3 point Sprayer options?
- Thread starter gwminND
- Start date
Bill
Administrator
I'm wanting to find one also. My current sprayer is a pull type with folding 40 foot booms. It's from the 70's so the folding and unfolding are manual. OSHA would hate that thing. It nearly takes an arm off every time I fold it back up.
It's getting harder and harder to fight with. Haven't researched it yet maybe someone has some insight.
It's getting harder and harder to fight with. Haven't researched it yet maybe someone has some insight.
j-bird
Moderator
I have a fimco 55 gallon 3 point type boom sprayer. it didn't come with a pump - I had to supply that as well. I don't recall at the moment what I got....but it wasn't cheap. Other than the pump they will all be about the same as they are just metal frames, rotomolded tanks and plastic fittings and rubber hose. I have had mine for a good 5 years or more and no issues thus far. I added a hand wand/sprayer attachment to mine as well....that's pretty handy. Mine sprays 10 or 12 feet wide - I don't recall. Having replaceable tips s nice as you can then tailor it to your machine at a safe ground speed as well. I don't know of a resource of where to do some digging......sorry.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I have the fimco 55 gal as well. The tank is fine, booms and nozzles are fine. The frame is pretty weak. After hitting a few bumps with a full tank I could see where the frame was starting to give way. I ended up having some angle iron welded to the frame to give it some more support. Other than that is has performed well for me. This year one of the lines finally sprung a leak, but that was an inexpensive fix. It uses a PTO roller pump which you buy separately so you can get whatever quality pump you can afford. Overall, I'm happy with it.
Thanks,
Jack
Thanks,
Jack
j-bird
Moderator
Like I mentioned just remember with a PTO drive type you typically have to buy your own pump as well......and good ones are not cheap. I think my pump alone was like $300+
John-W-WI
Administrator
I bought the 50 gallon (or is it 55?) Fimco last year.
What a piece of crap.
As earlier mentioned, the frame is BARELY strong enough. I've had to 'bend it back' more than once. And I didn't even know I bent it in the first place.
Now, a year later paint is coming off in sheets.
The factory nozzles are NOT no-drip. When you shut the pump off they keep leaking for a long time. I replaced every nozzle body on the entire boom. Fortunately I just robbed them from my old sprayer so it didn't cost me anything but time.
When I bought my pump apparently it was too big. The 1st time I used it the tank was empty WAY too fast. I couldn't turn it down enough. So I replaced the overflow line with a larger diameter (and and couple of fittings).
The only thing on it that I haven't had to replace or fix is the tank.
I can't say enough bad about this sprayer. For $500+ I expect a lot more. Maybe the earlier models were better but the one I bought was junk until I put time and money into it.
All in I probably have ~$750 into it. I could have built 10x the sprayer for the money. I thought I was saving time when I bought it.
-John
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
My first try was an inexpensive roller pump and I paid about $100 for it. I got about 5 years out of it. When I had to replace it I paid about $170 for a little better one . It is still running well.
GWM,
If you go this route you will also need an adapter that goes between your pump and the PTO.
John is right about the spray tips not being dripless but I haven't found the dripping to be a big problem. I didn't have any issues adjusting tank pressure but maybe that is because I got the cheap roller pump.
Thanks,
Jack
John-W-WI
Administrator
Yeah Jack - I remember looking at pumps at the local farm store. $100 vs $175 (or somewhere there about). $175 must be better right? I wish I would have bought the cheap one.
I probably should have done the math on the GPM of each nozzle to understand how much I needed. But didn't and just went with "bigger must be better"
alldaysit
5 year old buck +
I just drove past one that needs some work. 55 gallon PTO with boom. No nozzles or tubing and obviously needs some work, but he wants $85 for it. I bought a used one two years ago for $275 and love it. The 3pt is so dang nice because you can constantly control the height and spraying location, controlling accuracy. I love the boom also, I have a 12' boom. The good one I have was over $2500 new. Quality sprayers are expensive.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Fall's Legend
5 year old buck +
Same sprayer, but I replaced the boom with a boomless because the frame handles it fine.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
The problem with boomless is that you lose the precision you get with a boom sprayer. I have one of each, and they each have their applications. If I could only have one it would be a boom sprayer.
Thanks,
Jack
