This pre-planting checklist will help make sure that you’re ready to plant. It can help you to avoid issues since it highlights some problem areas that we've seen in the past. Follow these simple tips to make sure you have a safe and uninterrupted planting season.
- Locate your operator’s manuals and consult them for all operational and maintenance information.
- Review all highway transportation and safety items in your operator’s manual.
- Check that your tractor is properly configured for your planter—tread settings, tire inflation, hitch settings, and ballast.
- Verify that your tractor maintenance is current and that all filters and fluids have been checked.
- Check tractor warning and field lights, HVAC, radar, and GPS component for proper operation.
- Connect planter electrical harness to tractor and check planter turn signals and flashing warning lights.
- Verify planter has a SMV sign and that it is in good repair.
- Check planter wheel lug bolts for torque and tires for proper inflation.
- Check your seed meters for brush condition and proper meter to housing clearances.
- Connect hydraulic hoses to tractor and check hose routing for proper slack and any unwanted pinching or rubbing.
- Operate all fold, unfold, raise, and lower functions. Verify operation and check for leaks.
- Operate markers raise, lower and alternating functions in auto and manual positions. Verify marker length and cable adjustments.
- Connect vacuum and CCS motor hoses, verify return circuit hose connection to motor return fitting, operate motors and check for leakage and proper operation. (Make sure to use the “float” valve position to stop motors.)
- If your planter is equipped with IRHD (individual row hydraulic downforce) purge and flush the system.
- Check seed and fertilizer drive clutches, sprockets, chains, idlers, counter shaft drive couplers, and row drive couplers for proper alignment and unusual wear.
- Check seed and fertilizer transmissions for proper sprocket combinations for desired seeding and fertilization rates.
- Check seed and fertilizer transmission drive tire inflation and engagement point.
- Fill liquid fertilizer system with water and check for operation and leakage then drain water.
- Check Tru-Vee™ blades for a minimum diameter of 14 inches and a blade to blade contact area of 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Adjust as necessary.
- Check that gauge wheel tires just touch blades, and still turn with minimal resistance, or are no more than 1.5 mm (0.06 in.) away from blades at closest point. Adjust as necessary.
- Check that the seed tubes are centered (not contacting blades) and seed tube guards can “self-center.”
- Check and adjust seed depth, row unit down pressure, closing wheel pressure, and row unit attachments for anticipated field conditions, and verify all units are set identical as a starting point.
- Check all monitor and precision software and update as required.
- Verify monitor setup for number of rows, row width, planter width, radar calibration, vacuum sensors, down force sensors, fertilizer sensors, ride dynamic sensor, pneumatic down force sensors as equipped on your planter.
- Lubricate all chains and lubrication fittings; ensure lubrication fittings take grease.
- Verify you have extra shear pins for seed drives, fertilizer drives, and markers.
- Check to be sure you have an adequate supply of graphite or talc for seed units.
- If possible take planter to test area and check seed drop and spacing by tying up closing wheels. Verify spacing is correct for anticipated plant population. Be sure to warm hydraulic oil and fill seed disks prior to setting vacuum levels.
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