The FarmLife™ Maintenance Series

FarmLife, the AGCO-brand magazine, has compiled tips on farm machinery maintenance from the experts—AGCO customers, as well as dealership and corporate personnel. Two installments in the series—baler and tractor maintenance—are now available online at myFarmLife.com/maintenance.

Advice includes information on lubricants, filters, tire inflation, belts, chains, and cooling systems. Tips on tractor and baler operation, as well as keeping records on maintenance, are also included.

Additionally, information about the AGCO preventive maintenance program—PM 360—is featured in the series, as are the benefits of using Genuine AGCO Parts and AGCO service departments. Says AGCO customer Jesse Wilmot of Maysville, Oklahoma: “We put about 3,000 bales through each of [his Hesston] 2190 machines on an annual basis and about 5,000 bales through the 3 X 3 models. So, they get fairly heavy use.”

Wilmot explains that during the haying season, he and his partner typically cut around 250 acres per day, with two Hesston by Massey Ferguson WR9770 windrowers, and bale that same amount a day or two later. To keep them running in such a time-sensitive operation, Wilmot explains, “We also get all our parts, including the twine, from Livingston Machinery so the equipment always performs the way it was designed to.”

Joe Payne of Portland, TN, who runs some 10 AGCO-made tractors, says he still performs most of the fluid and filter changes himself. However, because of the technology built into today’s machines, he generally calls Whayne Supply, his dealer in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, for any necessary repairs or service.

“Since the dealership is nearly 70 miles from my farm, I also have them come to me with their service truck, rather than me try to get the tractor to them or have them pick it up,” he adds. “They have nearly everything they need on the service truck to make a repair in the field, so it saves time for both of us.”

Read more from the FarmLife maintenance series at myFarmLife.com/maintenance.

Coming in early 2016: A new installment on combine maintenance.