compact Tractor Tips
Jumping straight to work in the cold weather, can be detrimental to your tractor’s battery, especially with any older/vintage models. It’s usually best to let the engine warm up for a few minutes before use. Keep the parking brake engaged and in neutral gear while getting up to temperature.
Tractor battery capacity can decrease over the winter, so it is wise to invest in a slow trickle charger if possible and even keep a second battery spare to jump-start the tractor if necessary. Some chargers even have repair modes for batteries.
Fuel is also an important consideration in the winter. UK temperatures do not pose a problem for petrol, but winter-grade diesel can be a good investment for extremely cold months.
Winter Maintenance Machines
Winton PTO Spreaders can spread a wide variety of materials, such as sand, fertiliser, seeds, and salt, with a deflector kit upgrade. PTO spreaders consist of a large cone-shaped funnel, which empties onto a circular plate with four adjustable curved vanes that spread material between six and ten metres. As the name suggests, PTO spreaders are powered by the PTO shaft connected to the tractor. Despite the robust build, these machines are lightweight, so they are perfect for use on hills or undulating ground. They allow you to evenly spread salt with minimum effort, while also giving value for money. This avoids leaving patches or piles of salt.
The Winton Snow Blade is a handy attachment, which can be used to clear snow, as well as other debris from yards and drives. The snow blade is useful for clearing yards on smallholdings, estates, and equestrian centres throughout the year. The blade can be manually angled to suit the terrain and space which needs scraping. It is simple to operate and maintain, with a large blade manufactured in one piece, and a rubber strip along the bottom.
Lifting the machine is achieved through a single-acting hydraulic ram. It is attached to the front end of a range of small and compact tractors around the engine block by two RHS arms, though this will need to be adapted to fit your tractor’s front mounting plate.
Don’t forget to drain your water filled roller before the frost arrives or add an anti-freeze to prevent roller drums cracking from freezing temperatures.
Farm Tech Supplies offer a wide range of attachments for compact tractors. Stocking the full range from our premises in Hampshire we’re ready to fulfil all your winter machinery needs – contact us now!
We have an extensive network of dealers throughout the UK. If you’d like to find a local or would like to become a dealer, please get in touch.
