Working Tractor, Happy Smallholding

Siromer say that simple habits will help to keep your tractor earning its keep this winter – here are seven essential jobs

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February means mud, ruts and standing water - keep on top of tyre pressures, oil levels and greasing so your tractor can wade through the worst of it

February is a hardworking month on a smallholding. The ground is cold and wet, jobs are piling up, and this is exactly when you find out whether your tractor has been looked after - or just driven. Most smallholders I meet aren't chasing the latest gadgets. They want a tractor that starts when you turn the key, lifts what it says it will, and doesn't cost a fortune to keep going. They're happy to roll up their sleeves - they just want to know they're doing the right things. Good maintenance isn't about having a shiny “show” tractor. It's about reliable starts, safe operation and avoiding big, avoidable repair bills. A few simple routines will keep your tractor ready for whatever your smallholding throws at it.

1. MAKE THE “WALK-ROUND” YOUR FIRST JOB

The quickest maintenance check is also the most powerful: a two-minute walk-round before you start work.

Get into the habit of looking at:

• Tyres - Any obvious cuts, bulges or low pressures? A soft rear tyre makes loader work unstable and will churn up gateways.

• Leaks - A quick glance under the engine, transmission and axles for fresh oil or coolant.

• Pins and clips - Especially on loaders and three-point linkages. A missing lynch pin can turn into a dropped implement or twisted arms.

• Lights and beacons - Essential if you're using lanes or roads, and useful around the yard on gloomy afternoons.

It takes moments, but spotting a loose wheel nut or weeping hose now is far cheaper than recovering a broken-down tractor from a field.

2. OIL, FILTERS AND REALISTIC SERVICE INTERVALS