Tell me about sprayer front tanks…

Selectamatic · Jun 2, 2022

Evening all…

I’m very much kicking the idea around in my head of a front tank for my spraying tractor…

Now, as some of you know, I’m a little tractor man, no 200hp here!!

My reasoning is, it would give me an extra 4 acres ish per tank, which is a big help when travelling back and too. I’ve got a bit of weight on the front end, so I may as well use the water as weight… yes?

I know little about them, does someone feel like educating me…? What’s good, bad and ugly about them?

Thanks everyone!

Chae1 · Jun 2, 2022

I like mine. Downsides is reduced visibility. With my sprayer you have to do 2 seperate mixes. Some you don't.

Get 65 acres a fill @ 150l/ha

Nice long runs today. Over a ha per run

Lincsman · Jun 2, 2022

From what i was told by an owner you have to load 2 tanks, not treat it as one as it wont mix properly.

Two Tone · Jun 2, 2022

Selectamatic said:
Evening all…

I’m very much kicking the idea around in my head of a front tank for my spraying tractor…

Now, as some of you know, I’m a little tractor man, no 200hp here!!

My reasoning is, it would give me an extra 4 acres ish per tank, which is a big help when travelling back and too. I’ve got a bit of weight on the front end, so I may as well use the water as weight… yes?

I know little about them, does someone feel like educating me…? What’s good, bad and ugly about them?

Thanks everyone!

What size tractor are you talking about?
You can mount it on a weight frame using a couple of struts to stop it wanting to fall forward.
You need a hydraulically driven pump to transfer from front to back. And ideally, an electronic valve, so that you can use the pump to agitate the contents of the tank.

Here is mine. The tank came from Landquip. The valve and pump from John Rhodes. I built the rest.

Two Tone · Jun 2, 2022

PS, I don’t actually need it anymore and am open to offers if anybody is interested.
It comes with a frame with 4 jacked “dolly” wheels to lift it on and off the weight frame.

Chae1 · Jun 2, 2022

Two Tone said:
What size tractor are you talking about?
You can mount it on a weight frame using a couple of struts to stop it wanting to fall forward.
You need a hydraulically driven pump to transfer from front to back. And ideally, an electronic valve, so that you can use the pump to agitate the contents of the tank.

Here is mine. The tank came from Landquip. The valve and pump from John Rhodes. I built the rest.
View attachment 1040237
View attachment 1040238
View attachment 1040239
View attachment 1040240

What size are your flotations? Could do with a set like that. Mine are too low.

David. · Jun 2, 2022

I had a 550L Allman tank mounted on brackets I made to fit in place of the weight carrier on a 2wd Ford 6600, and a 1000L rear tank when we were 12m tramlines.
It was very simple, the rear sprayer pump had a through pto shaft, and I piggy backed an old RV25 pump onto this to agitate the front tank, and to pump the liquid back to the rear tank when required. Controlled by a 3way valve.
I would mix 500L of solution and blow it into the front tank with the main 6cyl pump, through a second 3way valve in the sprayer circuit, then finally mix the 1000L rear tank full.
It worked well, but when I went to 21m I found that spraying was so much quicker anyway, and with some in field filling capability, it was not worth messing with the front tank anymore. The front projection when pulling out onto the road is not to be ignored.
It cost very little because the 500L tank and RV pump were here already, so basically some hose, 2 x 3way manual valves, and some steel plate and welder time.

balerman · Jun 2, 2022

Got a 500litre sprayer tank here for little money if any one wants it.

Selectamatic · Jun 2, 2022

Interesting stuff lads, thank you.

60hp tractor, with a 800 litre tank on the back, weight on the front of the tractor, so why not make use of the weight. Go from 10 acres to 14 where conditions allow.

I have a suction line of the sprayer, to pull from a IBC or similar, I could connect that to the front tank and pull it through into the rear…?

As I said, just kicking the idea about…

Two Tone · Jun 2, 2022

Chae1 said:
What size are your flotations? Could do with a set like that. Mine are too low.

They are Alliance 331, 800/45-30.5

I replaced the tyres 2 years ago and only used them once since. (They have doubled in price since!!)
I don’t need them any more if you are interested .

