Tillage Inspection Checklist

Follow these tips to effectively prepare your tillage implements to work their best this spring.

- Dave Mowitz and Karen Jones

How well your implements perform this spring is determined by your devotion to remedial maintenance. The following is an inspection repair tip list created by Kevin Kimberley, a farm operations consultant in Iowa, based on his field experience.

Mechanical Inspection

1 Hitch and Frame

Beginning with the hitch and walking your way to the rear, examine the frame by scrutinizing welds — particularly at hinges — for cracks, as well as for twisted or bent steel, and worn or loose fasteners and their bushings. “Catch and correct these problems in the shop before they break in the field,” Kimberley said.

2 Hydraulics

Inspect all hydraulic hoses, as well as their fittings, couplers, and cylinders, for leaks, wear, and cracking. Replace hoses, fittings, and cylinder seals as needed. Hydraulic leaks, in particular, compromise the ability of an implement to maintain tillage depth or to remain level in operation.

3 Tires

The single most overlooked item on implements, tires need to be examined for wear, weather cracking, and proper inflation. Also, spin them by hand while you watch for smooth rotation, and listen for bearing wear. “Now is the time to replace worn bearings rather than after you’ve gone out in the field and could possibly score a spindle in the process,” Kimberley said.

4 Soil-Engaging Tools

Any part that engages the soil must be checked for wear. Start at the front of the implement and examine disks or coulter blades (if you’re using a field-finishing implement) to ensure edges are sharp. Next, check for wear on sweeps, shovels, and points. Pay particular attention to those items running behind tractor tires, as they wear the fastest.