With spring planting underway in Wisconsin and much of the Midwest, farmers are doing everything they can to make sure their time in the field is as productive as possible. But, as any producer knows, issues with equipment can cause long delays, derail your day, and cost a good chunk of change.
Firestone Agriculture estimates that delayed planting due to repairs or issues with equipment or tires can cost a farmer as much as $627/hour – a nearly 10% increase from 2017 to 2019. Brad Harris, manager of global agricultural field engineering at Firestone Ag, says that Firestone has prepared a seven-step checklist for producers that can be looked over prior to climbing in the cab.
The seven steps, per Firestone, are as follows:
- Check tire pressure with a calibrated gauge and set the inflation pressure using the inflation calculator as a guide.
- Check tire sidewalls for cracks, cuts, and other damage.
- Check tire treads and consider replacing if there is less than 20 percent left.
- Check tire tread areas for stubble damage and exposed cords and replace tires with obvious damage.
- Check ground contact area to make sure there is no gap between the lugs and the ground.
- Check valve stems for cracks, corrosion, and debris. Make sure valve caps are clean and intact.
- Check all nuts and bolts to ensure they are tightened properly.
Brad Harris recently joined Josh Scramlin on the Mid-West Farm Report and you can hear how to save yourself $627 per hour by clicking the play button below:
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