[KCFarm]

Very serious and probably the most important decision a farmer makes in the year. Do you park your drill for the end of the year and over winter folded in transport, or unfolded in field.
Outside not in a shed.
Pros and cons to both sides.
Just curious as to what other farmers do and why?

 

[Twix]

Unfolded for sure if stored outside

 

[Combine Pilot]

You can break ends off of cylinders if it fully extended, I came to my cultivator to use and the folding cylinders were fully extended and for some thermal reason, the cylinders were flexing to the point of almost breaking. Must be something with hot and cold and maybe fluid bypassing one way. I was blown away, I couldn't hook up the hydraulics it had so much pressure I had to release the pressure by slamming the end on the frame. Somebody else here had the same thing and it destroyed the cylinder end. I leave it unfolded now but retract the cylinders to the point of almost lifting the wings, seems to work. Good question!

 

[coolio]

If I was parking outside it would be unfolded. Less stress on the unit, with shanks on the ground, weight off the wheels.

 

[shmiffy]

Unfolded. Packer bearing will have water laying on it if folded

 

[Triticum Agricolam]

Unfolded. Folded equipment has water pool places you don’t want it.

 

[SouthernSK]

Well I am opposite. I leave mine folded on the east side of the bins so it is shaded from the west sun. As far as wheels they all hang like normal so there is no water issues with bearings. When mine is folded the hoses, rubber, and everything else on the drill is much more shaded from the sun. I worry more about the UV from the sun destroying the rubber and airlines. When it is unfolded it is much more exposed to the sun and the detrimental effects in my opinion. In the folded position one thing shades another. When it is folded the big cylinders are retracted as well and not exposed to pitting. Putting it in a shed is best if you have space.

 

[sasksodbuster]

Unfolded

 

[wheely]

Folded so cylinder shafts don’t rust

 

[Renslip]

Drill is folded to keeps cylinder shafts from being exposed. Old vibra master is unfolded for same reason.
Can't build up pressure if every hydraulic cylinder leaks just a little bit lol.

 

[meritmat2]

Unfolded. I don’t want moisture getting in the Fert/seed openings on openers. Also if worried about pitting cyclinder rams. Just smear with grease

 

[Licensed to kill]

These are some of my favourite threads. I love reading how and why people do what they do and am always amazed how two people can have an opposite opinion about the same thing. Of course I only spray so I have zero opinion about storing a drill but find the answers and reasons very interesting none the less. Goes to show that there is no right or wrong answer just opinions based on an individuals thought process. Good stuff.

 

[Don Boles]

Sold

 

[meskie]

We always leave ours unfolded. Like was mentioned water will get in the bearings if left folded up. We had our older air seeder we left folded up and always had trouble with the wheel bearing that was pointed up getting pitted. Never had that trouble when leaving them unfolded. I figure with the independent drills would be the same with all the bearings.

 

[RunninREDharD]

When I stored outside, I stored in working position. I had always removed cart and put that inside. I greased every nipple and packer bearing in order to keep water from entering. I never did anything to exposed rams and our drier climate it doesn't appear to make any difference. Some pitting does occur but in all my years I have never changed seals. Only had that problem with Morris equipment and their rams! Often the drill became filled with snowdrifts and maybe should have put in a different spot in the yard but never did. I never had problems with water entry into bearing - just grease to keep that from happening. I don't have a newer drill with all the individual depth control wheels, linkages etc. for each opener which I only think I would purchase and store in a building. A high maintenance drill requires more precautions IMO. I have had too many problems with hydraulic lines rotting and aging in sun which is going to occur whether folded up or not. The hydraulic lines seem to go bad no matter what and a function of manufacturer quality. Only meant to last until warranty is over! My dad had the saying the bearings come with a lifetime guarantee. When the bearing failed, that was the life of the bearing!

 

[Oat King]

Sold

Interesting answer Don, I would rather have my unit folded up , but unfortunately, two years ago a dumb a ss company mistakenly ripped off my cultivator. One morning, I was walking to the back yard to throw away some house garbage and noticed an empty space in my equipment line up. It caught my eye right away WTF. It was mid november and somehow the company who took it were able to yank the discs out of the frozen ground breaking one of the cylinders. It took a little over a week to track it down. Lucky a neighbor noticed it traveling down 23 highway. It took a lot of work and nasty words to get the company to own up to the damage. They thought a sorry was good enough.
Anyways , In this case I think if it was unfolded they would of not been able to lift the wings up.
Oh and no my cultivator was not sold. I was worried after making a police report it could of been south of the border by than. I told the numb nuts dealer to check serial numbers next time. They were 25 miles out in direction and way out on tillage tools.

 

[jvw]

Well I am opposite. I leave mine folded on the east side of the bins so it is shaded from the west sun. As far as wheels they all hang like normal so there is no water issues with bearings. When mine is folded the hoses, rubber, and everything else on the drill is much more shaded from the sun. I worry more about the UV from the sun destroying the rubber and airlines. When it is unfolded it is much more exposed to the sun and the detrimental effects in my opinion. In the folded position one thing shades another. When it is folded the big cylinders are retracted as well and not exposed to pitting. Putting it in a shed is best if you have space.

I'm with SouthernSK on this one. All equipment gets folded up to minimize exposure to the sun, and keep the cylinders retracted. Except that doesn't work on Morris cultivators...
I park the air cart inside, and park big equipment on the north side of large trees, as deep as possible to keep the sun off. I just can't understand equipment full of plastic and rubber ( and paint) parts being parked in the middle of the wide open when there is shade available somewhere else, but that is what I see in my travels all the time. Doesn't cost anything to move it to the shade.
Tried to do some discing in late fall once. Disc was unfolded and down on the ground. Ripped the cylinder mount right out of the frame.

 

[New_Farmer]

Everything goes inside, including land roller and discs. Was not cheap but I tell myself those buildings add some value to the land, and assume machinery is ready to go in the same condition as when it was parked. Mice are still a problem. Had eight runs of fertilizer plugged with dead mice in my drill that I did not find until day 3 of seeding, oh well.
Of course half of my equipment sat outside before I ever owned it.

 

[TotaledmyGN]

For those that store in the folded position make sure you have no little oil leaks in the wing circuits. My 40ft bourgault 8810 was folded which has wings that over centre. Lifting off the main frame was fine but as soon as it went over centre it crashed to the ground blowing out 2 tires/rims and busting one of the plastic packers(300 bucks). No oil on that side of the cylinder i guess so now I leave it in field postiion.

 

[drylandfarmer]

Had the bourgualt drill folded in the yard after seeding. The packer wheel wells on the wings were all full of water after the rain. This could definitely become a problem with water seeping into the bearings.
Laid it down to the ground.