Start-of-Season Tractor Checklist: The 20 Points to Check After Winter Storage

Before the first job of the season, run a 20-point check covering fluids, filters, electrical, mechanical and running gear, plus a look for rodent damage. L'Atelier estimates 2 to 3 hours for the full list. The headline numbers: battery above 12.4 V engine off, 13.8-14.4 V engine running, coolant protecting to at least -37°C, and tires that have typically lost 0.2-0.4 bar over the winter.

After 3 to 5 months of winter storage, seals dry out, batteries discharge, rodents move in and condensation builds up. A breakdown in the field costs time at the worst moment. The checklist below follows the publisher's 20 points in five groups. Print it, keep it in the shop and tick each line.

Fluids (points 1-5)

• 1. Engine oil. Check the dipstick. Black oil that smells of diesel means condensation diluted it during storage: change it before starting.
• 2. Coolant. Check the level at the expansion tank and test the antifreeze concentration with a refractometer, aiming for protection to at least -37°C. Cloudy or rusty coolant gets replaced.
• 3. Hydraulic/transmission oil. Check at the dipstick or sight glass. It should be clear: milky means water, black means it has overheated.
• 4. Diesel. A partly full tank may have collected condensation. Drain the fuel filter's water separator and ideally top up with fresh diesel.
• 5. Brake fluid (if on a separate circuit). Check the level. Brake fluid absorbs moisture: replace it if it is more than 2 years old.

Filters (points 6-9)

• 6. Oil filter. If the oil change is due, change it with the oil.
• 7. Fuel filter and pre-filter. Diesel can form deposits in storage. Replace at the slightest doubt.
• 8. Air filter. Remove and inspect, blow compressed air from the inside out. Oil-soaked or torn: replace. Check for a mouse nest while it is out.
• 9. Hydraulic return filter. If you are close to the interval (over 400 hours), change it now. L'Atelier's hydraulic filter guide sets the return filter at every 500 hours or annually, whichever comes first.

For the oil itself, the oil change guide gives a baseline of every 250 hours for heavy work (plowing, heavy fieldwork) and every 500 hours for light use (mowing, transport), always subject to your service manual. Many compact tractors (15-50 hp) follow a shorter rhythm: the compact guide gives 100-200 hours or once a year.

Electrical (points 10-13): the voltages to read

All you need is a multimeter. The battery is the number one reason a tractor will not start, according to L'Atelier's no-start guide.

• 10. Battery. Measure the voltage, clean the terminals and coat them with technical petroleum jelly. White-green corrosion creates resistance that blocks current.
• 11. Lighting. Test every light: headlights, work lights, turn signals, hazards, clearance lights. Early starts and late finishes are normal in season.
• 12. Starter. If it cranks slowly or hesitates, check the ground cables and connections before replacing anything.
• 13. Alternator. Engine running, read 13.8-14.4 V at the battery terminals.

While you are on the electrics, think about cold mornings: L'Atelier's autumn preparation guide recommends testing glow plug operation, and the no-start guide notes that a diesel needs preheating below about 10°C, with the glow plug light normally on for 5-10 seconds rather than 1-2.

Mechanical (points 14-17)

• 14. Belts. Inspect every accessible belt (alternator, fan, A/C) for cracks, fraying and glazing, and check tension. The belt guide's thumb test: press mid-span on the longest run with about 10 kg of force; deflection should be 10-15 mm depending on model, and beyond 20 mm it needs retensioning.
• 15. Leaks. Look under the tractor and around the engine for oil stains, coolant traces and hydraulic leaks. Find the source before starting.
• 16. PTO. Check spline play, grease the output shaft, test engagement and disengagement. The PTO guide's annual check sets radial play at under 1 mm.
• 17. Steering. Engine running, steering should respond immediately with no tight spots. Excess play or delay calls for an urgent inspection.

Two related checks from the same sources are worth adding if you use a loader or a heavy implement. Greasing: the PTO driveshaft cross joints every 50 hours or before each season with lithium EP2 grease; if black grease comes out, the joint is worn. Hitch drift: raise a heavy implement and shut off the engine; if it drops more than 20 mm in 10 minutes, the hydraulic diagnostics guide points to an internal leak at the control valve or check valve.

Running gear (points 18-20)

• 18. Tire pressures. Check all four with a gauge; after storage, tires typically lose 0.2-0.4 bar.
• 19. Tire condition. Sidewalls (cracks, bulges), lugs (wear, embedded objects) and valve stems.
• 20. Wheel torque. Re-torque all wheel nuts to specification: vibration from the last job can loosen them.

These ranges are indicative and given in bar, as in the source; the exact figure depends on tire size, load index and load, so use the tire manufacturer's inflation table. The base does not give wheel nut torque values: take them from your operator's manual.

Bonus: the rodent check

A barn-stored tractor is a winter home for mice. Undetected damage can cause a short circuit or a coolant leak mid-job. Check:

• Hoses and wiring harnesses: the source notes rodents like the soy-based coatings some manufacturers use.
• The air filter housing, a favorite nesting spot.
• The cab: droppings, nests, odors.
• Any rag you stuffed in the exhaust or intake last fall to keep rodents out: remove it before starting.

Compact tractor owners: the intervals behind the checklist

The checklist tells you what to look at; the intervals tell you what is actually due. For compact tractors (15-50 hp, the Kubota, Iseki, John Deere and Kioti segment), L'Atelier's homeowner guide gives this general table. Your operator's manual overrides it.

Greasing is the one most owners skip. A compact has 8 to 15 grease fittings; the critical ones are the steering pivots, the 3-point hitch joints, the PTO shaft and the brake pedal shaft. The guide recommends NLGI 2 multi-purpose lithium grease, 3-4 pumps per fitting. Oil capacities vary a lot between models: the same guide lists, with filter, 3.2 liters for a John Deere 1025R, 4.3 liters for a Kubota B2530 and 6.2 liters for a Kubota L3560.

If it still won't start

L'Atelier's no-start guide splits the problem in two. Starter not turning: battery, starter motor, or safety switches (seat, clutch or brake pedal, PTO disengaged, transmission in neutral). Starter cranking but no fire: fuel filter (very common after storage), glow plugs, injection, timing. A clogged fuel filter after winter is a classic: replace it and the water separator, then bleed the system.

Need a value for a specific point, like coolant protection or a filter interval? You can ask the L'Atelier power tools and garden machinery base directly, for example: "What battery voltage should I measure on a tractor with the engine off?"

Main source: Start-of-season tractor checklist: 20 points to check, with tractor coolant and tractor won't start on la-telier.com. Your operator's manual takes precedence over generic values.