Is it safe to power wash tractor?

[Rmowl]

I've pressure washed mine for yrs with no adverse effects. Only thing I do is wait for the block to cool down and have at it. Done a pretty thorough washing on the newly acquired ones to wash away grease and grime and just quick once overs thereafter after regular usage

[Mike McKown]

In my 40+ years experience with Cub Cadets and water the parts that seem to suffer the most are the ignition switch, the belt idler pulleys on the decks and the idler pulleys on the mule drives. Also to be included are front wheel bearings on the older tractors that don't have a shield.

The next item that suffers is the mower decks that trap water between a reinforcement layer of metal and the deck itself, resulting in rust through and eventual trashing of the deck.

Another place is water down the steering column that gets in the bearings in the steering gear.

I'd suggest anyone washing down their tractor confine it to very occasional cleanups, doing it with hot water out of a hose and use some type degreaser. Then, blow the tractor off with compressed air and if possible, start the tractor and let the engine heat evaporate the accumulated moisture.

That's the way I do it

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by Mike McKown

In my 40+ years experience with Cub Cadets and water the parts that seem to suffer the most are the ignition switch, the belt idler pulleys on the decks and the idler pulleys on the mule drives. Also to be included are front wheel bearings on the older tractors that don't have a shield.

The next item that suffers is the mower decks that trap water between a reinforcement layer of metal and the deck itself, resulting in rust through and eventual trashing of the deck.

Another place is water down the steering column that gets in the bearings in the steering gear.

I'd suggest anyone washing down their tractor confine it to very occasional cleanups, doing it with hot water out of a hose and use some type degreaser. Then, blow the tractor off with compressed air and if possible, start the tractor and let the engine heat evaporate the accumulated moisture.

That's the way I do it

Couldn't agree more!
You will not catch me power washing equipment.
air hose it off, and if something is greasy,kerosene/ gas gets it clean.
but that is me, to each his own.
Seen enough "sealed" bearings go bad on farm equipment from rain water and not from power washing it either.
Now something that is sheet metal or the like and no crannies for water to dwell, wash away!

[Rmowl]

Sound advice, I'm only 30 and fairly new to IH Cubs but not to farm equipment but still some solid advice being doled out. My neighbor thinks I'm nuts when he sees me power washing my Cubs and I do the air blow regularly too and am careful to not get into the deck bearings , but he is also a green fan...

[bocephus1991]

Originally Posted by bocephus1991

I was gonna say I've power washed mine and it doesn't hurt i wouldn't use it on the most powerful setting( pencil tip) . You gotta get the grim off some how. These aren't delcelet little flowers. Like others said just use some common sense.

I edited my earlier post. I've never had an issue power washing my tractors.

[cc_bob]

Originally Posted by Mike McKown

The next item that suffers is the mower decks that trap water between a reinforcement layer of metal and the deck itself, resulting in rust through and eventual trashing of the deck.

I've seen many rotted out here. When mine are apart I paint them and during re-assembly I smear both sides with grease. I use enough that it's completely covered and squishes out. I then clean up the excess and put them to work.

[cnsolutions]

I was all my equipment including the Cub, Bobcat, excavator, Ford tractor and backhoe I also power wash all my trucks 12 of them I never have had a problem. I use a MI T M 4000psi pressure washer with a 25 or 15 tip. Just use your head watch out for seals and open ports.

[martyrant]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

You guys who say not to wash them apparently don't know how to wash a tractor. NO IT WILL NOT HURT IT. It's a freaking tractor. You don't think IH thought about it sitting outside in the rain? Or getting washed every now and again? Like cadetcollector said, use your head. No water up the muffler and stuff like that. Wash away!!!

I definitely power wash It's the first step when I take a part off before it gets sand blasted and restored. Just spray it down with simple green or a degreaser of choice, then hit it with the wand and take all the junk off. Weather happens, so thinking one of these will break from some water is a bit funny when most of the stuff we're talking about here is 30+ years old, has been used & abused throughout those 30 years, and half of them still work fine when you go to fire them up even if they aren't pretty.

[kopeck]

While I wouldn't put a power washer right to a seal or the carb I would hit everything else.

Before I worked on my 129 I power washed the snot out of it. I had the engine and transmission open within a day or two of doing so and you know how much water made it in? None that I could see.

If you've ever been around farm tractors there a magical combination of grease, dirt and dust that you almost need dynamite to remove. Short of TNT I prefer "Super Clean" (it's in the purple bottle) and the pressure washer.

K

[Sam Mac]

Well when they look like this they get pressure washed. I don't work on filthy stuff. I've used the pressure washer so much in the last couple years that I had to re-power it and rebuild the pump.