Sprayers: Mounted vs Trailed!

[Shutesy]

So it’s been at least a few weeks since we had a ‘which sprayer’ thread on here so I thought I would put some of my bank holiday evening thoughts on our sprayer situation to you all to see what ideas you all have.

Still in early thoughts stages currently but thinking of possibly changing our JD 732 trailed sprayer in the next couple of years. It’s a 2007 model, 18m booms, steering drawbar, 3200l tank, spray mainly at 150l/ha so 20ha (50 acres) a tankful so makes life easy for adding chemical quantities etc.

We farm 500 acres of arable over 31 fields ranging from 3 acres to 70 acres, average field size 16 acres, no more than 2 miles roadwork to any field, currently on 18m tramlines. We have a 3m (new) and 6m (old) drill.

First question is do we go to 21m or 24m or stay at 18m? Think you’re all going to say 24m, only chucked 21m in as its 7 multiples of 3 so easy tramlining with 3m drill but makes the 6m drill redundant so probably scrap that idea. Any reasons to stay at 18m over going to 24m? Currently at 18m with a trailed sprayer we are turning into headland tramlines before the boom is onto the headland 18m so getting odd bits of overlap or missed triangles due to the boom starting to swing round.

Main question is, do we stay trailed or go rear folding mounted with a front tank?

Fields are fairly odd shaped, trees, telegraph poles etc to deal with in some and lots of corners, i.e a lot of shunting and turning with a trailed sprayer!

Would still want similar capacity of around 3000l, autosection control will be done using Trimble Field IQ (not purchased yet), ideally want auto boom height control as well.

Currently run our trailed on 130hp tractor with only lightbar GPS on it, use 600 tyres on tractor and sprayer in summer, autumn and early spring, switch to 220 rowcrops on tractor (what we had from previous tractor) and 300s on the sprayer for late spring, early summer work. Our bigger 155hp tractor has Trimble GPS in it and is on 650 tyres. Both have front linkages.

My thoughts are that if we go for a trailed machine we don’t loose any capacity, probably a bit faster to hook on and off and can run on both tractors but would have to move sprayer and GPS boxes about.

With a mounted sprayer and front tank we would probably put it on the bigger tractor to save moving the neatly fitted GPS about if possible and it would handle the weight of a mounted sprayer better, though we could still put it on the smaller tractor if the bigger one is busy. A mounted setup would be much more maneuverable in our fields but would take us longer to drop on and off? (How long does it take those of you with mounted sprayers using quick-hitch systems?) With the front tank we would maintain our 3000l capacity and have the option of using just the sprayer with a weight block on the front links is also a possibility.

We could stay on wider tyres all year round, otherwise we would have to purchase a full-set of 300s to put on the tractor when the crops get taller.

I’m assuming that a mounted would be considerably cheaper than a trailed machine, but add in a front tank and there might not be that much price difference?

Essay complete! all opinions welcomed.

 

[Brisel]

Can you spare a tractor for the sprayer for 75% of the year? If so, a mounted might be more viable. The real pain is during the autumn when you need every tractor able to swap between land work jobs quickly. Maybe run a rear unit only to save time hitching/unhitching? Do you even need that many tractors with the DTS system?

I agree about the manoeuvring around obstacles & into corners with a trailed machine. With a mounted one you'd be more likely to change wheels too as you can really cut down on crop damage.

The switch to 24m sounds like a no brainer. It fits your drill width & most fertilisers spread just as well to 24m unless you want to buy real rubbish.

 

[fudge]

go to 140lts/ha and get a 4000lt trailed and do your biggest field in one hit.

 

[Shutesy]

Can you spare a tractor for the sprayer for 75% of the year? If so, a mounted might be more viable. The real pain is during the autumn when you need every tractor able to swap between land work jobs quickly. Maybe run a rear unit only to save time hitching/unhitching? Do you even need that many tractors with the DTS system?

I agree about the manoeuvring around obstacles & into corners with a trailed machine. With a mounted one you'd be more likely to change wheels too as you can really cut down on crop damage.

The switch to 24m sounds like a no brainer. It fits your drill width & most fertilisers spread just as well to 24m unless you want to buy real rubbish.

