Regular servicing of machinery crucial

FARMING

Farm machinery such as vehicles, grain mills, water pumps, motorised fodders cutters, milk coolers and others need to be regularly serviced.

One way of extending the life span of your farm machinery is by regularly servicing them.

Delayed servicing can lead to sudden break down of machinery, disrupting farm work and causing heavy losses.

In extreme cases, the break down can lead to loss of life or cause serious injuries. Farmers tend to postpone servicing their machinery either due to lack of time or money.

Others only service the components they think are crucial; for instance, they will service the vehicle engine and brake system, but ignore the battery till it goes dead.

For machinery such as maize mills, such farmers tend to service them at the beginning of a busy season and then run them for 24 hours without a break.

This is dangerous as machine parts working under duress have a tendency to break or snap without warning, in the process damaging other parts in the system.

As a way of cutting costs, some farms do the servicing themselves. While this is okay, once in a while you need to involve a qualified person to ensure you have been doing it right.

Med Mwiri the sales and marketing manager of Engsol  says trainings expose the buyer and the end-user to the map of the tool.

Tips on servicing your farm machinery

When buying new farm machinery, insist on getting a copy of the user's manual. If it is not available, try to find out from the dealer how the machine operates and how often it should be serviced.

Ask the dealer to give you someone who knows how to operate the new machine, to accompany you to the farm or train other farm workers who will be handling the machine.

It is ideal to read the manual from cover to cover before you start operating the machine.

The manufacturer or the previous owner should instruct you on how to take care of it. This would give you an idea on the maintenance schedule like when to change oil filter.

Try to be present when your farm machinery is being serviced. There are many unscrupulous mechanics who will try to cut corners, like re-use old parts and pocket the new ones, or overlook certain areas.

Try to have a regular time table for servicing various farm machinery. These should be recorded down for easy reference. It should be like a doctor's appointment that should never be skipped.

Try to keep accurate record of when each farm machine was last serviced, who serviced it and when it is due for the next service. There is no universal rule on how to maintain a farm machine as each has its own way to make it last for a long time.

Make sure that you know specifications. Examine every part of the machine so that you will know their location with the help of a manual book.

If possible, farmers should hire a professional to check the machine regularly. This could help avoid problems in the future.