Tips for Ensuring Longer Lasting Bristles on a Tractor-Mounted Farm Road Broom

Posted on: 30 May 2019

There is no harm in using standard brooms to sweep the path leading to your small backyard garden manually. However, if you own several acres of farmland and you are an active farmer, then going manual is an inefficient way to keep your property clean. For example, it can take a few workers several hours to sweep the roads leading to and from your farm, which can hurt your overall productivity. Tractor-mounted road brooms offer farmers the much-needed reprieve in this regard. However, like any other farm machine, tractor sweepers need adequate maintenance for the brush and bristles to last long. This article highlights maintenance tips for your farm sweeper. 

Avoid Excessive Down Pressure -- Farm roads can get dirty, especially during planting and harvesting season. When sweeping, most farmers tend to press the broom onto the road because they believe that too much pressure will help to clear debris faster. While farmers might have good intentions, applying too much downward pressure spells disaster for the life of a sweeper. It is because the action creates excess friction between the bristles and the road, which in turn causes the filaments to wear fast. If your farm is excessively dirty, it is better to make several sweeps even if it will take longer than you anticipated. Taking shortcuts will only lead to damaged equipment, and this will cost you. Therefore, ensure that you apply the right downward pressure to avoid future expensive repairs or replacements. 

Use Productivity Features -- Modern road brooms are equipped with productivity features for a reason, that is, efficiency. Therefore, if you skimp on the options, then you will work extra hard to ensure that the brush lasts through the manufacturer's service life. For instance, high-end road brooms are equipped with in-cab adjustments. The cabs allow an operator to adjust parameters accurately and ensure that the broom sweeps efficiently without slowing operations down. Therefore, ensure that you learn and use each productivity feature for a more productive and damage-free cleaning experience.

Practice -- Even though you are used to operating tractors, a tractor-mounted sweeper is a different challenge altogether. Nonetheless, some farmers believe that since they have experience with tractors, then road brooms should be equally easy. Moreover, some farmers believe that since road brooms have robust bristles, they can learn as they go along. Unfortunately, this is a wrong approach, and it will only promote equipment damage even before you become an expert at using it. Therefore, take time to practice because it is the only way you will learn the right amount of downward pressure required as well as the appropriate tilt angle for specific terrain.

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