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About Capital press. (Salem, OR) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 2016)
4 CapitalPress.com October 7, 2016 How to maintain ag equipment tires For the Capital Press Maintaining the proper inlation pressure is the most important thing you can do to maximize tire performance. Doing that can more than dou- ble the life of an agricultural WSG16-7/#7 By BRENNA WIEGAND tire that can cost thousands of dollars to replace. Too much air decreases the lexing of the casing and results in a smaller footprint, increased compaction and a rougher ride. Too little air stresses the tire casing and leads to rapid wear. Either extreme hurts perfor- mance and can ruin a tire, the experts say. “With all the different types of farms and agriculture, types of tires and air pressure recom- mendations depend on the type of equipment and its individual challenges,” said Joe LeBlanc, manager of Les Schwab Tire Co. in Albany, Ore. “In harvest season a farmer may go from swathing to combining to har- vest into plowing, disking and sometimes planting and many pieces of farm equipment serve Courtesy Les Schwab Tire Center A Les Schwab ag tire expert provides on-the-farm service to help reduce customers’ downtime. A thorough post-harvest checkup is more than one purpose.” After the dust has settled, it’s time for a thorough inspec- tion of a farm vehicle’s tires and suspension. “We just want to make sure the tires are prepped for win- ter,” LeBlanc said. “Is there any checking on the tire? With old- er tires the rubber gets brittle. How’s the tread wear? Is the ballast where it should be? We look for lug issues and main- taining the all-important tire pressure level which, even on the same tires, varies with the things it is used for.” That includes road travel, an extremely demanding chore for most farm machines. Adding a little more pressure may be called for to help prevent irreg- ular wear. Many farmers have learned to make their own such calcu- lations, be it with tire charts and load tables or the use of online tools that help determine the ideal pressure based on tractor weight, what’s being pulled and the speed traveled. “A lot of farmers are really well educated on this and any- more there are programs, such as through the ag show,” LeBlanc said. “Some farmers will check it every day and everything has got to be exactly right.” October 7, 2016 CapitalPress.com 5 Taking care of travelers keeps water coming By BRENNA WIEGAND For the Capital Press Travelers are an irrigation tool known for their lexibility and precision. They are also long-lived machines as long as they are properly cared for throughout the year. Irrigation service techni- cian Chris Ohler at Ernst Irri- gation in St. Paul, Ore., works primarily with such systems. “Ninety percent of my re- pairs happen on travelers,” Ohler said. “They’re basically giant winches that bring in the hose and the gun that waters the ield from up to a quarter mile away.” Travelers can be used on any crop and may be pointed into a corner of a ield where no pivots or linears can go. They are frequently used at dairies to empty lagoons and Courtesy Ernst Irrigation Service technician Chris Ohler of Ernst Irrigation in St. Paul, Ore., says travelers are giant winches. The machines are capable of bringing in up to a quarter-mile of irrigation hose. distribute manure over ields. “I’ve got farmers that have 15 machines and farmers that have one,” Ohler said, “and they all rely on that machine to apply water. We want it turnkey when early spring hits and not be out there do- ing drastic repairs at the last minute. “It’s like a car; you get in and the check engine light comes on and you keep driv- ing it and you notice that it’s steering funny and then all of a sudden it doesn’t stop as good as it used to,” Ohler said. “Everything has to work together right down to the nozzle and sprinkler at the end of the hose.” Ernst Irrigation provides complete weatherization ser- vice in late fall and winter with periodic incentives. “We grease the ring and pinion gears, oil the chains, change the engine oil and flush the radiator fluid,” Ohler said. “We drain the water out of the booster pump; if you leave water in there it’s going to crack. … And you want to blow all the water out of the hose, too, because it can rupture if it freezes.” Throughout the year it’s important to pay attention to your machine, including keeping an eye on the oil, ra- diator luid and the purity of its gasoline. Keep the ilters clean and the chains tight. 24 - 80 hp., 4 wheel drive Compact Synchro- Shuttle Hydro 24, 28, 35, 47 hp Model 4020R SERIES 3120R 4020R 3520R 4525R 3510H 4720H 6640 8050 BRANSON BOSS 800 UTV’s: Two-or-Four door models have 60hp and speeds up to 58mph. • Front Winch • 14” Wheels with 27” Tires • Hard Doors & Roof • Top Mount LED Light Bar • Electric Dump Bed THE TRACTOR STORE (541) 342-5464 5450 W. 11 th , Eugene, OR www.capitalpress.biz/hosted/tractorstore WSG16-1/#5 WSG16-2/#5
