How to Minimise Lubricating Time and Maximise Your Tractor's efficiency

In this blog, we look at some practical ways you can save a lot of time on your daily tractor service tasks, increase efficiency, increase the lifespan of your tractor and protect its resale value. 

The importance of regular lubrication for your tractor

Regular lubrication is the lifeblood of any tractor, ensuring all moving parts function smoothly, reducing wear and tear, and ultimately extending the machine's lifespan. It not only improves efficiency but also maintains the resale value of your tractor.

Different ways to lubricate

Customer story: Reijo Vuoksenranta’s experience with automated tractor lubrication systems

Meet Reijo Vuoksenranta, Managing Director of Vuoksenranta Tmi, who has firsthand experience with the benefits of automatic lubrication systems on his Valtra tractors.

“There are so many lubrication points on these modern tractors, around 50 or more, so it takes too much time and hassle to do it manually,” Reijo explains.

Before switching to automated lubrication, Reijo faced several challenges:

• Reliability issues: Without proper lubrication, equipment began to create damage and squeaks.
• Safety concerns: Manually over-greasing could lead to dangerous conditions, especially with high-rotating equipment.

Since adopting Valtra’s automatic lubrication system,  Reijo has seen remarkable improvements:

• Improved performance: "Clearly better working, and the resale value has increased. Extending the lifetime of the equipment by several seasons with the right lubrication—a well-spent investment," says Reijo.
• Increased reliability: Reliability has significantly increased, reducing downtime and ensuring smooth operation.
• Operational safety: The automatic system prevents over-greasing, ensuring equipment doesn’t get too warm and unsafe.
• Savings in working time: "Greasing machines manually takes about 30 minutes each time and needs to be done after every 10 hours of operation. With the automatic system, the grease pump reservoir is filled only about once a month."

Central lubrication time-saving example

Using the Valtra Unlimited central lubrication system could save the average Q Series operator around 21.5 work hours per year!*

*Based on telemetry data from Valtra. The average Q Series tractor wass driven 612.9 hours in 2023. Manual lubrication every 10 hours of work would result in 61 lubrication tasks per year. This results in 30.5 hours of work per year. Refilling the central lubrication reservoir takes around 0.75 hours and only needs doing about 12 times per year, resulting in about 9 hours of work.

Benefits of central lubrication for tractors

Continuous and even distribution

Central lubrication systems distribute grease continuously during operation, ensuring an even spread around moving parts of the tractor, which isn't possible with manual lubrication. This constant lubrication pushes out the dirt and debris tractors can pick up from the road, field, or farm, keeping components cleaner and more efficient.

Reduced maintenance and increased safety

Automatic systems reduce the frequency of manual greasing, cutting down on maintenance time. They also eliminate the safety risks associated with reaching difficult lubrication points, making overall operations safer for operators.

Optimised lubrication levels

By maintaining optimal lubrication levels, these systems prevent both under- and over-greasing. This not only extends the lifespan of your equipment but also ensures it operates at peak efficiency.

Enhanced machine reliability

Consistent lubrication means fewer breakdowns and repairs, leading to more reliable machinery. This reliability translates to increased productivity and lower operational costs.

The solution to saving maintenance time, improving efficiency, and protecting the resale value of your tractor

Valtra offers central lubricating systems for Valtra N, T, Q, and S Series tractors. The lubrication systems by trusted partner SKF are fitted in the Unlimited Studio at Valtra’s Suolahti factory and are covered by the Valtra factory warranty.  

Why a tractor lubrication system is a worthwhile investment

Investing in Valtra’s automatic high-quality central lubrication system not only saves you time and effort but also protects the resale value of your tractor. Protect your new tractor and ask your local Valtra dealer about Valtra’s lubrication systems by SKF Lubrication today.   

Watch: Valtra Unlimited Central Lubrication System