Farm Equipment repair is the action and visualization of repairing equipment to an operable state to be able to use the equipment in the manner for which it is designed.
How do I approach Farm Equipment Repair? The reason I am asked, is that there is a growing problem with the cost of new farm equipment, and the apparent lack of parts for the older equipment that can be found at a decent price.
You know how it is, you need some equipment to increase production and save your back right? A new Tractor can be upwards from $14,000 to $100,000 or more depending upon its size and the attachments that you need and want. For the most point, you can purchase a tractor that is in the field covered in grass for a lot less.
This option can be daunting in itself though also:
• Can you find parts for it?
• Can you fix it yourself
• Is there a maintenance and overhaul shop manual for it?
• Do you have the skill to fix it?
• If not, who will fix it for you for less than the cost of a new tractor?
• Where do you start?
I get asked regularly how do I approach Farm Equipment Repair? The reason is, I started working on equipment when I was 8 years old. I had a push mower, and I would mow the neighbors yards for them to help out at home. I learned quickly that the sharper the blades as well as the lubrication on the wheels that drove everything, the faster the job went. I was shown how much easier it is to use a well maintained a piece of equipment than one that barely limps along. You know how it is when you go to use a tool, only to find it broken right? It is a pet peeve for me.
The other thing that bugs me, is seeing someone using one of my screw drivers or a crescent wrench as a hammer. I have to admit though, I have been stuck in the woods with a broken vehicle and have used bailing wire and a pair of pliers to be able to get back home so that I could work in the shop rather than spend a half day towing it back home.
The first tractor that I overhauled was a Ford 9N. My Dad and I started completely rebuilding it in 1968. It took us two weeks, and it looked new and ran like new, well, actually better, when we were done. We had one bay in the garage just for working on equipment. While I was growing up, we did a lot of different types of equipment in the garage, and we fixed them all. Some with the help of a manual, most of them with just torque specifications and laying parts out as we took them off , the placing them back together in the opposite direction. It worked well and we saved a ton of money!
