If you own farm equipment, there are a number of important calculations that you’ll have to make in order to stay on top of the necessary maintenance. This remains true even if you are using this equipment solely for personal purposes rather than in support of an agricultural business. For instance, you may be asking the question, “How much fuel does a tractor use?”. If this sounds familiar, than the following information should definitely help.
One very important thing to note is that these calculations are guaranteed to be different for every tractor model. Larger units and older units tend to need more than those that are smaller and newer. Thus, you will want to calculate fuel requirements separately for each model that you own.
You should also know that the manner in which the tractor is maintained will also play a critical role in determining its overall fuel efficiency. This is much the same as it is for a standard transport vehicle. If a unit is prone to overheating or has poorly maintained hoses and exhaust, it will burn oil and other additions at a far more rapid rate.
As with most vehicles, the level of required work and the amount of overall demand that is placed on the unit is important as well. Moving a unit a level, simple plan is far different from taking it over rough and uneven terrain. When calculations are made, these are usually done in very level and non-challenging environments.
There are a number of online resources that can help you with these calculations in relation to the type of farm equipment that you own. These provide detailed charts that you can search based upon the make and model that you own. Some of these charts even have estimates that have been adjusted to reflect the year of the vehicle’s manufacture.
It is important to be mindful of the fact that online calculators will offer you numbers that relate to simulated testing conditions. As such, you may find the amount of fuel your unit requires when being actively used in a real world setting could be dramatically different. As such, you should treat these charts as being able to provide you with a baseline estimate for your needs. More often than not, tractors will require slightly more fuel when being placed under extreme demand on actual land.
Fuel quality is another key consideration to make when making and using these calculations. Higher quality fuel tends to burn both cleaner and longer. As such, although it tends to cost a bit more than the most basic and cheapest solutions, it much more efficient, better for the environment and better for your machine. More importantly, it will give you the greatest returns on your spending overall by keeping your equipment in motion for a lengthier span of time.
Another vital factor to consider is the engine speed of your tractor or its horsepower. A unit with a lot of horsepower will invariably need more fuel than will one with less horsepower. This is important to note when making calculations for equipment that will be used in commercial environments, rather than for lesser jobs on small, residential properties.
