One of the toughest but most cost-effective parts of a machinery maintenance program has nothing to do with wrenches and greasy hands.
“Good record keeping is a must,” said Vern Hofman, a North Dakota State University agricultural engineer.
“A machinery service program needs to be based on good record keeping, not just the operator’s memory or feeling that a machine needs attention.”
The maintenance program should be based on fact, as determined by an accurate record of service for each piece of equipment as recommended in the operator’s manual and adjusted to individual situations.
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A midwestern American study found that many farmers can reduce machinery repair costs by 25 percent by improving routine maintenance, Hofman said.
As an example, a $75,000 tractor getting average maintenance will incur about $22,500 in repairs during 5,000 hours of operation. But good service management can cut the cost to a little more than $16,000.
He recommended mounting a service record chart for each vehicle on the wall of the farm shop, with 10, 50, 100, 250 and 500-hour maintenance intervals indicated so they can be performed regularly and the hours marked down.
Also useful is a large planning calendar with machine operating manuals stuck in pockets or hung in a vertical row on the left and columns for maintenance on the right. Use this calendar for noting major repair and service operations to be carried out on each piece of machinery in the months ahead.
