Trailed or self propelled?! Dazed and confused!!

[Superted820]

Thanks in advance for any help or advice!
I'm a small contractor in Cornwall, spraying between 2-3000 acres a year. Mostly grassland based as I'm in a predominantly dairy farming area so docks, general weed control and desiccation.
I currently run an early 90's trailed 3000L 12/24m Tecnoma that I'm looking to update/upgrade.
However I'm pondering at the moment whether a 2nd hand self propelled should be considered. I've never had any experience of them and can often travel 10-15 miles to farms. Little corn in the immediate area but being trailed and not having rowcrops for the tractor does limit my potential market a little.
Any help much appreciated!

 

[Banana Bar]

Surely a mounted sprayer would be best in your situation?

 

[Mr Charisma]

If you look back a page or two you will find a page called trailed vs self propelled ,,,,,,,, about 40 odd pages I believe ,,,,,, will leave you very dazed and confused by the time you've gone through that I can tell you

Having had a old trailed sprayer , probably something like you are using when I changed to a self propelled it was a breath of fresh air ,,,,, if you are looking to gain some work then consider a agri buggy type of sprayer , light weight will go any where and travel quickly on the road

Edit ,,,,, and no wheel motors

 

[Jim75]

Maybe @Feldspar could offer his musings. If you're not doing anything for the next couple of days go and read the other thread mr charisma raves about

 

[Bill Turtle]

Are you on a lot of steep hilly ground? Because I don't think a basic hydrostatic self propelled would be the best for grip up or downhill on damp grassland.

 

[Superted820]

I think a mounted sprayer even with a front tank would be too small capacity. A lot of the spray volumes are 300L/ha.
When I have a spare few days I'll scroll back through!
Some of the ground can be steep with fields ranging from 2.5 - 35 acres. Part of my concern is how do wheel motors fair on possibly older self propelled machines, if I am running around the roads quite a lot. Currently have my trailed behind a 50kph vario tractor that is utilised for the rest of the year. However there are times when it would be handy to have a purpose built machine that I didn't have to unhitch/ hitch up!

 

[claas860]

Clayton 4105 / 4120 best self propelled for steep ground go anywhere basic machines

 

[Right-arm fast]

If on steep ground an agribuggy won't be the best piece of kit I don't think. It will rev it's nuts off going up hill then glide back to the bottom almost on tick over plays havoc with the rate controler as the spray pump speed range is very big. A decent self propelled would be as good an investment as any I think-steer clear off ones that have been spraying potatoes

 

[Mr Charisma]

If on steep ground an agribuggy won't be the best piece of kit I don't think. It will rev it's nuts off going up hill then glide back to the bottom almost on tick over plays havoc with the rate controler as the spray pump speed range is very big. A decent self propelled would be as good an investment as any I think-steer clear off ones that have been spraying potatoes

Fair comment on steep ground , similar to my chaviot , end up staying in 1st so you keep some revs on to keep the pump spinning

 

[Right-arm fast]

What are the multidrives like ? Would they be too big ?

 

[MDA]

Check out the Sands website for quality S/H SAM machines and speak to Clive if there is anything of interest.
http://www.samltd.co.uk/[emoji106][emoji3]

 

[Superted820]

Check out the Sands website for quality S/H SAM machines and speak to Clive if there is anything of interest.
http://www.samltd.co.uk/[emoji106][emoji3]

Have done thanks and sent emails! If imagine way out of my price range though! But thank you.

 

[An Gof]

For 2-3000 acres a mounted should be fine. I run an 1800l Amazone which is great and spray more than that just a rear tank albeit at volumes around 100 L/ha. Add a front tank if you like and you can carry 2800l which isn't far off a s/p.
There's a contractor Probus/Truro way running an Amazone and I hear he's doing well with it.
Only limitations with mounted are if you want to go liquid fert. I'm contemplating it but the weight does concern me. Will be watching a neighbour who has gone liquid using a mounted Vicon.

 

[An Gof]

@Mayflower Mark is running an Amazone and I heard he has a front tank as well. He's spraying a lot of spuds his comments and thoughts might be interesting.

 

[Banana Bar]

For 2-3000 acres a mounted should be fine. I run an 1800l Amazone which is great and spray more than that just a rear tank albeit at volumes around 100 L/ha. Add a front tank if you like and you can carry 2800l which isn't far off a s/p.
There's a contractor Probus/Truro way running an Amazone and I hear he's doing well with it.
Only limitations with mounted are if you want to go liquid fert. I'm contemplating it but the weight does concern me. Will be watching a neighbour who has gone liquid using a mounted Vicon.

Go for liquid Mike, it's a bit more expensive but accuracy to field edge and therefore headland yield makes it very attractive. I love it!

 

[An Gof]

Go for liquid Mike, it's a bit more expensive but accuracy to field edge and therefore headland yield makes it very attractive. I love it!

I know you are right, but it's the weight, cost and slower application output I am pondering.
Combine will have mapping capabilities this season so it will be interesting to see if there is a significant yield penalty on the outside 10m or so. With our small field sizes its a very significant area.
Also makes sense to utilise the auto section control on the sprayer and derive more benefit from the investment.

 

[An Gof]

Where's the o/p gone? Looks like he has deleted his post.

 

[Sebastian]

Where's the o/p gone? Looks like he has deleted his post.

Which post? I can still see his posts that I remember seeing previously.

 

[An Gof]

Odd, it's disappeared here.

 

[Lincsman]

You will have to buy rowcrops for the SP so thats not an issue.
A tractor is more versatile when not spraying and will tow a bigger load than a SP, it would take me much longer spraying if i went SP as i have to run back to the yard to fill up.