East Wind Tractors and Dozers - How to service your tractor or dozer for regular maintenance. Information on changing oil, air and fuel filters, replacing motor oil, replacing transmission and front differential oil, power steering fluid, radiator liquid and general maintenance and lubrication. and many more maintenance ideas for small to medium sized tractors and dozers on small acrage and hobby farms in Australia. Including, building a bike track, maintaining or repairing a driveway, log splitting, digging trenches and laying irrigation pipe, building a bush shed, building an entrance fence and gate and many more useful tips to make the most out of your small acreage tractor or dozer. Sales in Brisbane, Queensland, sunshine coast, north, south, east, west, gold coast, central, rockhampton, sydney, new south wales, newcastle, melbourne, victoria, canberra, albury, lismore, stanthorpe, ipswich, toowoomba, townsville, adelaide, perth, darwin, western, northern territory, coffs harbour and more. Tractors and dozers have 3-point linkage kits for a large range of implements including front end loader, backhoes. Australia wide distributors.

'How To Use' your Tractor or Dozer for Projects

Basic Tractor Maintenance

A little regular maintenance will keep your tractor running reliably and performing at its best. If you have a basic mechanical aptitude, the following guide is a useful starting point for general maintenance procedures. It is important that you consult your tractor manual for specific information relating to your tractor. If you feel out of your depth after reading this information, have your tractor serviced by a professional.

Safety and Preparation

Some aspects of tractor maintenance involve working with hot parts and getting under the tractor. Always wear suitable clothing, gloves and eyewear to protect against burns. Never work on the tractor with engine running. Always park the tractor in a safe position on flat ground with park brake on, ignition off, keys removed and implements fully down. Follow all relevant safety warnings, instructions and regulations and use common sense.

Various servicing tasks need to be performed at different intervals. This is generally based on hours of operation or time elapsed. Check your tractor manual for service intervals. Your manual will also tell you about the replacement items you need. It will cover filter types and fluids such as oil and coolant. Take note of the volumes required.

Engine Oil Change

Regular oil changes will protect the life of your engine. It is particularly important when the tractor is new because many fine fragments of metal will come off the moving parts in the engine when it is first used. These metal fragments immersed in the oil are normal, but if they are left in there they will wear the engine out.

To change the oil, first warm it up by running the engine for a few minutes. This makes the oil runnier and easier to drain. Undo the drain plug and allow the oil to run into a container large enough to collect all the oil. Allow a few hours for the oil to drain completely. The drain plug is often magnetised and traps many of the metal fragments described above. Wipe the metal fragments away with a rag.

Replace the engine oil filter element when replacing the oil. Unscrew the filter using a filter wrench. Wipe some grease around the gasket on a new filter and screw it in by hand until the gasket just seats. Then tighten up the filter approximately ½ a turn by hand.

Put some suitable thread sealant on the drain plug and screw it back in. Measure out the prescribed amount of new oil and pour it into the oil filler. Allow a few minutes for the oil to settle, then use the dipstick to ensure the correct oil level has been achieved.

Transmission Oil

Gearbox and hydraulics oil / filter needs to be replaced also. Repeat the procedure as per above.

Front Differential

4WD tractors have a front diff and also require oil changes. Repeat the procedure as per above.

Power Steering

Some tractors have a separate power steering reservoir. These systems do not have a drain plug. In these cases fluid needs to be removed by sucking it from the reservoir. This can be done with a large syringe. It is difficult to get the last bit of fluid out of the system. A trick you can use is to partially fill the system with fresh fluid and then suck it out again. Once you have completed this exercise, fill the system with fresh fluid to the appropriate level.

Air Filter

A clean air filter is another essential for maintaining engine life. It prevents dirt and other foreign matter from being sucked into the engine and causing premature wear. Open the air filter housing. Wipe away dust from inside the housing with a damp cloth. Remove the air filter element and replace it with a new one. Ensure that the element and housing cap are correctly fitted to ensure dust can't get past the filter and into the engine.

Fuel Filter

Close the fuel filter tap. Unscrew and remove the fuel filter. Before installing the new filter, apply a small amount of grease on the gasket. Also fill the filter with diesel to minimise the amount of air being introduced into the fuel line. It will be still necessary to bleed air from the fuel system. Refer to your tractor manual for the correct procedure.

