Checking and maintaining oil levels on the mid-rollers and idlers on tracked tractors can be a tedious task, but it’s an important part of the maintenance schedule.

There’s an easier way of doing it now, though, thanks to US-made clear-view caps. These replace the existing steel caps and have a large visible area that allows oil levels to be checked easily, says James Hunt, from importer Eurotrack. They also give a guide to oil quality, with visible metallic flecks indicating possible initial signs of bearing failures.

Contract farming business JH Casswell and Son, which manages 3300 acres of mixed soil types – ranging from heavy clay to sand – near Sleaford, Lincolnshire, fitted them to their six-year-old Case-IH Quadtrac STX 375.

“We were spending too much money on replacing idler bearings and shafts,” says farm manager Tim Hall. “Within two weeks of fitting, we were able to detect an imminent bearing failure on a main idler, which we were able to rectify, thereby avoiding a collapsed bearing and damage to the shaft. We estimate that this saved us around £1000.”

A kit for an STX Quadtrac costs £430 + VAT.