Before you know it, it will be time to start rolling your equipment out to the field again. In an effort to better help you prepare for your busiest time of the year, the Vermeer service department put together a pre-season checklist. Take a look at this advice to set your operation up for success this season.

Organize and Clean Your Shop

An organized and clean shop increases productivity – avoid wasting valuable minutes finding tools by labeling everything and designating specific areas for items that are used again and again. An organized shop can also prevent injury – avoiding lost time during the season when you’re busiest.

Watch for Pre-season Specials

Do you have supplies such as netwrap on hand? Planning ahead and being prepared for the season before it hits will help you out immensely. Not to mention, dealers often run pre-season specials. Beating the rush of the season and saving some money in the process isn’t a bad deal.

Watch and Learn

Schedule a time to have your dealer come out to the field prior to scheduling an appointment in his service shop. By watching the forage equipment work, your dealer can help better tackle issues like bale appearance and offer suggestions on how different operating adjustments as well as operating techniques can help improve performance.

Familiarize Yourself

Take the time to browse the operator’s and maintenance manuals for each machine you plan to use. For the less experienced operator, a lot of knowledge can be gained by reviewing these manuals, while more experienced operators can do a knowledge brush-up before the season really hits.

Schedule a Tune-up

Machinery needs maintenance. It’s as simple as that. Just like your teeth need a visit to the dentist and your back needs to visit the chiropractor, your equipment needs to visit the dealership, too. Every now and again it’s good to schedule a tune-up, and what better time to do that than before the hay season kicks into full gear?

Your Vermeer dealer is there to serve you.

When calling in with a potential issue, make sure to have the following information handy. Doing so will help your dealer be able to help you much quicker.

• Model
• VIN Number
• Number of Acres/Bales
• Description of Issue
• Course of Actions to Date

MyVermeer.com is also available with personalized information on your equipment. Whether you’re in the office or on-the-go, MyVermeer gives you the ability to:

• Access equipment manuals online: operator’s, parts and maintenance (* Depending on age of machine, manuals may not be available online.)
• View, print and save copies of manuals
• Request a free printed copy of your manuals, shipped directly to you
• Get the latest updates on your equipment

Don’t wait until you’re out in the field to say, “Man, I wish I had fixed that on a rainy day.” Check off each of these items as you prepare your equipment for another successful hay season.

Download checklist