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How to clean tractor without using water?

Geo-TH,In

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member
I refuse to use water to clean anything, period. Water damages bearings, magnetos, electrical, starters, alternators. I won't use it. I sometimes use air pressure to blow off outer layer of dirt.

Besides using a rag, how do you have a way to clean tractor without water?

I don't plan to take my Farmall to a parade, just needs a little cleaning up.
a277064.jpg
 
There is no issue with pressure washing that, way to much work otherwise.

You are being stubborn again.
 
If you use Gunk degreaser, you don't have to use high pressure water to clean it off- just an ordinary garden hose- so you shouldn't have trouble with those items you mentioned, except possibly the mag- I'd wrap it in plastic, then clean it manually after degreasing. Scrape the worst of it off with a scraper first, it will make the degreaser go further.
 
I no of no way of cost effectively cleaning your tractor without water or steam.

Once you figure it out, the best way to KEEP it clean is to remove all dry dirt with compressed air after each use. Of course, his only works well if there are no leaks.

Dean
 
Just get a parts cleaning brush a can of degreaser and a stool to sit on, your gonna be at it for awhile. gobble
 
"Water damages bearings, magnetos, electrical, starters, alternators"

Can you imagine what it does to your body if it does the above to all of these metal and rubber parts? George, you are guilty of at least "slight exaggeration" I would say.
 
there is a method used to clean printing presses called icing them they use dry ice chopped up fine enough to go through a gun similar to a sand blaster the ice evaporates and the dirt is loos enough to brush ,blow or wipe off
 
You think water doesn't damage bearings? Look at pic of mower spindle.
What does water do under a distributor cap?
Water doesn't damage electrical components?
I won't leave anything outside, I refuse to use pressure washer on my equipment.
It's my tractor. It will stay looking like it does before I use water.

Sorry you people don't have a good answer other than to attack me.
a277067.jpg
 
Well it can IF you stand there and blow it right into it,, I have been washing machines since 1968,, never a issue and thats washing thousands of machines,, but as my Dad always used to say some guys can tear up a anvil with a rubber hammer,,
 
The picture does not look like water damage to me. It looks like a bearing went out which happens with time and use and you had trouble getting it apart which also comes with time and maybe it would have helped the situation if you would have washed off the grass clippings and such so it would not have corroded as much.
 
"Attack" ..... OK Geroge, now you're moving into plain old exaggeration from slight exaggeration. I don't think any of the comments fit into the attack category.
 
I use diesel in a garden sprayer.
Use a putty knife on the heavy stuff.

Spray product.
Scrape(blade or wire brush) and/or wipe with a rag.
Repeat if needed.

I may catch the run off, filter it for reuse, all depends.
Something like your pic, as someone else said,
your gonna be there a while.

HTH.
 
Well better keep a DRY fire extinguisher handy, since you more than likely rather watch your tractor BURN UP than put the fire out with water!!
 
If you must not use water than a very good air pressure will be needed.
I do not like to wash after every use either,but do blow off with air after every use. But once a year with garden hose and water will not kill it. put some cheap spray degreaser on the bad spots. The only thing that it will bother will be that ignition.
I washed and waxed our JD750 with mower once a year at the end of the season and got it ready for the snow plow. Never hurt a thing. Been years since it was used to mow with and doesn't get extra care anymore either. Still looks like new though.
Those mower deck bearings have short life on mowers where guys wash them off after every use. I have seen that years ago when I worked at the JD parts counter. I drilled my housings and installed grease fittings on the older decks.
 
I made up a compressed air nozzle that works pretty good on loose stuff. I adapted a piece of 3/8' copper tubing to a 1/2" ball valve, then I mashed the end of the tubing with a hammer. It'll blast away a lot of stuff if you have enough compressor.
Pete
 
As the post below, RENT a dry ice blaster. Very effective, and the only residue will be what it took of your unit.
 
make sure you store it in a barn with a metal roof , so shingles aren't leaking and get it wet...? degreaser , gasoline , putty knife .wipe it down by hand more often before build up
 
Agreed. No bearing full of grease will be damaged by water outside it. Just a little common sense with washing and you can keep it outside.

