BUILDING A FRONT MOUNT DROP SPREADER

I am planning on building a quick attach front mount drop spreader powered by an electric motor. It would be intended to mount on a zero turn, UTV,ATV or lawn tractor. I have been researching a few push type spreaders powered by an electric windshield wiper motor on YouTube with very little modification. I would build a light weight steel frame to couple them together as well as attaching to the UTV/ATV/Zero Turn/Garden tractor.

My reasons for building this unit is the size of my lot and the tight quarters (landscape, trees, etc. I have had broadcast spreaders push type, pull type, large and small. It always seems that I get as much fertilizer on the drive, landscape rocks, flower beds, and up against the buildings also. A drop spreader is so accurate and uniform but its limitation has been it has a very narrow foot print. By coupling three of them together I would get to 60+ inch width.

My questions to the form membership is have any of you built anything like this or know of anybody that has and could save me any design failures?

Thanks!

I see a problem in your theory. Calibration!!!!! How are you going to calibrate it???? Its important if you build it and say one section is doing better than the other in a few days you will have streaks or dead patches ..

In agriculture its tons per acre. Residential its pounds per square feet. At best your going to be guessing at the application rates. And your not to likely to be happy with the results.

RDA.Lawns said:

I see a problem in your theory. Calibration!!!!! How are you going to calibrate it???? Its important if you build it and say one section is doing better than the other in a few days you will have streaks or dead patches ..

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I see your point, I guess I'm not quite sure on a drop spreader if calibration is set with some sort of slide gate?

I guess I was thinking the axel shafts would be mechanically tied together turning the same speed, I would have to make sure all the spreaders are the same brand & model. At that point they should be dropping the same amount of fertilizer if set to the same setting.

I also plan on installing the center unit in front of the outside units so I can get the drop lines aligned without any space gaps.

Am I still missing something?

Thanks for your comments, I truly appreciate all of them, and you for taking the time to write them.

I would set them up on a ground drive system. So take your push spreader they drive the impeller from the wheels. So as ground speed changes so dose the speed of the impeller. Keep in mind they are designed to use at a wllalking speed.

RDA.Lawns said:

In agriculture its tons per acre. Residential its pounds per square feet. At best your going to be guessing at the application rates. And your not to likely to be happy with the results.

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Your right hadn't thought that far ahead, so I just went and double checked a bag of fertilizer and they do list settings for a few brands of drop spreaders. I will have to make sure that I buy brands of spreaders that do address residential settings. Then the next calibration issue that comes to mind would be getting the ground speed to match the machine speed. I will have to come up with a formula to help with that.

Maybe one of those ATV/UTV broadcast spreaders that are advertised on line would be the way to go? They get good reviews and even though there not cheap they would accomplish my needs except for placing fertilizer in areas I don't want to hit. I am doing just over 50,000 sq. feet (not many of them flat). I would rather get my exercise on the golf course.

I do appreciate your thoughts on this project!

RDA.Lawns said:

I would set them up on a ground drive system. So take your push spreader they drive the impeller from the wheels. So as ground speed changes so dose the speed of the impeller. Keep in mind they are designed to use at a wllalking speed.

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That's going to be the most accurate way using a wheel to adjust to your ground speed. I hadn't thought about over speed on the drop spreader but your right.

Great food for thought!

Thanks

Have you thought about liquid fertilizer? For my business we use a 25 gal 12 volt sprayer. Works well for me. I use a cluster nozzel that covers 12 feet from just 1 tip. Its calibrated and has a ground speed chart. You could get by with a 15 gallon tank. Just another option to think about.

RDA.Lawns,

Liquid Fertilizer, now that's an idea I haven't thought of at least using a tank and spray boom.

Are we talking the same pump as what would come on a sprayer from a farm store (diaphragm or impeller)?

How thick is the liquid fertilizer, my only experience was growing up on a farm in the 60's we injected liquid nitrogen in the rows. As I remember it had the consistency of 90 wt. motor oil. I am guessing that this would be diluted to a fairly liquid state or is it available premixed (RTU)?

Is the spray nozzle you use defined by a number or exclusive for fertilizer?

Thanks for the ideas!

Its a diaphragm pump. Can be purchased at farm supply stores possibly even big box stores. The nozzle I use is used on anything from pesticides to herbicides. The liquid fertilizer is not thick. Its formulated for use in 12 volt sprayers.At a height of 4foot it will cover a area 12ft wide. Now the draw back liquid fertilizer is a bit expensive.