Clarke
Silver Member
Considering purchasing the fertilizer/salt spreader for the PT 425. Any PT owners have one and does it work well.
sg
sg
Fertilizer Spreader
- Thread starter Clarke
- Start date
- Views: 3537
SnowRidge
Elite Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Can't access the PT site for a few days is it me or are they updating prices. )</font>
It's not you.
They are doing something, but I'm not sure what. I could get in every now and then, but I often got empty documents. Seems like they may be having problems with their web hosting service.
SnowRidge
It's not you.
They are doing something, but I'm not sure what. I could get in every now and then, but I often got empty documents. Seems like they may be having problems with their web hosting service.
SnowRidge
Rip
Platinum Member
I can't comment on the fertilizer spreader, but the PT site is frequently unavailable. Try again in a minute or two or an hour and it pops back up... I think it is the outfit that hosts their site, just gets swamped often.
Rip
Rip
Hi I own the spreader - Overall I really don't like it that much
-It is good for bulk stuff like lime, etc but there are a couple of issues with it -
-you can't control / calibrate the output (opening) the only way to do this is to try and control how far you open it, which is basically impossible to do by pulling on the opening cord from the seat - remember you have to open and close it at the end of every pass. I think i could rig up some sort of stop - but never got to it. his is a real design flaw for an expensive attachment - you really can't use it for fertilitzer - you want good control which is really important for a fine lawn.
The on / off should really be an electric actuator - like the ones on the earthways, lesco or others and there should be a secondary calibrated opening control
Second - the unit is very, very heavy - made with the usual PT 1/4 inch steel - in this case there is no need for the heavy steel hopper - a lightweight hopper would be much better and easier on the operator
Overall - to do it again, I would buy one from one of the major spreader manufacturers and fabicate / weld a plate to it so you can use it on the PT - I think you would actually come out even with a much better unit - they do make them to go on tractors / ATV's etc - You could also look at a three point hitch type and modify that for the PT - i have seen those for $300 - $400 dollars
My two cents
-It is good for bulk stuff like lime, etc but there are a couple of issues with it -
-you can't control / calibrate the output (opening) the only way to do this is to try and control how far you open it, which is basically impossible to do by pulling on the opening cord from the seat - remember you have to open and close it at the end of every pass. I think i could rig up some sort of stop - but never got to it. his is a real design flaw for an expensive attachment - you really can't use it for fertilitzer - you want good control which is really important for a fine lawn.
The on / off should really be an electric actuator - like the ones on the earthways, lesco or others and there should be a secondary calibrated opening control
Second - the unit is very, very heavy - made with the usual PT 1/4 inch steel - in this case there is no need for the heavy steel hopper - a lightweight hopper would be much better and easier on the operator
Overall - to do it again, I would buy one from one of the major spreader manufacturers and fabicate / weld a plate to it so you can use it on the PT - I think you would actually come out even with a much better unit - they do make them to go on tractors / ATV's etc - You could also look at a three point hitch type and modify that for the PT - i have seen those for $300 - $400 dollars
My two cents
We have a salt/fert. spreader for a 1430. Works great for covering large areas fast. Control around drives, sidewalks, etc. is not easy with any slinger type spreader. We set stops and then open and close to stop, thus making output the same each cycle. Just turn the PTO on & off to stop flow without adjusting gate. We use a small drop spreader in tight areas and along walks and drives and the PT spreader over large areas. Spread about 150 ton material last year. No problems.
EB
EB
smartguyz
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2003
- Messages
- 488
- Location
- Beaverton, Oregon
- Tractor
- JD318, Power-Trac PT425 with scuffed-up green paint.
I was thinking about buying an earthway spreader, a custom attachment plate, cutting down a 2" receiver, and getting the receiver adaptor. In all, I'd need to spend around $400. Hmmm.
Instead, I ended up getting a Brinley spreader ( Here it is ) from Home Depot. It's around $160.00 - has a stainless gate, takes 3.5 cu. ft. & 175 lbs worth of material. The gate can be pointed left, right or center, and you can calibrate the opening. It only spreads when it is moving (i.e. you don't need to turn it on and off), and the PT425 seems to do a DANDY job with it. I am quite pleased. I have already spread several hundred pounds of fertilizer & grass seed with it. Works quite well, and is so light I can just pick it up and put it on a shelf in the basement.
The only advantage to the custom adaptor plate + 2" receiver idea is that you can now use that receiver for lots of other things, like putting a trailer ball on it and moving boats and stuff around, in addition to being able to adapt other 2" receiver items as well.
That's my 2 cents.
Sincerely,
Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Instead, I ended up getting a Brinley spreader ( Here it is ) from Home Depot. It's around $160.00 - has a stainless gate, takes 3.5 cu. ft. & 175 lbs worth of material. The gate can be pointed left, right or center, and you can calibrate the opening. It only spreads when it is moving (i.e. you don't need to turn it on and off), and the PT425 seems to do a DANDY job with it. I am quite pleased. I have already spread several hundred pounds of fertilizer & grass seed with it. Works quite well, and is so light I can just pick it up and put it on a shelf in the basement.
The only advantage to the custom adaptor plate + 2" receiver idea is that you can now use that receiver for lots of other things, like putting a trailer ball on it and moving boats and stuff around, in addition to being able to adapt other 2" receiver items as well.
That's my 2 cents.
Sincerely,
Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Bob999
Platinum Member
<font color="red"> The only advantage to the custom adaptor plate + 2" receiver idea is that you can now use that receiver for lots of other things, like putting a trailer ball on it and moving boats and stuff around, in addition to being able to adapt other 2" receiver items as well.
</font>
One potential advantage to the receiver approach is the ability to work steeper slopes. I was concerned that a tow behind of the sort pictured would not be stable working cross slope on the 20 degree plus slopes that I routinely mow and spread materials on. That lead me to the Earthway unit and receiver mount on an adapter plate.
</font>
One potential advantage to the receiver approach is the ability to work steeper slopes. I was concerned that a tow behind of the sort pictured would not be stable working cross slope on the 20 degree plus slopes that I routinely mow and spread materials on. That lead me to the Earthway unit and receiver mount on an adapter plate.
smartguyz
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2003
- Messages
- 488
- Location
- Beaverton, Oregon
- Tractor
- JD318, Power-Trac PT425 with scuffed-up green paint.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( One potential advantage to the receiver approach is the ability to work steeper slopes. I was concerned that a tow behind of the sort pictured would not be stable working cross slope on the 20 degree plus slopes that I routinely mow and spread materials on. That lead me to the Earthway unit and receiver mount on an adapter plate. )</font>
Bob,
That is an excellent point. So far, I have not needed to spread anything except in the yard and garden areas, and these are flat enough to use the tow-behind. As you note from my posting on the sprayer - I do have areas that are very steep, and the "4WD go-anywhere" concept for the sprayer has worked well. I agree completely that if this were true in areas where granular products need to be routinely spread, then the approach you mention is very appropriate. In fact, I haven't quite given up on it in the areas where it is steep. What I've done is to move to liquid products, and I'm using the sprayer to deal with it.
Sincerely,
Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Bob,
That is an excellent point. So far, I have not needed to spread anything except in the yard and garden areas, and these are flat enough to use the tow-behind. As you note from my posting on the sprayer - I do have areas that are very steep, and the "4WD go-anywhere" concept for the sprayer has worked well. I agree completely that if this were true in areas where granular products need to be routinely spread, then the approach you mention is very appropriate. In fact, I haven't quite given up on it in the areas where it is steep. What I've done is to move to liquid products, and I'm using the sprayer to deal with it.
Sincerely,
Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif