# Subcompact Maintenance: Reality vs Documentation



## Sean Lauren (Aug 28, 2020)

Reading the manual's requirements for maintenance and care seems scary. I imagine I'm going to forget some things and miss some things. What do you guys "actually" do, how often, and how do you remember to do it? How long is too long to let the tractor sit unused and what would you do if/when you think it's been too long? (I expect my fleeting desires to sway now and again ;-)).


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## Groo (Jan 17, 2020)

In my experience, they don't need anywhere near the level of care suggested by the manual when operated by a weekend warrior.


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## Groo (Jan 17, 2020)

If it doesn't start when you want it to, it sat too long is the real answer, but you are looking for a time. Farm machinery often goes several months between uses. What good is a combine until you are ready to harvest? Look at stuff like snow groomers, they don't fire it up to burn a few hot laps in the summer.
Id certainly not be worried if it sits 4 months. Might want to look into some antibacterial additive for the fuel if your not going to burn through a tank in 6 months though, but I sort of would expect dyed diesel to have those additives.

Last winter, I got my snowmobile stuck (not really stuck, but it was going to nuke the drive belt if I didn't get the packed snow out of the tunnel) near where the "garden tractor" gets parked. It rarely gets used outside of tilling the garden these days. It had been sitting several months. It fired right up (I was a bit surprised it had antigen in the fuel) I pulled the sled out the easy way, then since the tiller was still on the back of it, I rototilled the some of the road so it would set up hard for snowshoeing. Dad was more impressed than my wife who was with me on the snowmobile.


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## Ultradog (Feb 27, 2005)

If you are a worrier you're gonna worry.
You might create a spread sheet so you can document the maintenance items you've performed on such and such a date when it had so and so hours. Check off the items you've performed. Have a space to write yourself some notes about things you wondered about or things to pay closer attention to in the future.
Then all you'll have to worry about is maybe losing the drive your spread sheet is stored on or if it's on paper, losing it in a house fire.


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## DNL (Mar 20, 2020)

I put the hours and dates on the filters or on the filter housing with a crayon or marker when I change them that way I know how long it's been since I last changed it .I change the engine oil and filter every fall because it's not a good idea to leave dirty oil in all winter if tractor sets all winter and I use a maintenance battery charger on the battery to keep it charged and I get a battery life of 6 to 10 years the hyd oil and rear end oil if it's separate I only change every 5 or 8 years if I don't use it that much I only change antifreeze every 8 years but add a booster to it every 2 years to keep rust inhibiters active .I change air filter as needed depending on how much I use tractor in dusty conditions sometimes 2 or 3 years or 2 or 3 months if they are really dirty I don't like to blow them out with air because you can make holes in the paper if you are not carefele


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## Groo (Jan 17, 2020)

Well, I've rarely had compressed air handy while inspecting a tractor air filter. Hold it up to a light and smack it against the shed are my norm.

I did scratch the hours into the sawmill oil filter. The way it is worked has me thinking there is a bit less leeway there than on a weekend warrior's CUT.


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