Tractors, combines, and similar machines have long since replaced horse and oxen-drawn plows on modern farms today, and all across the United States, tractors and related farm gear are used to get hard work done on crop fields and more, but sometimes, tractors will need repair, maintenance, or auxiliary items so that they can work their best. The front tractor tire, for example, may run over something hard or sharp and rupture, and this can hamper a tractor’s work until the front tractor tire in question is replaced by skilled crews who know how to handle tractors. The rear tractor wheel may also become worn out, stuck, or ruptured, and farmers will have to get their machines taken in to the shop for that, too. Combine tires might also get worn out, deflate, or get punctured sometimes, and farmers can keep abreast of any problems where combines are concerned, too. Just how common are tractors and combines today, and what can a rural resident do so that their machines stay in top shape?
On Tractors
Tractors are heavy duty machines that will work for many hours at a time, and nearly always in off-road conditions, and these machines have a proud history in the United States dating back to the early 20th century. As of the year 1916, about 20,000 tractors were sold to farmers across the United States, and by the year 1935, just 19 years later, that figure had exploded to over one million being sold, and by the time the tractor industry reached the modern age, that number has grown even more, with these tractors being used by a population of just over three million American farmers. And of course, all these tractors and combines represent a major industry and market for their parts and other services. Where tires are concerned, the farming industry made up $535 million in replacement tires sales across the United States in 2017, and this figure may grow in the near future. Firestone, for example, has a 22% market share of the American farm tire market for small farm replacement tires, according to data from Modern Tire Dealer, and similarly, Goodyear has a 15.5% share of the same market.
Used tractors for sale can be found for a great price, although buyers must of course inspect these machines in person and test them to make sure that they are in good working condition for the farm. The front tractor tire, for example, might be worn out or in danger of rupturing, and this may become evident when the buyer takes the tractor on a test drive. The buyer may look out for any other issues as well, such as problems with the brakes or transmission, or the engine or gearbox. If a tractor gives off colored smoke, rattles or rumbles strangely, or often loses power, that can point to a serious issue with the machine. Smaller repairs could be fixable at a farm equipment repair shop, such as replacing the front tractor tire or tinkering with a faulty transmission. Used tractors, meanwhile, will cost the most but they are available from reputable retailers such as Branson and John Deere, and these new tractors will have modern specs on power and safety and they will have warranties in place, not to mention an absence of maintenance issues.
A farmer looking for a new combine or tractor may also look for package deals on these machines. This means that a tractor or combine is purchased alongside a trailer that a powerful truck can pull, and this trailer will be the right size and weight capacity for the model of tractor or combine that was sold with it. Whenever a tractor or a combine suffers maintenance issues such as breached tires or a busted gearbox, these machines can be loaded onto these trailers and hauled to the nearest facility that can repair them, and in other cases, if a tractor or combine just has to be moved from one area to another, the trailers can be used for that, too. Farmers may generally be averse to actually driving their tractors or combined directly on the road, as this can slow down traffic and farm machines aren’t meant for the road anyway.
