Trailed vs Self Propelled Sprayer

[Spud]

I have a sore back and lower tyre pressures make a big difference to the ride on the tractor. No point having wider wheels on the tractor and skinnies on the sprayer. With an 8000l sprayer, you just cannot put that narrow tyres on if you want to run down the road at a sensible speed. Some years if you go wide to start with you damage that width of crop so that it never really recovered even if you switch to narrow wheels (which we do now). You just end up with stunted plants that put a lot of green in the sample at harvest time.

I agree, to a point - I didn't realise your sprayer was quite so big tbh!

We have a MF3075 tractor - weighs just over 4t. Spends half its life on Michelin XM108 tyres of 540/85r34 size (iirc) - the other half on cheapy cheap 13.6r38/11.2r28. The ride on the 108's at 15psi is utterly atrocious - the thing tries throwing you out of the seat over about 18mph - on the narrows the ride is fine all the way to flat out. Odd, but true.

On bigger sprayers and in non rowcrops (ie combinable farms) I'd suggest a 460 or 520 of rowcrop type (ie tapered sidewalls to deflect crop) to be a good choice for most of the year, with 650/710 for winter.

Narrower tyres on the front of my sprayer tractor allows a degree of crabbing on sideslopes without running on crop, the narrower sprayer wheels similar - something I missed in the season I ran a sp on 14.9r28 all round.

 

[Feldspar]

I agree, to a point - I didn't realise your sprayer was quite so big tbh!

We have a MF3075 tractor - weighs just over 4t. Spends half its life on Michelin XM108 tyres of 540/85r34 size (iirc) - the other half on cheapy cheap 13.6r38/11.2r28. The ride on the 108's at 15psi is utterly atrocious - the thing tries throwing you out of the seat over about 18mph - on the narrows the ride is fine all the way to flat out. Odd, but true.

On bigger sprayers and in non rowcrops (ie combinable farms) I'd suggest a 460 or 520 of rowcrop type (ie tapered sidewalls to deflect crop) to be a good choice for most of the year, with 650/710 for winter.

Narrower tyres on the front of my sprayer tractor allows a degree of crabbing on sideslopes without running on crop, the narrower sprayer wheels similar - something I missed in the season I ran a sp on 14.9r28 all round.

Our sprayer isn't that big, just the one I was thinking of getting is. So big in fact that I am not sure with a tractor on the front it will even fit in our spray store!

 

[Feldspar]

I am getting conflicting advice from different quarters. What is the law on maximum permitted towbar loads on the road and at what speed? Some is saying the maximum load is 2t for an automatic hitch or 3.5t for a ladder / Continental hitch mounted above the PTO. Horsch sprayers seem to have a drawbar load of 4t at the top end. I am confused.

 

[Brisel]

The maximum load should be stated on your hitch.

 

[Tom H]

Big Horsch trailed sprayers, full of liquid fertiliser. Will apply too much weight for a auto hitch. I also think this is the case with ladder. A PUH is only supposedly rated at 3.5t. In really life most trailers and trailed appliances apply more.

 

[Feldspar]

Big Horsch trailed sprayers, full of liquid fertiliser. Will apply too much weight for a auto hitch. I also think this is the case with ladder. A PUH is only supposedly rated at 3.5t. In really life most trailers and trailed appliances apply more.

What type of hitch do you use? K80 ball hitch on lower pick-up hitch?

 

[l'ordinary bonville]

I'm on 580R46 sprayer wheels on a GS6 behind a Fendt 820 shortly to become a 724 on 710s.
Would't try to go less on the sprayer as 6000 litres liquid fert down the road at 50kmh is too much for anything less. I generally keep tyre pressure relatively high also for stability. And it's staying in the tramlines anyway. As said somewhere the wider tyre maintains a better wheeling with less ruts.
I will put row crop 460R46 on tractor next week but leave sprayer as it is

 

[Tom H]

What type of hitch do you use? K80 ball hitch on lower pick-up hitch?

Yes, but also have a bolt on K80 that can replace the PUH. It carries more weight and gives better clearance. Use it if we have ruts or in taller crops.

 

[jonnyjon]

What's people's thoughts on high mounted hitches improving traction?? Thinking of modifying something to see if I could gain traction

 

[Feldspar]

Does anyone who has a Horsch have a strong view on manual quad or automatic quad nozzles at the 50cm spacing? I hadn't realised that with the manual that you can still use two of the four nozzles at the same time.

