Fertilizer Spreader Options

[KennyG]

I've been using an Agri-Fab pull behind spreader now for 13 years and it is about to fall into a pile of rust. For my minimal use, I don't want to invest in a 3 point PTO spreader, but for about the same cost as a tow behind, I could get an ATV 12 volt spreader. I'm sure I could weld up something to make it a 3 point attachment. Has anyone done this and how well would it work?

 

[Runner]

I've been using an Agri-Fab pull behind spreader now for 13 years and it is about to fall into a pile of rust. For my minimal use, I don't want to invest in a 3 point PTO spreader, but for about the same cost as a tow behind, I could get an ATV 12 volt spreader. I'm sure I could weld up something to make it a 3 point attachment. Has anyone done this and how well would it work?

I bought this 12v ATV spreader off Amazon last year. With some very minor mods set it up on a drawbar that goes in the receiver on my lawn tractors.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K30LZMY?ref_=ppx_hzod_title_dt_b_fed_asin_title_0_0

I like it, but the plastic gate on the bottom (which is controlled by a cable) tends to get blocked by pieces of fertilizer and is hard to completely close. Sometimes I have to work it back and forth a bit to get it closed.

Even with the gate issue, it is still light years ahead of the pull-behind spreader I was using and I wouldn't go back.

 

[KennyG]

I took Runner's advice and got the Amazon spreader. I didn't get the one with the receiver hitch because I didn't think I could reach the handle from the seat. The one I got was $179 but there was some kind of rebate so it ended up about $160. I cobbled up a mounting bracket from some scrap and mounted it to the base plate of my ROPS which had a couple of holes in a convenient location. I have a 12 volt connector under the seat that I use for work lights when I have my soft cab on in the winter. It only took an hour or two to install. I suppose it will spread a pretty wide pattern because of how high it is. I will probably cut up an old tarp to cover the hitch and rear of the tractor when I use it to keep fertilizer off the tractor.

It's not very large but I just need it to fertilize about 2 acres twice a year. We'll see how it works next week.