The last thing that farmers need when they’re coming into the spring planting season is a slowdown in the field. Kyle Parker, district manager for CHS Lubricants, says part of what they need to think about is not what it’s going to be like when they’re in the field and in need, but the proactive way they need to approach getting their equipment for the planting season. He explains more about the importance proper lubricants can have on your equipment this planting season.
“The first thing I would suggest would be to verify you are using the correct fluid for the equipment,” says Parker. “Cenex has an online tool called the equipment lookup tool, and this tool will allow farmers to enter their specific brand and model of their equipment and it will give them a breakdown of what product should be used for each component.”
It is also important to work with your local lubricant dealer to make sure that you have an adequate supply of lubricants for your equipment and are well stocked for the upcoming planting season. Once the busy planting season starts, downtime due to equipment failure can be costly so it is important to always use a proven, well-known brand of lubricant.
It’s really important to not cut corners when it comes to the grease and lubricant oils that farmers are going to be relying on this spring planting season and even into the growing and harvest seasons.
“I encourage farmers to refer to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications to determine the proper grease to use,” explains Parker. “OEM specifications have a national lubricating grease institute (NLGI) grading number. Quality greases have a NLGI-GC and -LB designation which means the grease is suitable for wheel bearings or chassis.”
He adds that the lubricant supply has faced some challenges the last couple years. However, the overall supply chain is much better than it was in 2020. For example, base oils which make up 80 to 90 percent of a finished lubricant are in very good supply in the United States right now. As a result, some lubricant companies have announced a price decrease for their finished lubricant. On the other hand, the grease supply chain is still seeing the effects of the pandemic and other challenges of manufacturing.
“To be best prepared for the planting season, it’s really about having a good maintenance plan and sticking to it,” says Parker. “Having a good maintenance plan can help producers stay on schedule with the oil changes and the oil sampling that they may need to do. By taking routine oil samples, you can help minimize catastrophic failure before it occurs.”
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