Radiator / Engine Coolant

There is a screen mounted in front of the radiator to minimise debris such as grass seeds and dust clogging up the radiator core. This screen must be cleaned periodically to prevent overheating. This can be cleared with a gentle jet of compressed air or water. The radiator core should be cleaned at the same time using air or water. It is important that you do not use too much pressure or the radiator fins can be easily damaged.

The cooling system should be flushed and replaced periodically. Warning - This must be done with engine cold to prevent the risk of being burnt with steam or hot water. Remove the radiator cap and open the drain cock to drain the fluid from the system. Place a hose in the radiator cap inlet and use water to flush the system out. Close the drain cock and add new coolant. Coolants contain rust inhibitors and anti-freeze to protect the engine and must be mixed with water according to the suppliers directions.

Lubrication

Use a grease gun to lubricate all grease nipples on the tractor. Most tractors have many of them. Look carefully and refer to the manual for locations. When using the grease gun, pump it in until you see some grease coming out. If it is not coming out then you haven’t completely filled it yet or the grease isn’t getting in.

Brakes and Clutch

If the brakes or clutch are not performing at their optimum, adjustments such as rod or cable tensioning may be required. Consult your manual for adjustment procedures. If you are not confident of the outcome this is an area best left to professionals.

Battery

Some batteries are sealed and maintenance free. Other batteries require attention. If your battery has access caps open them up and check that the fluid is covering the battery cells. Add distilled water if required. Warning – the battery contains acid – wear gloves and eye protection. If you use your tractor infrequently it can be handy to use a trickle charger to prevent your battery losing charge.

General Check

Inspect the machine for leaks and replace seals as required. Pay particularly attention to hydraulic and cooling system hoses and fittings for signs of wear or cuts as a break in these systems can cause hot fluid to be expelled under high pressure causing serious personal injury.

Check all nuts, bolts and other fasteners to ensure they are tight – pay particular attention to wheel nuts. Check tyres for suitable pressures and for signs of wear or damage.

This article is a general guide only. There are many aspects to servicing a tractor that can't be covered in this format. Consult your tractor manual and use judgement relating to your individual conditions.

East Wind Tractors feature in this article.
For more information visit www.eastwind.com.au or call 1300 TRACTOR (1300 87 22 86).

Return to more 'How To' articles

East Wind supply useful information on how to service your tractor and using your tractor or dozer productively and safely around small acreage farms and properties. There is self-service information on changing the air filter, replacing oil filter and motor oil, change transmission oil and power steering. There is also help for lubrication, servicing brakes and clutch and front differential information. Safety is always the major priority when using farm machinery and there is an article to help keep farmers safe in the field.

Tractors and Dozers from East Wind are specially made for Australian farm conditions and have proven reliability in Australia for over 14 years. They are suited to small acreage farms and hobby and lifestyle farms. Our range of small tractors, small to medium tractors, as well as large 55hp tractors for larger properties and 30hp dozers for all types of properties including hilly farms are located in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, New Caledonia and new Zealand.

Tractors for sale in Australia from our branches in Queensland and Victoria include delivery to all areas of Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Maryborough, Barcaldine, Proserpine, Winton, Longreach, Mt. Isa, Mackay, Rockhampton, Charleville, Warwick, Cloncurry, Emerald, Roma, Miles, Normanton, Gladstone, Sunshine Coast, Cunnamulla and Goondiwindi in Queensland (QLD). In Victoria our tractor sales to Melbourne, Horsham, Ballarat, Colac, Portland, Morwell, Hamilton, Seymour, Bendigo, Mildura, Geelong, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warnambool and Bairnsdale.

Our Dealers in Tasmania, Western Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia are suppliers of small acreage tractors and dozers to Perth in Western Australia (WA) as well as Kalgoorlie, Mandurah, Halls, Creek, Kununarra, Armadale, Northam, Port Denison, Albany, Margaret River, Bunbury, Rockingham, Port Hedland, Headland, Broome, Geraldton, Esperance, Carnavon, Karratha, Monkey Mia, Morawa, Merredin, Eucla and many places in between. In Tasmania (TAS) there are tractors and dozers for sales to Launceston, Hobart, Burnie, Smithton, Bicheno, Beaconsfield, St. Helens, Saint Marys, Queenstown, Scottsdale, Kingston, Devonport, Orford and Oatlands.

If you are looking for information on servicing your tractor or looking for new farm tractors for sale or sales of compact dozers, contact East Wind today or drop into one of our Dealers and Distributors to see the full range of tractors and dozers, where we are sure you will find a tractor or dozer to suit your small acreage farm equipment needs.

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