Lime drop spreader

[tooln]

I have been looking for an old lime/fertilizer drop spreader. Something 6' wide would be great, anything larger would be cut down as I want to use this for food plots. I did find one not far from home but it's in real bad shape. Anyone have or know someone who has one they are looking to get of?
:thumbsup:

 

[HCJtractor]

where are you located???

 

[tooln]

North Central Wisconsin.

 

[HCJtractor]

Too bad. I just saw a nice one for sale for a great price in S.C. Sorry. Anyone near upstate S.C. should look at this one. I am almost tempted to buy it to re-sell. It is a 10 footer in good condition for $150. Check it out on Greenville, SC craigslist. (I have no knowledge or interest in this listing, just happened to see it) I just restored one and now am an expert on them!!!

 

[tooln]

I wish I was closer. I looked at it on craigs list. Looks to be in good shape. I'm looking at one on craigs list 2 hours from me and the guy wants the same price but one end is rotted out pretty bad. How bad of shape was the one you fixed up? I'll put a few pics of the one I'm going to look at on Wed

 

[HCJtractor]

the one I restored was really not too bad, some surface rust, but certainly functional. I got carried away and spent too much money and time restoring it, only to sell it at a loss. Lesson learned. There are some pictures of my restoration somewhere on this forum. If you like, I can post more. I did learn a lot about them and have helped several others with their restorations in terms of advice. Forget finding new parts. There are just not any and I looked nationally. The tub is not that important, but the drive mechanism, which is a ratcheting hub, is critical. If you need more info or a parts breakdown, let me know. But frankly, if spreading Ag lime is not required, I would stick with a spin type spreader. I have found that Ag lime is best spread by a big commercial spreader that seems to be available most places.

 

[foggy1111]

Hey Tooln. Welcome to TBN. I responded to your post over on QDMA. There is quite a bit of reading here via the search above. Try using two words for your search....like: "EZ Flow", "Drop Spreader", "Lime Spreader".

A few of us have done some rebuilds.....but not many to the extent of HJC....who's work is fantastic. :thumbsup:

As said, the tub sheet metal can be fixed, but if the drive is bad........that's a whole 'nother story.

I sold an original EZ Flow about a month ago. The guy paid me $475 for it. This one was kept in real good shape...but needed tires and paint. It was a ten footer. If you consider the hauling I did on it.....I think he got a very fair deal.

If the one you look at is not to your liking.....keep searching. You can find 'em if you look long enough IMO. I paid $125 for one spreader and $75 for another. I sold the better of the two and rebuilt the lower qaulity spreader. Now I wish I would have rebuilt the better of the two.

I spent a few hundred to narrow my EZ Flow to a six footer. It's still got a few rust through spots in the hopper.....but it will likely outlast my needs if I keep it out of the weather and dont use fertilizer in it.

 

[tooln]

Yep It's just a matter of time and I'll find something. I do need the drop as it will be used for lime only. Can't get a truck or large spreader back to my plots. I'm lucky if I can get to them with the ATV. Thanks for the help.

 

[tooln]

I fixed the pictures on post #5.

 

[foggy1111]

I fixed the pictures on post #5.

YIKES! From those pics.....I think I would run away. When the "frame steel" is corroded to that extent....and bent like that.....I think it is D E A D. You cannot weld on rusted away metal.

Those bearing supports at the ends and center are needed to carry the load. The hopper tin can be replaced....but this frame is pretty much gone. Sorry.....but IMO there are better candidates out there.

The owner must have not cleaned out the fertilizer and / or it stood out in the elements without paint or a coating of oil. All bad for this stuff.

 

[tooln]

I found and bought 1, well actually 2 today. The one I had pictures of was a 12' and rotted bad. The guy who had it said he has a brother who had a 10' in better shape and a 4' made for a 3 pt hitch. I couldn't get his brothers name or number from him. He said if I came and looked at his and didn't like it maybe we could work something out with his brother. After getting to his place (2 hours away) and telling him I wouldn't think of his as it was to far gone he called his brother and gave me directions to his place. When I got there and saw the 4' one I thought I wasted a trip as it was rusted through in several spots and the drive/auger was froze up. Then I saw the 10' one. The box was in great shape, nothing was broken or froze up, the gate on the bottom for flow amount worked free. The instruction decal for spread rate is even legible inside the top cover. The only bad thing is one of the wheels was taken off and put on the 4' one and they welded 15" wheels to the original 16" wheels. Now it's a matter of cutting the 10' down to the size I want. Do something with the wheels/tires. I may even be able to free up the 4' one and try selling it. I paid $190 for both of them and figured I did fairly good. Now I have to hurry and finish the bedroom remodel so I can work on MY list. :thumbsup:

 

[foggy1111]

'Ya gotta mine alot of dirt to find a diamond".....and looks like you found a good one there. Now your cooking!

 

[GGB]

"Now I have to hurry and finish the bedroom remodel so I can work on MY list."

Your SWMBO related to mine???

Sure sounds familiar! In my case, it's the Barbie Room Buildout that has to be completed before I can peacefully proceed with the Man Cave in the Barn Buildout. I better get busy if I ever want to get to MY project!

GGB