Combines Maintinance Questions

[D_Mayes]

For mouse prevention,I use moth balls in different places like in the overhead,in side console,under seat and so on with good results.Remove them a few days before you use the machine and put in air fresheners if the moth ball smell bothers you. I pressure wash, some people just blow off.If it gets rained on in the field it's hard to blow off.After washing I run the machine for several minutes then oil chains, spray cable lube on all bearings then run at idle for a few more.Bearing failure is not a problem for me.David

 

[Tom_Russell]

For mothballs to be effective you have to start out with a clean, mouse-free cab. Mothballs will discourage mice from starting nests; they will not chase away established nesting mice that have found a ready source of food in your cab. The dealer service dept power washed my machine several years ago and 2 bearings wept water halfway through the following season. Strangely enough, those 2 bearings never did fail but almost all others did. I dont power wash my combine, and it never sits outside overnight either. Good luck.

 

[RamRod]

I use Bounce fabric softener sheets. Put a few sheets here and there, and one under the buddy seat. They smell good to us, but I understand that they ward off mice. I also put a few bait chunks around too. Anyone else heard of thisIJ Any results if it worksIJ We use it in all tractor cabs too, and have not had mice probs since.

 

[Tom_Russell]

Others have talked about using fabric softener sheets with good results. Your post implies you had problems before using fabric softener. What were you doing before fabric softener and did you have mice in your cabsIJ

 

[brent_56]

Well i would have to say good old cats! We have about 3 tom cats running around the farm and buildings and they are amazing. Try wipe out poison and blue death in the machine cabs. You can also put poison packages on the walkers and around the machine. Good luck!

 

[R_O_M]

Try placing an open dish or tin of diesel fuel in the cab.It smells a lot but the mice probably like it a lot less than you. Mouse plagues in eastern Australia occur every decade or so.The putrid stench is horrible. An occasional combine goes up in smoke from mice eating wire insulation with a resulting short circuit.

 

[RamRod]

Only had one older tractor whose cab was not very tight give a problem. Used bait chunks only before, but that only helps get rid of them if they get in. A deterrent to entering the cabs is better. I also throw some sheets around stored seed, as well as bait.

 

[ajco]

I insalled a battery disconnect switch (available at heavy truck parts store ) close to batteries after neighbours combine caught fire in mid winter, they managed to tow it out of shed but combine was totaled,

 

[venturis40]

i was pointed to an aircraft lubricant called Mouse Out its a really foul smelling spray lube that is supposedly used on aircraft landing gear the directions say to spray it on a piece of cardboard or into a paper bag and roll it up and put it in the area you wish to repel them but it also says that you should remove the cardboard_paper and thoroughly air out the equipment before using i guess its not good for humans either it seems to work for me, when i remember to use it august wieser