While pretty much all of your farm equipment is essential to running your operations, one of the most vital is your grain carts. Without these, you wouldn’t be able to bring in your crops so that you can get them to market. If these break down, you would be in a world of hurt. Thus, to ensure that they are in good working order, there are some preseason checks you should consider doing. below in this article, we will cover the Getting Your Grain Carts Ready for the Season.
Not only will these checks ensure that your grain carts are ready for the season, but they will give you the chance to see if there are any wear and tear that needs to be fixed or if you need to replace your cart with a new one. Whether you have a horizontal drag auger or gravity flow cart, it’s better to get this taken care of now so that you don’t waste any time during the harvest.
Inspect the Augers
Over time and with use, the augers on your grain carts can wear down and decrease in diameter. When either of those happens, your cart won’t perform optimally. Thus, it’s a good idea before every season to take a look at the augers and get them replaced if necessary.
Check the Drive Belts
To ensure that your carts run as smoothly as possible, you need to ensure that the drive belts and other serviceable parts of your power-take-off shafts are greased and serviced. Harvest is quite a buy time of the year and you don’t have time for delays, so get this taken care of now to make this process as trouble-free as possible.
Check the Wheels or Track
If you have wheels on your cart, this is when you need to check the tire pressure and reset the torque on the wheel nuts. Should you have tracks on your cart, then you need to double-check the tension on the track and the torque in the bolts. Getting these fixed now will save you time when you’re in the field.
Inspect the Scale System
To accomplish this task, you’ll have to take your grain cart down to the local grain elevator and check that the weight and load of your equipment are accurate with the legal trade scale. If anything seems amiss, you may need to consider getting a new cart so that you don’t miss out on any money when it comes to your crops.
Make Safety a Top Priority
Farm safety should always be foremost in your mind, and now is the best time to make sure that the safety chains are securely attached and in good condition. Your time and that of your farmhands is valuable, and no one can be laid up because of an injury. It only takes a few moments to inspect this part of your grain carts, but it can save a lot in the long run.
In addition to checking the safety chains, now is a great time to ensure that your Slow Moving Vehicle sign is clearly visible. If winter grime has made it hard to see, take a few moments to get it clean before taking it out on the road.
As a farmer, you rely on your equipment for your livelihood. Your grain carts have been sitting all winter long, and even if they’ve been covered or in a barn, there is a chance they have been exposed to moisture and/or extremely cold temperatures. Before you take them into the field, take the time to inspect them and get them ready. If you find any problems or issues, this may be a sign that it’s time for a new cart.
