9 Steps for Maintaining Your Planter

By: Karen Jones & Dave Mowitz

Planter maintenance is one of the most important things you can do to set your crops up for success. Variations in ideal spacing and depth can cause a corn yield loss anywhere from 7-25 bushels an acre, according to an AGCO study. Spending time servicing your planter during the winter will pay off when conditions are right to head to the field. Follow these nine steps to make sure you don’t miss an important detail.

Start with a holistic approach

“I always tell operators to start at the hitch pin and work backwards,” says Brad Niensteadt, lead product specialist at Kinze. Examine all hydraulic lines for abrasion and kinks. Sometimes, worn hoses collapse during planting. This reduces flow to blowers or vacuum motors. Look for abrasion and cracking on hoses that can, among other things, indicate a buildup of heat in a particular location due to a hose restriction. Finish the hydraulic inspection by examining all cylinders to detect leaks.