A simple toolbox stocked with basic tools can accomplish amazing repairs in the hands of anyone willing to get their hands dirty and learn by doing
Whether you farm thousands of acres or work a hobby farm on weekends, you’re eventually going to have to get your hands greasy. Farming requires equipment, and equipment breaks down and needs to be repaired. Those repairs may be as simple as changing sweeps on a tillage tool, or as complex as rebuilding the motor on a chore tractor. The challenge is to determine if you’re qualified to do that particular repair, and if so, how to accomplish the task.
First, acknowledge who you are. Some people are mechanically inclined. Other folks can can work wonders with livestock, or have a sixth sense about working with plants, but don’t know which end of a hammer to hold. Everybody has talents and should focus on what they enjoy and what they’re good at. If you’ve always been fascinated by machinery, then grab a wrench and dig into whatever needs to be fixed. But if you view machines as annoying necessities, and you’d rather spend time working with livestock or tending crops, consider hiring a professional mechanic to deal with mechanical problems. There’s no shame in focusing on your strengths.
Having said that, most people (once they learn which end of a hammer to hold) can do basic maintenance and repairs to machinery and save the cost of paying someone else to do the work. With a few basic tools, a positive attitude and a supply of hand cleaner and shop towels, great things can be accomplished.
Basic tools to work on farm equipment include a 24-ounce ball peen hammer, sets of combination wrenches in both inch (3/8” to 1-1/4”) and metric (8 mm to 30 mm) measurements, and some adjustable (aka “Crescent”) wrenches. Add a set of Allen wrenches, a few punches/drifts, as well as a set of flat- and Phillips-head screwdrivers, and you can do amazing things. Especially if you have internet access.
You can find instructions on how to fix nearly anything on the internet. Sometimes you can find the manufacturer’s official repair manual for a particular machine, which not only tells how to disassemble and reassemble things, but offers part numbers to help order replacement components. If manufacturers’ repair manuals don’t pop up during a Google search using the machine’s exact model number, there’s probably a range of amateur offerings on how to make those repairs. Whether those amateur offerings are valid is one of the risks of using the internet as a reference. Be wary of any online “How to….” videos that have one or more open beer cans on-screen.
Fortunately, many agricultural repairs are straightforward and don’t require detailed instructions for successful completion. They’re simply a matter of removing shields and parts to access the broken component, replacing the broken pieces, then reassembling things in reverse order. If the disassembly sequence is not obvious, or there could be questions about how things should be reassembled, take cell phone photos before and during disassembly to use as a reference. Then, as each piece is removed, place it off to the side in chronological order. Reassemble mounting bolts and nuts in the holes from which they were removed once the piece is laid aside. That way you’ll know exactly which nut and bolt fits in each hole, compared to dumping them all in a coffee can and having to sort and guess which bolts go in what hole during reassembly.
Professional mechanics can get away with casually piling parts and tools on a workbench. Amateur mechanics should label and identify where each part will go during reassembly
Do not follow the example of professional mechanics who casually toss parts, bolts and nuts in a pile beside the machine. They’ve probably made that repair dozens of times and know exactly where everything goes. Watch that same mechanic perform a repair he’s never done before, and all the parts and pieces will be carefully laid out and organized in a chronological sequence that he can follow in reverse order when it comes time to put things back together.
Once the damaged parts have been replaced and it’s time to start reassembling things, is it a good strategy to re-use undamaged parts? Yes and no. Undamaged bolts and nuts are generally safe to re-use. Undamaged bearings, bearing flanges and gears are probably okay to re-install. Professional mechanics prefer to replace all bearings, flanges and related components when making repairs to ensure the repairs maintain their reputation; when you’re working on your own machinery you can make the call about which parts to re-use.
There are some parts that should always be replaced. Things to always replace during repairs include gaskets, rubber o-rings, seals and other components that control/prevent fluid or pressure leakage. Don’t skimp on those items. They are often imperceptibly damaged during removal, so they may leak or cause problems if re-used.
During reassembly, let the machine tell you what it needs. If parts don’t seem to want to fit together, check to see why. Parts that came apart hard will probably require lifting, prying, even tapping with a hammer to get them back into alignment, but parts that were easily disassembled shouldn’t have to be forced into place. If a machine is “fighting” you, there’s a reason. Take time to make sure everything is aligned correctly, that all the right-size bolts are in their correct places, and that a small but critical part isn’t out of place or still lying on the workbench and causing the machine’s resistance to reassembly.
There will be mistakes. Partial disassembly and reassembly may be necessary. That’s fine. That’s how we learn. But there’s a lot of satisfaction in repairing machinery yourself, not to mention significant savings. With a few basic tools and a methodological, positive attitude, anybody can be a successful amateur mechanic.
Should you do-it-yourself?
You can save money by maintaining and repairing your own equipment. You can also waste time and money if you don’t have the experience, tools and especially the mindset to do the work properly. Here are guidelines to help determine when to DIY, and when to hire a professional mechanic.
Hire a professional mechanic if you:
— don’t own at least a ball peen hammer and a Crescent wrench.
— don’t understand the significance of “righty-tighty, lefty-loosey.”
— were a failure as a child with building blocks and Legos, but a prodigy with finger paints and nap time.
— don’t have, or aren’t willing to spend the money, for blocks, jacks and tools to safely support machinery during repairs.
Dig in and do-it-yourself if you:
— occasionally, sort of, enjoy the taste of grease, oil or unidentified grime that ends up on your lips or in your mouth.
— look forward to any excuse to buy another hammer, wrench or special tool.
— are fascinated, or at least mildly interested, in how things work, and, “…always wondered what the inside of that gearbox looks like.”
— are willing to invest money to save money. As in, spend $100 to buy a repair manual or special tool that will eventually save thousands of dollars during future repairs.
— are willing to learn by doing.
— view mistakes as learning opportunities.
— Dan Anderson