 

[Brisel]

What's people's thoughts on high mounted hitches improving traction?? Thinking of modifying something to see if I could gain traction

For where you'd need high torque it would take weight from the front of the tractor if mounted above the centre of the rear axle but for every day usage I don't see any difference unless you can remove the pickup hitch for extra clearance.

Yes, but also have a bolt on K80 that can replace the PUH. It carries more weight and gives better clearance. Use it if we have ruts or in taller crops.

Does that make it harder to empty the tank if the sump is at the front?

 

[Clive]

Does anyone who has a Horsch have a strong view on manual quad or automatic quad nozzles at the 50cm spacing? I hadn't realised that with the manual that you can still use two of the four nozzles at the same time.

all depends how much you want to spend basically

Manual quad (with x2 (or x3 actually inc the 25cm nozzle being automatic and in use together if required ) means the only time we have to manually select a nozzle is when we swap from fertilizer to spray and that takes no more than 5mins to do over 36m boom

certainly no regrets on configuration here so far, seems very flexible and covers the range of speed and rates we use really well

 

[Feldspar]

all depends how much you want to spend basically

Manual quad (with x2 (or x3 actually inc the 25cm nozzle being automatic and in use together if required ) means the only time we have to manually select a nozzle is when we swap from fertilizer to spray and that takes no more than 5mins to do over 36m boom

certainly no regrets on configuration here so far, seems very flexible and covers the range of speed and rates we use really well

Thanks. Knew that was your view. Just canvassing for other's opinions. Saving seems to be about 4k or so between the two options.

 

[jonnyjon]

For where you'd need high torque it would take weight from the front of the tractor if mounted above the centre of the rear axle but for every day usage I don't see any difference unless you can remove the pickup hitch for extra clearance.



Does that make it harder to empty the tank if the sump is at the front?

Just can't decide if you get a traction advantage with the high pull point on a 4wd tractor, draft forces take weight off the front and transfer it to the back so are you any better off??

 

[Matt L]

As soon as you start pulling from above the height of the rear axle you start to loose the weight transfer advantage. Especially if you are on hilly ground and pulling up hill.

 

[Tom H]

For where you'd need high torque it would take weight from the front of the tractor if mounted above the centre of the rear axle but for every day usage I don't see any difference unless you can remove the pickup hitch for extra clearance.



Does that make it harder to empty the tank if the sump is at the front?

doesn't seem to be an issue.

 

[Feldspar]

Well.......................................... we have finally made a decision. Have now agreed to buy an ex demo JCB 4220 and a Horsch 8 GS. It only took 3 years to decide. One of my quicker decisions. Thanks everyone to all the help and advice.

Had the Fastrac on demo and there's no question that it's a step up in comfort from what we have at the moment. For a sprayer that can cope with fast field speeds allowing it do be done in comfort is very important. 4WS I think will track well and hopefully a new Topcon X35 screen will steer most of the time including turning on regular shaped headlands turns. Finally nailed down the spec on the sprayer too which definitely took a lot of thought.

If anyone is looking for a Bateman RB17, a Spray Ranger, a MF7624 or a mounted Hardi sprayer, they're up for sale in next month's Farmers Guide. Particular thanks to Bateman and Challis Reed who have made operating the above a very positive experience.

 

[Chae1]

Fastracs got big boots to fill, replacing 3 machines!

 

[Feldspar]

Fastracs got big boots to fill, replacing 3 machines!

We're stepping down to just over two thirds of the current acreage. I think we'll cope easily. Will have a new bowser too to back the sprayer up. Intend to run everything out of our main central spray store. Will use our Handler IV to fill the sprayer in the shed (quiet, no fumes, more relaxed and not putting hours on the sprayer); then bowser can take out another 8000l which will allow us to do most outlying farms with a sprayer load and one bowser fill. In the wetter times we will half fill the sprayer which will allow tyre pressure to be dropped down to about 12 psi. Have looked very carefully at tyre choices and have gone for 600s on the Fastrac (intend to swap current BKTs to Mitas VFs) and hope to get 580 Alliance VFs on the sprayer (which take a lot more load than the 620s we found).

 

[Daniel]

Very nice. Though I should imagine Bateman are getting a bit tired of hearing how good their machines and backup are whilst the owners swap them for Horsch's?!