Was leaving a ranch to take a tractor back home today and opened the gate...

Don't know why, but I thought I'd better check the lug nut and bolts.

Glad I did!

Left rear was missing one nut and bolt completely.



Another one on the same wheel was real loose.



Drove tractor back to my pickup, got my impact wrench, (The new Dewalt, thanks Ironbender).. and made short work of tightening all the lugs. I'll have to replace the missing one, but it's no biggie.

Much better than having a wheel wobble off doing over 20mph when roading the tractor!



Just a reminder, guys.

You’re welcome Barry. I don’t trust the impact to torque. Always, always, hand finish.

Is there a “rule of thumb” for tractors to check lugs? So many hours?

Like recheck vehicle after 500 miles?

Man, I dunno, IB.

I think it depends on the conditions.

Usually, before I take a tractor out on the road, I will give it a serious walk around. I don't actually tighten the lug nuts, but I do inspect each one and look at the threads to see any anomalies. (that's what I did in this case)

I do get the torque wrench after them when I bring them in for their complete physical and detailing though. Once or twice a year.

I loaned out a tractor to a friend of mine so he could plow some soybeans with. He put a boy that worked for him on it, and the dummy drove it half a day with the stops out of the easy spread wheels. It ate the blocks up that held the rim in place, and why that tire and wheel didn't fall off was a miracle. The bad thing was that they acted like it was no big deal. It was to me, because I had to replace the blocks, which were very pricey, even at 1980ish prices.

Ah!

I found the problem!


So far, only myself and one other guy have driven my tractors. And he would be the only one I'd trust to do so again.

Jake had a wheel crack on him this spring, not a cheap repair.

I’ve put the star wrench on mine 2X in the last 4 years. Could not budge them. Must be tight enough.

Back in the spring, we had an emergency call where the back left wheel came off a tractor, that was pulling a trailer loaded with round bales, while driving down the highway. Luckily no one was hurt and the only damage was the fender on the tractor. Oh, they had to buy a tap and new bolts.

It still wasn't dry enough to shred that ranch when I was there.

Even up on the high ground, it was soft.

Maybe with this cool front blowing through today, being dry, it may firm stuff up some.

We run 5 John Deere tractors, mowing, filling feeders, and putting up hay, the tractor drivers are responsible for cleaning air filters, fluid levels, check nuts and bolts, greasing tractor and mowers an disks, and hay equitment cleaning cabs and washing tractor, everyday, they come in 30 min. early in the evening, just to blow out filters.

We keep a log book on every tractor, up dated every day or hours of use, we have a history on every tractor, and all repairs, we have a Iron clad rule, If your tractor breaks and it's clean and well cares for, no problem. If it breaks and it's dirty and neglected you are gone! Rio7

That's an excellent policy, Blue.

"Farmer Tight"

A mark across the end of the bolt and nut with a paint pen will let you know at a glance if any of them have loosened up.

Lost a wheel center that exact way earlier this year out in the prunes on the Kubota. Wasn’t cheap.