Summer Maintenance

By Joel Hicks, product line manager, KIOTI Tractor

From mowing pastures to hauling materials, summer is a busy time for farmers. To keep up with the demands of the season, it’ s important to ensure your machine is operating at peak performance. The following tips will help extend the life of your tractor and reduce downtime, ensuring you get more work done with fewer interruptions.

Maintain a Daily Summer Maintenance Checklist

The best way to ensure the longevity of your machine is to perform a daily maintenance check. With these steps, you’ ll keep your tractor running all season long.

• Perform a walkaround Start each day with a quick walkaround. It may only take a few minutes, but identifying small issues early is always better than dealing with the trouble of expensive downtime( think small problems can become big problems quickly). Check the condition of the tires, inspect for oil or fluid leaks and look for any loose bolts or hose connections.

• Clear the radiator and air filter Radiator screens and air filters are especially vulnerable to summer’ s dusty conditions. Grass clippings, dirt and debris can clog these components quickly, leading to overheating. Use a low-pressure air hose to blow out your radiator screen and inspect the air filter by holding it up to a light. If you can’ t see through it, it’ s time to replace it.

• Check fluids Next, check that all fluid levels are topped off properly before operation. Summer heat can accelerate fluid consumption, so it’ s important to monitor engine oil, hydraulic fluid and transmission oil before every use. Make sure you are on level

10 | 515-574-2206 | 515-574-2189 | July 2025