How to winterize your tractor before the first hard freeze

The cheapest repair is the one you prevent, and nothing exposes a neglected tractor like the first hard freeze. A focused 90 minutes in the fall saves a lot of cursing in April. Start with fuel: top the tank to cut condensation and add a stabilizer if the machine will sit, especially with today's ethanol-blended gas in smaller units.

Coolant is the one people gamble on and regret. Test the freeze protection with a cheap refractometer rather than trusting the color of the fluid, and check hoses for soft spots while you're in there. A failed core plug or cracked block in January is a five-figure lesson.

Don't forget the unglamorous items: pull the battery or put it on a maintainer, grease every zerk, wipe down and lightly oil exposed cylinder rods, and stash the machine with a fresh coat of fuel-system fogging if it's going into long storage. Mice love a warm engine bay, so a few deterrents go a long way too.