Metal parts preservation from fertilizer

fordhead1983 · May 23, 2016

Couldn't find a better way to say what I needed to say in the subject, but essentially I'm looking for other people's methods of saving metal parts from the deterioration of fertilizer. I have a John Deere 290 that has fertilizer on it, and a New Holland drop spreader that is used for fertilizer. What methods do you all use to prevent fertilizer caused corrosion?

formenwhogrow · May 23, 2016

Pressure wash between EVERY use and give all parts that come in contact with fertilizer and THOROUGH dousing of used motor oil.

Lazy WP · May 23, 2016

Paint, and wash regularly.

fordhead1983 · May 23, 2016

I gave everything a thorough bath with the hand gun on a garden hose, but I can pull out the pressure washer and hit it all again. Used motor oil is no problem as we've got a couple barrels of it sitting around. I even went so far as to put the fertilizer and insecticide tubes as well as the fertilizer "spinner base" in a bucket of used motor oil.

Should I paint, or use motor oil between uses?

Dick2 · May 23, 2016

Many years ago, a lot of farmers had fertilizer attachments on their grain press drills. I stopped seeding at dark and left the drill parked near the road, with seed and fertilizer still in the boxes.

The next morning it was starting to rain, so I went and pulled the drill home, emptied all the boxes and washed the boxes. That drill sat in the same spot for several weeks; we never did get to plant any more grain that year. Those who didn't get their drill out of the field and washed out had very little left of the boxes by the time they were able to get the press drills out of the field.

Richard Hare · May 23, 2016

We always dismantled the drill and washed all the parts, scrubbing off any rusty bits, then when dry on a nice hot day, we did everything with creosote.

Used engine oil works as well, but the creosote dried off after a while and really burned up any rust!
I still have an old JD seeder with the grain box, and here in Canada I can't get the good black creosote anymore, so use the used oil.

C. Amick · May 23, 2016

Clean it good with water and scrub all the fertilizer off it as soon as possible. Coat it with a heavy coat used motor oil using a paint brush. I still use my dad's 1949 fertilizer hopper on the Farmall Cub corn planter.

4020 electrician · May 23, 2016

We power wash down and put diesel fuel and used oil in a garden sprayer and dowse it before we put it away.

Paul swpa · May 23, 2016

We clean things up good with garden hose, let dry completely, oil with used hydraulic oil. Started using hydraulic oil after another guy told us about using used transmission oil - neither one will eat on rubber hoses/components. Since switching from motor oil, haven't went through any seed or fertilizer hoses.

Richard G. · May 24, 2016

That is why I made my hopper out of stainless. I still wash it to get it totally clean.
Richard in NW SC

alliscombines · May 24, 2016

Wash everything with water and coat it with transmission oil.

Hotflashjr · May 24, 2016

Some will hate me for this but I use Amsoil Metal Protector (MP) after each use and a good cleaning. Not as cheap as the other methods which work but it dries to a film that does not fling off, drip onto the floor, or collect dust. I have also found it still on the spreader after use and a wash down which tells me it is doing its intended job better than oil/diesel/hydro which are all washed off and down the drain or attached to what you spread on your fields.

Leroy · May 25, 2016

Never heard of that, what is it and where do you buy it?

Hotflashjr · May 25, 2016

You have to find an Amsoil dealer or buy it online.
Amsoil MP

Metal parts preservation from fertilizer

fordhead1983

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formenwhogrow

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Lazy WP

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fordhead1983

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Dick2

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Richard Hare

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C. Amick

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4020 electrician

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Paul swpa

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Richard G.

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alliscombines

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Hotflashjr

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Leroy

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Hotflashjr

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