Your Cold-Weather Equipment Checklist: What to Inspect Before Temperatures Drop
When temperatures start dipping in West Texas, your equipment begins working a little harder behind the scenes. Even without a hard freeze, cold mornings and big temperature swings can affect everything from your fluids to your battery performance. The good news? A little preparation goes a long way toward preventing downtime, extending equipment life, and keeping your tractor, skid steer, excavator, RTV, or zero-turn running like it should.
Here’s your complete cold-weather equipment checklist—what to inspect before temperatures drop.
1. Check Your Battery Health
Cold weather reduces battery capacity, making it harder for engines to crank.
What to inspect:
- Corrosion on terminals
- Secure cable connections
- Battery age (3+ years struggles more in the cold)
- Slow or labored starts
Kaige Tip:
Have our service techs test your battery before the season changes. A weak battery will be the first thing to fail when temperatures drop.
2. Inspect and Top Off All Fluids
Cold temperatures thicken fluids, slow down hydraulics, and make engines work harder.
Check these levels:
- Engine oil
- Hydraulic fluid
- Coolant/antifreeze mixture
- Transmission fluid
Why it matters:
Old, contaminated, or low fluids cause:
- sluggish operation
- delayed hydraulic response
- overheating
- premature wear and tear
Kaige Tip:
Use Kubota OEM fluids—they’re designed to handle cold starts better than lower-grade alternatives.
3. Make Sure Your Coolant Mix Is Correct
Your coolant does more than prevent freezing — it regulates engine temperature in all climates.
What to do:
- Check coolant strength and mixture
- Inspect hoses for soft spots, cracks, or leaks
- Look for signs of rust or contamination in the reservoir
Even in mild West Texas winters, improper coolant mix can lead to overheating, corrosion, or cooling system failure.
4. Look Over Fuel Systems & Add Treatment if Needed
Diesel equipment is especially sensitive to temperature changes.
Inspect:
- Fuel filters for dirt or water
- Water separators
- Signs of fuel gelling in colder mornings
Kaige Tip:
Add a winter diesel fuel treatment to help protect your engine and prevent gelling — even if temps don’t drop below zero.
5. Inspect Your Air Filters
Cold, dry air in winter increases dust and debris, especially in West Texas.
Check:
- Air filter cleanliness
- Intake area for debris
- Pre-cleaners on larger equipment
A clogged air filter causes reduced power, smoky startups, and unnecessary engine strain.
6. Examine Tires or Tracks
Cold weather reduces tire pressure and tightens rubber compounds in both tires and tracks.
For tires:
- Check PSI (it drops when temps drop)
- Inspect for cracks or wear
- Verify lug nuts are torqued properly
For tracks:
- Look for tension issues
- Inspect for cuts or missing lugs
- Remove built-up debris that hardens in cold
Proper tire and track care supports traction, stability, and overall performance.
7. Grease and Lubricate All Moving Points
Cold weather thickens grease, causing pivots, joints, and bearings to work harder.
Inspect:
- Loader pivot points
- 3-point hitches
- Bucket pins
- Steering linkages
- PTO components
Lubrication is one of the most important steps in cold-weather preparation — and one of the easiest to forget.
8. Check Your Battery Block Heater or Glow Plugs (If Equipped)
Kubota diesel engines are built for reliable cold starts, but supporting components should still be checked.
What to inspect:
- Glow plug function
- Block heater cords
- Electrical connectors
If your machine takes several extra seconds to start on cold mornings, it may be time for a glow plug inspection.
9. Inspect Belts, Hoses, and Rubber Components
Cold air hardens rubber and exposes weaknesses.
Look for:
- Cracks
- Brittle spots
- Soft or bulging areas
- Leaks
- Squealing belts
A single worn belt can turn into downtime quickly when temperatures fluctuate.
10. Store Your Equipment Properly
Cold, wind, dust, and sudden temperature drops all take a toll on machinery.
Best practices:
- Store equipment under cover when possible
- Keep attachments off the ground
- Disconnect or trickle-charge batteries for long periods of non-use
- Run equipment periodically to circulate fluids
Proper storage alone can prevent many winter service calls.