Any solvent will be worse than water for points and rubber insulation. Your tractor, your choice, chose your poison.
 
Harbor Freight (and probably many other suppliers)has a siphon solvent blaster cleaning tool which is powered by compressed air. You can use varsol, diesel, or other cleaning solvents. It works good. I have an old steam cleaner which I use on more dirty equipment. I think the heat is a big help in softening old caked on grease and dirt. I also avoid using water and a pressure washer on my equipment. I am sure that many use these successfully but i dont want water getting in wiring harnesses and electrical parts.
 
I need to add that every degreaser mentioned below can leave material behind in those same places. Even the ones like brake Kleen can dissolve plastic and gasket material allowing it to travel by capillary action right into those seals and bearings. A little heat from use and all the water is gone. A little degreaser on a seal and the seal is gone. Choosing poison is a tough call. Choosing a compromise is smart. Degrease and pressure wash where it cannot do what to you is undesirable. Then tackle the tough spots with the more toxic stuff. Jim
 
Maybe you could find some organic water to wash it with, I've heard that is healthier for your tractor. Just stay away,from the gmo water tho, that can turn your farmal into a John Deere.
 
You had a Bad infestation of grease worms get in there,,, they picked it clean,, just kidding, I will say this if you washed your mower deck right after mowing with it "Hot" from mowing it will indeed pull water into the bearing and do just what is in your pic,, seen this on a few Dixon mowers I sold when the owners would not keep the spindles greased and washed every time they mowed, can not tell if your spindle had a zerk or not to grease it,, after the first two happened to me here with customers machines I made sure and filled every deck spindle before they were delivered never again had a issue
cnt
 
Jack I agree with you. Have been doing this for Years! Stop at your local HF and spend around $23.00. Fill the bottle with gasoline. Make sure you are outside and on a day with a good breeze. Also have a good ABC extinguisher. Spray over the grease one time and let it soak in a little. Come back a minute or two and let it have it. Cleans like you can't believe. Works fantastic on chain saws too. No water in a two cycle engine.
Now only I can do this. YOU CANNOT. No one else either. Only a crazy person is allowed to do this. Get the message? ??!!!
a277087.jpg
 
Actually if you get the worst of it off and there are no leaks, blowing it off with air will eventually finish cleaning it.As the oil soaks into the newly acquired dirt then gets blown off the oil gets thinner and less of it. If there is a leak in that area it will continue building up with the greasy dirt. Though the continual blowing it off should reveal the leaking area more easily.
 

There is enough of a build-up there that oxygen-acetylene should get it going and burn most of it right off. Can't be as bad as water!!!!!!!
 
ooh come on here... get real! those parts are worn out from lack of grease and use and the acidity in the grass being cut! i just replace 3 spindles on my j. d. mower and it sure was not water that caused the brg's to pile up. brg's need grease to keep on a rotating.
 
I've done that, Jeffcat.

I remember degreasing a Corvair engine/PG transmission with a home made compressed air gasoline suction gun. Two of us did it in a one car steel garage in January, 1974 or 1975, IIRC. Probably used a gallon or two of gallons of gasoline.

Compressed air was supplied by an old open frame, repulsion start (sparking brushes) air compressor. There was an old forced air oil furnace in the corner a few feet away. It was cold so we did not bother to turn it off.

Probably would not do that again.

Dean
 
After having read through all of the replies so far, I have reached a conclusion or two.
I do not have a perfect answer for your problem, but as I recall, years ago, we had a sprayer that we used with either mineral spirits or Safety-Kleen solvent. Spray it on, let it stand for a bit to dissolve the grease and dirt buildup, and then spray it again to wash off the crud.
I also reached the conclusion that many of the replies that you received are humorous. Not obviously meant to be offensive to you. So, where is your sense of humor? Don't be so thin-skinned.
 
George posts all these ridiculous topics then gets his nightie in a knot when people have a little fun with it. No wonder he gets sent to the corner.
 
Putty knives, plastic windshield scrapers, a range of stiff brushes, flat screw drivers, rags, tooth brushes, a spray bottle of degreaser, elbow grease, some music and a jug of lemonade or other favorite beverage would be enough to get that tractor nice and clean in one or two pleasant evenings.
 
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