Autumn equipment checks: what to inspect before winter storage

Once harvest is done and equipment comes off the field, there is a window before winter storage where repairs are straightforward and unhurried. The same repairs left until spring are done under time pressure, often in worse conditions, and sometimes on equipment that has deteriorated further in storage. The autumn inspection is worth doing systematically.

What to look for on welded frames and hitches ¶

The highest-stress locations on most agricultural equipment are the hitch points, the drawbar, and the main chassis rails near the axle mounts. These areas carry the highest cyclic loads during operation and are where fatigue cracks most commonly initiate.

Look for cracks at weld toes. The junction between the weld bead and the parent metal. Rather than through the weld itself. Fatigue cracks almost always start at the toe, where the stress concentration is highest. A crack that is caught at 10 mm is a straightforward repair. The same crack at 80 mm may have propagated into the parent metal and require a plate insert.

Checking implement frames and toolbar connections ¶

Toolbar connections and implement frames take significant impact loading, particularly on stony ground. Check the welds at gusset plates and brace connections, where the geometry creates stress concentrations. Look for paint cracking or rust staining adjacent to welds. Both are early indicators of movement at a joint that has not yet cracked through.

Hydraulic cylinder mounts are worth specific attention. A mount that has worked loose or cracked at the weld toe will allow the cylinder to move slightly under load, which accelerates wear on the pin and bore and eventually causes a more expensive failure than the original weld repair would have been.

When to repair versus when to replace ¶

Most weld repairs on agricultural equipment are worth doing if the parent metal is sound and the crack has not propagated into a section that carries primary load. A cracked gusset plate, a broken implement tine mount, a split hitch plate. These are all repairable and the repair will outlast the original weld if it is done correctly.

The cases where replacement is the better answer are when the parent metal is heavily corroded, when a crack has propagated across a primary load-carrying section, or when the geometry of the repair would require so much weld metal that the heat input would distort the surrounding structure. Lewis will tell you honestly which category your repair falls into before any work begins.

Booking autumn repair work ¶

The workshop has capacity for agricultural repair work through October. Smaller items can be dropped off during workshop hours without an appointment. Larger equipment that needs to come in on a trailer should be booked in advance so the bay is clear for unloading.

If the equipment cannot be moved, site repair is available within 60 kilometres of the workshop. Call to confirm the location and describe the repair so the right equipment comes with the van.

The autumn window is the easiest time to deal with deferred repairs. The same jobs done in March, under time pressure before the season starts, are harder on everyone.