Spreader choice is wider than ever
Spreader choice is wider than ever
LIme, lime, and yet more lime. Peter Hill continues his round-up of new equipment on display at the National Spreading Demo
FARMERS wanting to replace the familiar Taskers and Atkinson trailer fertiliser spreaders have a bigger choice now that spreader specialists Land Drive and Transpread have joined Shelbourne Reynolds Engineering in making small units of this type.
"Theres still a steady demand for trailer fertiliser spreaders, especially from grassland farmers," says John Mowbray. "They can be hitched up quickly, dont need a big tractor and spread a decent load over an additional pair of wheels."
His Transpread 830 range includes the 2000-litre capacity Model T2.5 which uses a combination of spinning discs and fixed "trim vanes" to achieve even application of different materials across widths up to 30m (98ft).
Features include a cleated feed belt to ensure positive delivery of materials to the spinners, a tachometer to monitor speed of the hydraulic-drive discs, and an optional microprocessor control unit to regulate output according to forward speed. Prices start at £5500.
Land Drive, best known for its powered axle lime spreaders, says its Farmspread model incorporates design ideas from the contractor machines.
It has land wheel friction drive (via a two-speed gearbox) to the conveyor so that delivery rate can be maintained regardless of changes in forward speed, and two spinning discs powered by hydraulic motors.
Struck capacity is 2.5cu m (3.25cu yd) in a steel monocoque body assembled using stainless steel nuts and bolts – the same non-corrosive material is also used for the discs and feed chutes.
For the contractor spreaders, meanwhile, Land Drive has devised a method of interrupting drive to the conveyor without disengaging the powered axle.
Land Drive powered axle spreaders now have a choice of friction wheel or pto/shaft drive to the hopper conveyor; the latter can be disengaged without interrupting drive to the axle. Machine prices start at £7250.