155hp tractor with GPS is free pretty much all the time the smaller tractor is out spraying as I either drive one or the other as its mainly just me, if the bigger tractor is busy its either the drill, or something the smaller tractor could do anyway. We have 3 tractors (3rd is 120hp) which is a bit of a luxury at times but very handy in busy times of the year and the current sprayer tractor is worth more to us in usefulness then it is worth to sell really. Had thought about going to 2 tractors but will spend even more time swapping implement about. Was hoping with the quick hitch systems many of these mounted sprayers have now it shouldn't take to long to swap things around. If we decide not to spray on 600s all year round we would need to spend another few £k on new rowcrop wheels and tyres. But a new trailed would probably need 2 sets of tyres as well. Be nice to only have to change 4 tyres rather than 6 twice a year. As you say pretty much decided on 24m I think can't see any reason not to go to that size.

go to 140lts/ha and get a 4000lt trailed and do your biggest field in one hit.

Next biggest is 50 acres which is 1 tankful, so we wouldn't gain much improving the output in 1 field, its also right next to the yard so not far to go back to fill up for the last 20 of the 70 acres.

 

[JACK F]

Personally I would go for a tractor mounted 24m sprayer. Would forget about the front tank as more hassle and cost. The few times of year when pushed just have a water tank on trailer to save on travelling time filling up. Never used a trailed but do like the manoeuvrability of mounted and less crop damage late season as can remove drawbar. Coping well on 1250 acres of arable with 1500l mounted sprayer here. Most spraying at 100l/ha where we can so 15ha loads. Autumn pre ems etc are a bit painful at 200l/ha but with water close by and 500l/min pump it is ok.

 

[Brisel]

Why use higher rates for pre ems? 100 l/ha and angled nozzles give good coverage too IMO.

 

[Shutesy]

Personally I would go for a tractor mounted 24m sprayer. Would forget about the front tank as more hassle and cost. The few times of year when pushed just have a water tank on trailer to save on travelling time filling up. Never used a trailed but do like the manoeuvrability of mounted and less crop damage late season as can remove drawbar. Coping well on 1250 acres of arable with 1500l mounted sprayer here. Most spraying at 100l/ha where we can so 15ha loads. Autumn pre ems etc are a bit painful at 200l/ha but with water close by and 500l/min pump it is ok.

I do most of my spraying at 150l/ha, could move to 100l/ha for some things I guess, also do various bits at 200l/ha for coverage and crop canopy penetration reasons hence would like to stay around 3000l capacity. Will price up front tanks when I get round to getting prices and then make a decision. If the weight is needed on the front might as well carry round water rather than just a lump of metal, front linkage makes dropping off pretty quick I would think.

 

[Brisel]

I've not had the pleasure of hitching or unhitching a front tank. Lots of pipework & electrics to do too I would imagine. Agitation lines, supply, return, breathers...

 

[Shutesy]

I've not had the pleasure of hitching or unhitching a front tank. Lots of pipework & electrics to do too I would imagine. Agitation lines, supply, return, breathers...

I will be investigating at Cereals, might put me off completely

 

[John 1594]

I've not had the pleasure of hitching or unhitching a front tank. Lots of pipework & electrics to do too I would imagine. Agitation lines, supply, return, breathers...

Amazone UF i think you leave all the pipes connected, drop tank off the front links and wheel it round on its castors to the side of the tractor before dropping rear unit off

For ease of use cant beat a trailed, ours can be off in less than a minute, 3 plugs, 4 pipes, pto and drawbar pin, and no clabering about dangerously between the tractor and sprayer to do it

 

[Chae1]

Interested why you think you need a new sprayer?

I've a 1997 build sprayer and look after over 900 acres cereals and can't justify buying another.

Do you think your crop yields will increase with auto boom height, gps auto shut off etc? Will you have spare chemicals and reduced chemical bill because you are not overlapping?

I know the old chestnut about value of material going through sprayers and fertiliser spreaders always rolled out when justifying new ones but can't see savings to be made personally.

 

[John 1594]

Interested why you think you need a new sprayer?

I've a 1997 build sprayer and look after over 900 acres cereals and can't justify buying another.

Do you think your crop yields will increase with auto boom height, gps auto shut off etc? Will you have spare chemicals and reduced chemical bill because you are not overlapping?

I know the old chestnut about value of material going through sprayers and fertiliser spreaders always rolled out when justifying new ones but can't see savings to be made personally.

Better to overhaul whats already there....wouldnt cost much to re-nozzle it, pump rebuild and re-bush the booms and linkages Basically a new sprayer for 1/10 th of the cost?

