When considering buying some new farm machinery or upgrading your current fleet, there are a few different aspects to ponder before you buy.
Some machinery can get abused and worked hard on a farm due to the nature of the work, so it is important to know how to check out a machine when you go to view it.
Farm machinery ranges from little massey ferguson lawn mowers to tractors, loaders, quad bikes, excavators and huge harvesting machines. There are many other types too, but these are the most common on farms throughout the world
1: Machine Hours
This is one of the most important things to check as it will show how much the machine has been used, just like the speedometer on a car. Excavators will generally be sold at 10,000-15,000 hours as this is when the big signs of wear and tear can show. On the contrary, a good massey ferguson tractor will go for years and years with regular servicing.
2: Visual
An obvious one, but when you go to look a farm machine over it is very important to check the pivot points, axels, engine and body. Look for cracks, rust, dents and make sure there is grease in the pivot points or the machine will have been worked to hard with no lubrication.
3: Service Record
The previous owner should have a record of the service history for the machine you are enquiring about. This will include all mechanical work, oil and filter changes and also show if there has been any recurring problems with the farm machinery.
4:Daily Check Book – Log Book
Every farm machine should have a daily check book which must be signed by a competent operator before the machine is started in the morning. It will include such tasks as checking the engine oil, coolant level, hydraulic oil, water and grease. If there is a good record of this then you will know that the machine has been well looked after.
5: Have a drive!
Do you hear any noises? Is the machine jerky or smooth? How does the clutch feel? What is the feeling when you change gear? Signs of a good farm machine will be smooth operation, good power on full revs and tight steering. Every operator will have a fair idea of how a machine feels when they have a drive and if it feels good, with a service history and decent hours – you may just have found your newest piece of farm machinery!