Sorry about photos. Just took them in the dark with my iPhone and flash light.

Chae1 · Jun 2, 2022

Two Tone said:
They are Alliance 331, 800/45-30.5
View attachment 1040246
View attachment 1040247

I replaced the tyres 2 years ago and only used them once since. (They have doubled in price since!!)
I don’t need them any more if you are interested .

Thanks. I will have a look at mine in the morning and see what height they are.

Do you have 4?

chickens and wheat · Jun 2, 2022

Run a pipe from underside of front tank to a T just before pump suction side. Front will gravity empty with some pump suction assistance.

Two Tone · Jun 2, 2022

Chae1 said:
Thanks. I will have a look at mine in the morning and see what height they are.

Do you have 4?

No, just 2. I never put any on the front.

Why not use you existing ones on the front and put these on the back?
The Diameter is near enough the same as the normal Fastrac wheels. I don’t alter the wheel radius settings on the Landquip control box, when I used them.

Chae1 · Jun 2, 2022

Two Tone said:
No, just 2. I never put any on the front.

Why not use you existing ones on the front and put these on the back?
The Diameter is near enough the same as the normal Fastrac wheels. I don’t alter the wheel radius settings on the Landquip control box, when I used them.

Think it would wind up diff with different circumference tyres?

Front tank only holds 100l less than back so similar weights apart from booms.

Oldmacdonald · Jun 2, 2022

Chae1 said:
I like mine. Downsides is reduced visibility. With my sprayer you have to do 2 seperate mixes. Some you don't.

Get 65 acres a fill @ 150l/ha

Nice long runs today. Over a ha per run

View attachment 1040232 View attachment 1040235

Looks smart, but weird seeing a sprayer on a fastrac that isnt a demount!

Two Tone · Jun 2, 2022

Chae1 said:
Think it would wind up diff with different circumference tyres?

Front tank only holds 100l less than back so similar weights apart from booms.

I’ll check the diameter of them and the normal wheels in the morning if that helps.
I’d have thought that if they are not too different, the (centre) diff would cope.

Edit:
There is no centre diff. Which IMO there should always have been one, like LR do.
It would be so much better than a 4WD clutch, to have a permanent 4WD using a central diff, that could be locked if required.
Sometimes, pulling away at a road junction on a steep hill, with an empty grain trailer, can be a problem unless you put the Fastrac in 4WD. Which would have been avoided with a central diff instead of a clutch, therefore the tractor being in permanent 4WD.

Chae1 · Jun 2, 2022

Oldmacdonald said:
Looks smart, but weird seeing a sprayer on a fastrac that isnt a demount!

I had a demount before. I bought the mounted cause it should have better resale value as not a 1 brand of tractor sprayer. Also if the tractors broken down for any amount of time can change sprayer onto another tractor.

Its nice being able to see out of back window.

Oldmacdonald · Jun 2, 2022

Chae1 said:
I had a demount before. I bought the mounted cause it should have better resale value as not a 1 brand of tractor sprayer. Also if the tractors broken down for any amount of time can change sprayer onto another tractor.

Its nice being able to see out of back window.

How do you like the landquip?

I sometimes dream about putting a modern landquip spraypack onto my old sp.

Two Tone · Jun 2, 2022

Oldmacdonald said:
How do you like the landquip?

I sometimes dream about putting a modern landquip spraypack onto my old sp.

My Landquip is 26 years old and still going strong!
Landquip are well used to putting their stuff on older SP’s that the sprayer itself has worn out.

IIRC, @Chae1 kept his old Demount and might not have sold it yet. If so, it really wouldn’t be difficult to put on your SP

Shutesy · Jun 2, 2022

Selectamatic said:
Interesting stuff lads, thank you.

60hp tractor, with a 800 litre tank on the back, weight on the front of the tractor, so why not make use of the weight. Go from 10 acres to 14 where conditions allow.

I have a suction line of the sprayer, to pull from a IBC or similar, I could connect that to the front tank and pull it through into the rear…?

As I said, just kicking the idea about…

Alternative view, drop your water rate from 200l/ha to 100l/ha or somewhere between and instant output gain for v little hassle?

Tell me about sprayer front tanks…

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