 

[Chae1]

Better to overhaul whats already there....wouldnt cost much to re-nozzle it, pump rebuild and re-bush the booms and linkages Basically a new sprayer for 1/10 th of the cost?

That's my feelings. Sprayer pretty basic bit of kit till you start adding gadgets. Pump, control box, electro hydraulic valves, section control, tank, booms, pipes, pressure guage.

I've had ours tested every year since I bought it and always passed.

 

[John 1594]

That's my feelings. Sprayer pretty basic bit of kit till you start adding gadgets. Pump, control box, electro hydraulic valves, section control, tank, booms, pipes, pressure guage.

I've had ours tested every year since I bought it and always passed.

Doesnt matter if the sprayer is worth £100k or £1k....unless those little bits of plastic where the liquid comes out are not perfect, it wont be accurate

and what do they cost, last ones i had were £1.50 each, cheapest investment you can make surely!!!!

 

[Boysground]

I have a Jd 732 about the same age as yours doing a little more arable plus maize and grass. Similar field sizes but a 20 mile journey between farms. It's the right size for me. I usually spray at 100l so my 70 ac field is 1 load. 24 m works well I wouldn't go less. I don't use row crops as some steep banks and I have slid out of the tramlines with the sprayer fairly full. I have used a 1200l mounted on the same area and I am not going back to one.

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[Brisel]

Do you think your crop yields will increase with auto boom height, gps auto shut off etc? Will you have spare chemicals and reduced chemical bill because you are not overlapping?

Yes, I do. Running a big trailed with 30m wide booms 9 metres behind the driving seat makes judging shut off points harder so it's an easier decision for me. When your operator was allowing for a 5% underdose to compensate for overlapping - with blackgrass herbicides needing to do a minmum 98% kill with the risk of resistance then every % going where it should helps a lot. I don't wish to provoke a GPS good/bad debate here as that has been well discussed elsewhere

The greater the boom width the bigger the need for driver aids. I've done thousands of acres of spraying with a 24m boom with no levelling or auto height perfectly well but 30m on undulating ground means one hand constantly on the boom levelling switch here when the auto system isn't working. It all depends on what you are prepared to pay for.

John is right in that if those nozzles aren't accurate none of it matters.

 

[Shutesy]

Interested why you think you need a new sprayer?

I've a 1997 build sprayer and look after over 900 acres cereals and can't justify buying another.

Do you think your crop yields will increase with auto boom height, gps auto shut off etc? Will you have spare chemicals and reduced chemical bill because you are not overlapping?

I know the old chestnut about value of material going through sprayers and fertiliser spreaders always rolled out when justifying new ones but can't see savings to be made personally.

Doubt boom height control will make a vast difference to yield but constant boom height above target important for drift and coverage and would make life a lot easier, GPS shutoff will be very useful for us in our odd shaped fields, more so than a bigger farm with big square/rectangular fields, im forever flicking sections on and off so plenty of potential saving and yield increase from less overlap or underlap!

Better to overhaul whats already there....wouldnt cost much to re-nozzle it, pump rebuild and re-bush the booms and linkages Basically a new sprayer for 1/10 th of the cost?

Could overhaul but would still have an 18m sprayer, need a 24m one. New sprayers have much better boom suspension systems, rinse systems, bigger pumps etc. Ours is starting to show its age, and is trailed, for us a mounted may be better?

Doesnt matter if the sprayer is worth £100k or £1k....unless those little bits of plastic where the liquid comes out are not perfect, it wont be accurate

and what do they cost, last ones i had were £1.50 each, cheapest investment you can make surely!!!!

Defy 3D's were around £4 nozzle, but agree they are pretty much the most important part.

 

[Boysground]

+1 for the nozzels. I will sometimes increase my rate to 125 l if I want some penetration into the crop. The only times I will use more is osr dessication or nettle destruction. Perhaps it is worth looking at what water rates you are using @Shutesy while you are looking at sprayers.

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[Shutesy]

+1 for the nozzels. I will sometimes increase my rate to 125 l if I want some penetration into the crop. The only times I will use more is osr dessication or nettle destruction. Perhaps it is worth looking at what water rates you are using @Shutesy while you are looking at sprayers.

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150l/ha for pretty much everything, either Defy 3Ds or Lechlar IDK's depending what im doing. 200l/ha with standard vp flat fans for OSR flowering spray and most insecticides.

 

[Darren]

@Feldspar. You're needed