Buying a high hr self propelled sprayer?

[benny6910]

What are people’s thoughts on buying a 6-7000 hr self propelled sprayer? Budget won’t allow me to buy something 3000hr area so am I asking for trouble. I currently run a 3000l trailed sprayer but it can be a heavy setup on my strong land and the tramlines can get quite deep. Road speed will have to be a compromise as I can travel at 50k safely when empty with my current set up.

 

[Michael3112]

If our knight SP with 6000hrs on it is anything to go by you are very keen its been a knightmare was last 1000-1500hrs. We are going back to a trailed one over the SP

 

[benny6910]

If our knight SP with 6000hrs on it is anything to go by you are very keen its been a knightmare was last 1000-1500hrs. We are going back to a trailed one over the SP

Thanks, to be honest I’m only really looking at househam, bateman or a sands I’ve heard a few bad things about Knight self propelled

 

[Michael3112]

Thanks, to be honest I’m only really looking at househam, bateman or a sands I’ve heard a few bad things about Knight self propelled

Would a front an back tank on a tractor be an option?

 

[chaffcutter]

There are lots of very high hour Batemans about, and their backup direct from the factory is excellent.

 

[Lowland1]

It really depends on what money you want to spend we started with a 7000 hour Househam Sprint which has now got 12000 hours we have had a couple of pumps redone the axles and one wheel motor seals. We then moved to a 4800 hour air ride which Househams went through in their factory this has now got 8000 hours and has been more trouble as it has more electrics but still has been fairly reliable. We now have bought a year old Spirit which we hope is a bit more simple. I honestly think you can buy a 6000+ hour and put a 1000 hours a year on without problems. We have bought Househam cos they are good to deal with though other makes are available

 

[benny6910]

Would a front an back tank on a tractor be an option?

Not really as I only run one main tractor for all arable operations I only get a big tractor and man for heavy cultivation work. Taking front tanks on and off would be frustrating I think.

 

[teslacoils]

My 418 absolutely no problem. They arent hugely complex. I expect zooming them about at 50k on the road would not help.

 

[benny6910]

There are lots of very high hour Batemans about, and their backup direct from the factory is excellent.

Yes a contractor local to me runs a bateman and he says the same about service backup. There is a local ex househam man with a van in our area so I think that is a plus point.
Is section control reliable or if it’s trouble can you just turn it off and not use it

 

[JoshM]

We bought a Bateman with approx 6500hrs now on roughly 7500hr and have no regrets. Had the odd issue but Bateman are very good with their service and apart from once have always been able to fix it ourselves.

The machine was bought from a local contractor, while it had done some work it was well cared for and has been a massive step forward in our farming operation. Maybe we were lucky but if you buy the right machine/make I'd say its not a bad bet.

 

[Will 1594]

Just buy a classic jd 6910 or similar and leave it on sprayer no hassle and will not lose any cash

 

[benny6910]

Just buy a classic jd 6910 or similar and leave it on sprayer no hassle and will not lose any cash

A nice bateman may become a classic if everyone buys new trailed sprayers.

 

[traineefarmer]

Thanks, to be honest I’m only really looking at househam, bateman or a sands

You can't really go wrong with those three. Bateman would get my vote as an owner and I will happily verify the excellent service back-up you get from the factory even on a 27 year old 11500 hr machine!

Sands and Househam are good machines too and offer similar levels of service.

As for the age and hours on the machine, it will all be down to condition how it has been looked after and what you can afford. Spraylines, controls, valves and pumps are mostly simple and cheap to replace. Wheel motors are not and can fail without warning. Whatever your budget is, keep a bit in reserve for near future repairs and give the machine a full fluids and filters service after purchase no matter what the seller says about it's history.

 

[cloneylogan]

You can't really go wrong with those three. Bateman would get my vote as an owner and I will happily verify the excellent service back-up you get from the factory even on a 27 year old 11500 hr machine!

Sands and Househam are good machines too and offer similar levels of service.

As for the age and hours on the machine, it will all be down to condition how it has been looked after and what you can afford. Spraylines, controls, valves and pumps are mostly simple and cheap to replace. Wheel motors are not and can fail without warning. Whatever your budget is, keep a bit in reserve for near future repairs and give the machine a full fluids and filters service after purchase no matter what the seller says about it's

 

[cloneylogan]

We went from SP to a demount on a fastrac plus front tank. Sprayer easy to remove and gives us light tractor for top work. Would never go back to SP

 

[ORRA LOON]

I am currently spraying carrots with an 2006 Bateman and it hit 10,000 hrs when I was spraying on Friday, it’s been very little trouble for the owner despite towing a bowser everywhere all its days. Unfortunately it’s up for sale soon as the new 1 arrived not long ago.

 

[benny6910]

We went from SP to a demount on a fastrac plus front tank. Sprayer easy to remove and gives us light tractor for top work. Would never go back to SP

I had thought about that idea, I had a 4220 on demo a couple of years ago but I wasn’t that impressed with it as a tractor really. How can you get 3000l of water in a front and back setup?

 

[quattro]

2000 rear 1000or 1500 front if you wanted

 

[Phil P]

I’ve got just over 9000h on my Bateman, and generally it’s very reliable to run. I did give it a good overhaul about 18 months ago replacing all the boom pins and bushes and virtually all the trackrod ends (there’s a lot!). Fortunately I’m fairly handy on the spanner’s, but when there’s a technical issue I can’t speak highly enough of Bateman for the support. I had a stuck valve a while back, rang them up and spoke to the guy who built the machine (sign of a good company is staff retention) explained the symptoms and he pointed me straight to the problem so I was up and running within the hour.

One thing to remember with a self propelled is your not only running a sprayer it’s a tractor as well, so expect higher running costs than a trailed sprayer.
I wouldn’t have a trailed/mounted now though, however I don’t do a lot of road miles.

 

[Robert K]

Look at Househam sprayers as they do excellent refurbs at the factory