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Implement Storage Tips

Most implement damage happens while the equipment sits idle. A little prep before storage means the tool is ready when planting or haying season arrives.

Where should you store farm implements?

Indoors is best, under a roof and off bare ground. A shed, barn bay or even a carport keeps rain, sun and snow off steel and hydraulics. If you have no building, a heavy tarp over a frame keeps most weather off, but trapped moisture can still cause rust.

Park on gravel, concrete or boards, not directly on damp soil. Face the cutting edges away from walkways and keep children and animals away from stored equipment.

In a shop with limited space, store the implements you use first in the season nearest the door, and park the ones you use rarely toward the back. A simple floor sketch taped to the wall helps everyone put things back in the same spots.

How do you clean an implement before storing it?

Wash off soil, manure, sap and crop residue. Those hold moisture against steel and speed rust. After washing, let the implement dry in the sun or a breeze before you put it away.

Then walk around with a work light and note broken parts, worn blades, loose bolts and cracked welds. Fix them now or write a list. A repair list in winter beats a breakdown in the field.

• Pressure-wash or scrape off soil and residue
• Let steel dry completely
• Inspect for cracks, bends and loose hardware
• Write a repair list and tag worn parts
• Photograph serial plates for your records

How do you protect steel from rust?

Touch up chipped paint and coat bare steel, such as plow shares, disc blades and tines, with a rust-preventive product made for farm equipment. Follow the label for application and for safe use. Keep sprays off belts, brake parts and rubber unless the label allows it.

Wipe cutting edges lightly and store blades where they will not be knocked. For long storage, a thin oil film helps. Do not use old engine oil if your local rules or the label advise against it.

What about hydraulics, PTO shafts and tires?

Retract hydraulic cylinders where possible so the rods are shielded, and cap hose ends. Grease all fittings and PTO shaft joints so fresh grease pushes out old, moisture-laden grease. Slide shields should move freely and be stored where they will not crack.

Keep tires out of direct sun and off bare ground when possible. Ask your tire shop about storing pressure, since the right figure depends on the tire and the implement. Block the frame up if the tires will sit a long time.

How do you keep rodents and wasps out?

Mice nest in wiring harnesses, shields, seed boxes and hollow frames. Keep stored equipment away from feed rooms, seal gaps in the building and check wire looms and seed hoppers for nests. Remove leftover grain, fertilizer and seed.

Check for wasp nests before hooking up. Stinging insects love tubes and hollows. Any chemicals or baits you use should follow the label, and keep them away from children and pets.

What records should you keep?

Keep a simple binder or folder for each implement with the manual, parts lists, serial number and service notes. If you store many implements, a numbered tag on each with a short condition note makes spring much quicker.

Check with your insurance agent about coverage for stored equipment and about what documentation they need in a claim. Photos help.

What should you do when you pull it out of storage?

Grease again, check fluid levels and hoses, test lights and look at tires. Hook up in a clear area and cycle the hydraulics before heading to the field. Check the PTO shield and shaft for smooth operation.

If anything feels off, stop and call the dealer service department. Cheap checks in the yard beat repairs in the middle of planting.

Do not forget the small items. Store hitch pins, clips, top links and shear bolts in a labeled box with the implement they belong to. Spring goes faster when everything is in one place, and a missing hitch pin is an easy reason to be tempted into using a bolt that does not belong.

More in Implements & Attachments

• Rust Prevention for Implements
• Painting and Restoring Implements
• Used Implement Buying Checklist
• Building a Basic Implement Collection
• Three-Point Hitch Implements: Beginner’s Guide
• Matching Implements to Tractor Size