Fuel prices are skyrocketing, so fuel efficiency in everything you drive on the farm — including tractors — is of great concern when it comes to your bottom line.
We asked Roger Hoy, University of Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory director, about ways to improve fuel efficiency and fuel savings in tractor operations.
“A recommendation for all equipment is to make sure all is in good repair, no leaks, clean filters and clean oil, for instance,” Hoy says. “Follow the directions in the operator’s manual for proper service intervals and operation.”
Beyond those basic recommendations, Hoy dug a little deeper into tractor fuel efficiency. Here are three tips:
1. Match the tractor to the job. “Many farming operations have several tractors on-site,” Hoy says. “For a particular operation, the least fuel will be consumed generally when a smaller tractor works harder than a larger tractor that is not having to work hard. Nebraska Tractor Test reports can be helpful to predict fuel usage for tested tractors and allow for comparisons between tractors to be made.”
Those reports are found for free online at tractortestlab.unl.edu.
2. Shift up a gear and reduce throttle.