Tow Behind Spreader

[Tree Spud]

Is there an advantage of a tow behind over a 3 pt spreader?

bill

Yes ... On a 3 pt it follows your tractor no matter the terrain. There are options for remote opening, adjusting speed, volume of spreading, open/close, etc.

On a tow behind ... you have to open the spreader mechanism and they jump to your atv/tractor/etc and start driving. No control over spreading amount as controlled by drive wheels and how fast you drive. They can tip if you have uneven terrain.

Either one can work well ... just depends on your situation.

 

[Victor Van Meter]

Jack ... we know you like complexity ... real simple ... he has 2 .... maybe 3 acres to cover ... put your square rule & geometric conversion charts away.

Quite honestly ... for 2-3 acres I can't believe he isn't hand seeding all of it. I only recently added my ATV mount FIMCO after hand seeding 7-10 acres every year.

I am hand seeding it, it is lime and fertilizer that I would like to simplify spreading.

The reason I am not going 3 point is because I believe that would be overkill for what I would need. Also, the cost. Purchasing this land doesn't leave me a lot of play money to buy implements.

VV

 

[yoderjac]

Jack ... we know you like complexity ... real simple ... he has 2 .... maybe 3 acres to cover ... put your square rule & geometric conversion charts away.

Quite honestly ... for 2-3 acres I can't believe he isn't hand seeding all of it. I only recently added my ATV mount FIMCO after hand seeding 7-10 acres every year.

Maybe I wasn't clear. He said he is pulling it with a Kubota B7100. It is no more complex to use a 3pt verses towbehind. I find a towbehind much more problematic when maneuvering on small plots. If he said he was using an ATV or UTV I would have had a different answer. Honestly, for 3 acres, my chest mount solo is great. It has very fine control and walking is great exercise. When I'm time constrained and planting 10 acres, my 3pt broadcast spreader is great.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Yes ... On a 3 pt it follows your tractor no matter the terrain. There are options for remote opening, adjusting speed, volume of spreading, open/close, etc.

On a tow behind ... you have to open the spreader mechanism and they jump to your atv/tractor/etc and start driving. No control over spreading amount as controlled by drive wheels and how fast you drive. They can tip if you have uneven terrain.

Either one can work well ... just depends on your situation.

I used one if the inexpensive towbehind intended for a garden tractor years ago. I will say that it did not hold up well. Clean it very well after each use, especially with fertilizer. The metal plates on mine corroded quickly and it became unusable. It did not last long. I ended up messing with it so much it did not really save me any time over a chestmount.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Victor Van Meter]

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like maybe to keep the cost down and to eliminate the frustration of using a cheap tow behind, I will just use a chest mount or over-the-shoulder bag spreader.

VV

 

[yoderjac]

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like maybe to keep the cost down and to eliminate the frustration of using a cheap tow behind, I will just use a chest mount or over-the-shoulder bag spreader.

VV

Hard to beat the Solo for that. I'll never use a bag again after using the Solo. There are several thread on here regarding that.

Thanks,

jack

 

[DIY]

Hard to beat the Solo for that. I'll never use a bag again after using the Solo. There are several thread on here regarding that.

Thanks,

jack

I have the Earthway bag and the Solo. I agree the Solo is better in all ways except for one - seeding pure oats. The Earthway bag spreader will sling oats like a champ. The Solo will make you curse the process. The gate opening just isn’t big enough to accommodate more than a few oats at a time. I get my oats spread with the Earthway bag seeder and everything else runs through the Solo.

 

[DIY]

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like maybe to keep the cost down and to eliminate the frustration of using a cheap tow behind, I will just use a chest mount or over-the-shoulder bag spreader.

VV

That will give you a good workout for sure.

I use an Earthway push behind for some of my small plots. Works well with fertilizer, lime and large seed. The one I got wasn’t cheap (almost $200), but it’s very well built with good tires and an excellent gate adjustment mechanism for flow control. It will hold two 50 lb bags of fertilizer or lime.

I just bought a Swisher ATV spreader to try next year. It’s built like a tank all around. I’m looking forward to seeing how well it works.

Commercial Pro 15 Gal. ATV Spreader

https://www.homedepot.com/p/206585844

 

[TreeDaddy]

Hard to beat the Solo for that. I'll never use a bag again after using the Solo. There are several thread on here regarding that.

Thanks,

jack

I went through several bag spreaders prior to solo

Im sold on the product and the company

bill

 

[yoderjac]

I have the Earthway bag and the Solo. I agree the Solo is better in all ways except for one - seeding pure oats. The Earthway bag spreader will sling oats like a champ. The Solo will make you curse the process. The gate opening just isn’t big enough to accommodate more than a few oats at a time. I get my oats spread with the Earthway bag seeder and everything else runs through the Solo.

Yes, spreading anything with a chest mount spreader that is a larger seed at seeding rates of 60 to 100 lbs/ac is a challenge that requires multiple fill-ups. For a couple acres it is OK, but a lot of work.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[nitro27]

https://stcloud.craigslist.org/grd/d/cosmopt-seeder-spreader/6749526414.html

Not sure if it's available, but a good spreader - not a tow behind.

 

[Victor Van Meter]

I went through several bag spreaders prior to solo

Im sold on the product and the company

bill

Pretty sure a Solo spreader will be under the tree come Christmas morning!

VV