What are the general tips for tractor owners?
- Study the operator’s manual
- Purchase the right implements
- Hitch the implements properly
- Don’t exceed the maximum permissible weight of your tractor
A tractor is a piece of important farm equipment in the Philippines that can help generate more income by making farming tasks more efficient. However, plenty of Filipino tractor owners still struggle in maximizing their tractors’ performance due to factors such as not having advanced implements and lacking knowledge about proper maintenance. Managing your tractor better can also minimize operation costs.
Here are four general tips for tractor owners to help farmers operate more efficiently and productively.
Study the Operator’s Manual
Read the instructions outlined in the operator’s manual and adhere to them. One will gain confidence when operating a tractor in challenging situations if they are familiar with its features.
Find out where each gauge, control, and other indication is located and what it does. In an emergency, being able to swiftly locate the controls by memory is crucial. Accidents have occurred where people were caught in machinery or the power takeoff shaft, and the rescuers or other operators were unable to free them. It is important to demonstrate to others how to turn off the PTO or turn off the tractor in an emergency.
Examine the different stickers you have on your tractor. Across various locations on the tractor, they might display the words “Danger”, “Warning”, and “Caution”. Have an experienced tractor operator with you as you review the various decals and ask questions!
Lastly, use the tractor only for its intended purposes. Tractors are useful across the farm. These are used to prepare the soil, plant a row of seedlings in one pass, harvest crops, and even scoop or move gravel. But keep in mind that misusing tractors can lead to accidents. For example, using the tractor to round up the cattle is risky since the operator can come across uneven, rough ground and make quick, sharp bends.
Purchase The Right Implements
What makes tractors in the Philippines especially beneficial for farms is their attachments and implements. These make farming tasks faster and less laborious. There are numerous options for attachments and implements in the Philippines, which can make choosing the right one challenging.
To guarantee you’re spending money on the best attachments and implements, you should first carry out some research to know about what each one offers to farmers during operation. So that in the future, you’re guaranteed more efficient and productive operations.
Tractors are commonly used for plowing, haulage, planting, and harvesting. You can attach a harrower, which is an implement with a heavy frame and sharp, upright teeth used to break and even out the plowed ground. A planter can also be used to sow seeds in rows throughout the field. This implement is commonly towed behind the tractor to precisely lay down seeds in rows.
Hitch The Implements Properly
Hitching implements can be dangerous without observing the following proper safety precautions:
- Ensure the area is free from obstructions and no one is behind the tractor
- Slowly back up the tractor to the implement
- Ensure the tractor is braked properly
- Put the transmission in neutral
- Hold the hitch and detach the tractor
If you have someone assisting you in hitching an implement, make sure your helper stands clear while you back up the tractor
Don’t Exceed The Maximum Permissible Weight of Your Tractor
Assuming that adding extra weight to your tractor will make your operations more productive is a common mistake numerous tractor owners make.
When you use your tractor beyond what it is designed to handle, you run the risk of early drivetrain failures and reliability issues. Additionally, you can go over the permitted ROPS cab weight, endangering operator safety.
Unless you overballast, you will almost always run out of traction before you run out of power when pulling equipment. This is regardless of how much power your tractor has. Proper tractor ballasting can improve tractor traction.
It’s important to consider the distribution of ballast between the front and rear wheels. You can usually find the entire ballasted weight of your tractor by consulting the operator’s manual or your dealer. Remember that weighting for normal circumstances as opposed to maximum needs might lower operational costs.
Key Takeaway
By improving tractor performance, you can make farming tasks more efficient and productive. This is crucial if you rely on your tractors boosting profits.
If you need reliable agricultural tractors in the Philippines, don’t hesitate to contact Ford Tractor Philippines today! We have high-quality affordable farm tractor models with the right implements needed to operate efficiently. We also offer after-sales services here at Ford Tractor Philippines.
You may also visit our website or read our other blogs to learn more about tractor and farm machinery tips.