# Preparing your hay equipment for storage...



## downtownjr

What are your steps to prepare for winter storage...I power wash all my equipment, and even wax the tractor and baler. I spray a silicon lube on the baler knotters and haybine sicklebar and blades. In addition I spray chain lube on the all the chains. I also grease everything and check gear case levels one last time. I take the cylinder off the haybine and store it fully closed in a vertical position with the plunger end down...to keep oil on the seals. I then park it all. I do check tines/belts/blades.guards etc and keep a note what to go buy and put on later this winter/early spring.


----------



## haybaler101

Hopefully I'll get the dirt and chaff blowed off with air, full lube job, check for needed parts and repairs. To cold to wash now, water will set in bearing and never dry out. Same with a combine, if you are going to wash, do it in July when it can dry out quickly.


----------



## mlappin

Like Haybaler said, we NEVER wash equipment in the fall. Bearings collect moisture or water finds its way into the nooks and crannies and stays wet for ever. I'll power wash stuff at the end of August or so and get a coat of wax on it before making the last cutting.

Before its parked for the winter I'll blow everything off with compressed air, change gear oil, release the tension on any chain or belt tensioners, oil chains and get fresh grease in all the zerks and if the wifes around she'll even armor all the sidewalls on the tires.


----------



## downtownjr

Good point on the water on guys...I usually do it no later than labor day...which could be pushing it. I usually greae and lube things up so that may be what keeps me out of troubleI put together a nice little air blower out of a piece of copper,. Had one my uncle gave but somebody else kept it, so made one of my own. I attached it to an air blower and it allows me to blow air into nooks and crannies and blow a good burst of compressed air. It does wonders on the balers and tractors. Also, when I parked on a dirt floor last year, I used some of those big square stepping tone pieces you get at Lowe's to put the tires on and keep out of the dirt.


----------



## downtownjr

Good point on the water on guys...I usually do it no later than labor day...which could be pushing it. I usually greae and lube things up so that may be what keeps me out of trouble. I put together a nice little air blower out of a piece of copper,. Had one my uncle gave but somebody else kept it, so made one of my own. I attached it to an air blower and it allows me to blow air into nooks and crannies and blow a good burst of compressed air. It does wonders on the balers and tractors. Also, when I parked on a dirt floor last year, I used some of those big square stepping tone pieces you get at Lowe's to put the tires on and keep out of the dirt.


----------



## Grateful11

I talked my wife out of washing our new round baler. I told her there's pockets and 
channels in there that we'll never get all the dust and chaff blown out of and they 
would just hold moisture. We usually always blow down and wash the Haybine 
but try to make sure there's no chaff packed in anywhere before we store it away.


----------



## Heyhay..eh

Generally I would blow out each piece of equipment then power wash it, grease zerks and oil chains then run it for 10-15 minutes to disperse any water in bearings or moving parts. Given that we face cold winters in Canada, the decision to power wash may be overturned if we are up against cold weather. That would be a judgment call as usually we have everything tucked in by mid sept so no real issue with a hard freeze for a month. This year there will be no water used as we are still running some of the haying equipment and will be for a week or so to come. Air & grease will be it this year.

I have never had any problem with expansion issues due to freezing and I believe that has to do with the lubing and running of the equipment which dissipates the moisture in bearings chains and other moving parts. Without this part of the process I am sure that I would experience freezing damage.

Take care


----------



## hayray

I clean by hand all the loose hay and then store it away for the winter.


----------



## Small Timer

I also put my equipment on blocks to take pressure off the tires. Does anyone else do this, or am I wasting my time?


----------



## geiselbreth

i never was haybaler always blow off do wash tractors and hay mowers


----------



## Ridgerunner

If you have a tire leak down, the blocks will prevent the weight of the implement or tractor from smashing the tire side wall. May also prevent the tire from coming off of the rim or pinching an inner tube.


----------

