Manure Equipment Maintenance Checklist
By: John Yoder, VP of Waste Handling
It’s a real pain dealing with a preventable manure equipment breakdown in the heart of manure season. To keep you up and running when it’s go-time, the Stutsman manure management team has created this easy-to-follow checklist for maintenance of manure draghose systems, pumps, tanks and more.
Save your future self some stress by running through this manure equipment maintenance checklist before application season arrives.
Manure Equipment Maintenance Checklist:
Tanks
- If brake lines and calipers are not working properly, bleed them and refill.
- Check all the hydraulic hoses and fittings for bad spots and wear.
- Adjust or recenter power steering if needed.
- For wheel bearings, change grease if it is not fresh and clean.
- Check hitch and hitch pin for wear.
- If you have a hydraulic shredder manifold, check the motor for leaks and bearing wear.
- Look over injector hoses.
- Measure the diameter of toolbar coulters to check for wear. If worn more than 1”, it will affect bearing life and application.
- Grease the complete system.
- Check the oil level in the pump bearing housing and look for leaks.
- Make sure PTO shields are in place.
- Look over tires and check tire pressure.
- Ensure lug nuts are tightened.
If you are on the fence about trading in your manure tank or investing in improvements for your current manure spreader, give this article a read. If you are thinking it’s time to make a switch, check out what manure tanks we have available on our lot today here.
Pumps
- Grease and check for any unusual wear.
- Ensure the main tube near the drive line is drained and in good condition.
- Check oil in the main gear box. This should also be done daily.
- Keep your oil cooler hoses in good condition. This helps give an easy visual of the oil status.
- Check the cooler belt and pulleys for GEA Houle pumps.
- Look over the electric fan on Nuhn pumps.
- If needed, apply lube for proper nozzle rotation.
- Ensure PTO shields are in good shape.
Browse available manure pumps here.
Drag Hose Systems
Be sure to check the complete system before you start pumping.
- Be sure to check the complete system before you start pumping.
- Check couplers, clamps and gaskets on all your hoses.
- Evaluate hoses for bad spots.
- Grease and lube chain drive and quantum drive systems.
- Ensure electronic cable connections are clean on remote systems.
- Check signal lights and SMV signs.
- Make sure all the shields are in place.
Hose Hustler
- Grease and check hydraulic hoses and cylinder pins.
- Look over the main hub.
Find manure hose reels here or browse drag hose accessories here
Toolbars
- Check for grease and wear on row units.
- Evaluate the manifold motor and over hung bearing for wear.
- Look over injector hoses, as well as all hydraulic hoses and fittings for wear.
- Repack the main undercarriage wheel bearings with grease.
- Check flow meter wires for any wear spots.
- Look over the hose swivel and clamp.
Considering manure toolbar replacement? Take a virtual cruise through our equipment lot here.
Engine Units
- Look over air, fuel and oil filters. Even in what you think is a non-dusty environment, it’s still common to find dirty air filters.
- Check pump oil and radiator fluid levels.
- Evaluate and replace wear rings in Cornell pumps if necessary.
- Make sure pump mounting and plumbing are in good condition.
- Check trailer lights and wheel bearings.
Check out our line of new and used manure engine units here.
General Manure Equipment Maintenance Items
- Make sure you have common replacement parts stocked and handy in your truck and/or ensure that the spare manure parts used last season are replaced.
- Do you have the right tools in your truck just in case? (This translates to making sure that tools haven’t mysteriously walked off ?)
Beyond the manure equipment maintenance checklist
Like the old Benjamin Franklin adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” time you spend on pre-season maintenance will save you costly downtime (and headaches) come manure application season. For tips on in-season manure equipment maintenance, troubleshooting advice or part orders, give our expert manure team a call.
Manure equipment maintenance or troubleshooting: 319.679.2281
Manure parts hotline: 319.679.PART(7278)