Things to inspect on manure spredders

[Learning to Farm]

I have not one but two manure spreaders provided by the farm, I would like to know what to look at to see if they are in "working" order. They have sat out in the weather for at least 2 years. What maintenance should I do before using them (I figure check the tires and air pressure). On a side note, I plan on spreading compost with them from composted horse manure, is there maintenance I should do after I have finished the job? I will be storing them in a covered equipment area.

 

[beenthere]

Much will depend on what type/style the spreaders are that you have. Care to post a pic or two, and the make and model #'s ? I'd suggest some "dry" runs with nothing in them, to see if the mecahnical parts are working (after checking for any broken or missing parts).

 

[grsthegreat]

I have a horse drawn (or tractor drawn) spreader from the 1950's (best as anyone can tell).

All parts are available thru "Shoup" online store. They dont have many moving parts, and i usually have to fix something every season.

Not to hard to repair actually.....

 

[sweettractors]

I would lube all chains and grease all zerk points before moving the spreader. As suggested earlier, I would make some dry runs to be sure all is working ok. Ken Sweet

 

[Learning to Farm]

Care to post a pic or two, and the make and model #'s ? I'd suggest some "dry" runs with nothing in them, to see if the mecahnical parts are working (after checking for any broken or missing parts).

Been, here you go!
#1 is a AGCO New Idea 3709 is the number.

#2 is up on the hill and I will take more pictures later

Grt, funny thing. For my main job I travel, I have been to the town that Shoups is in (noticed on the website). Secondly, if you fix something every year, farmers should charge more for food (always a belief of mine) a chain assembly is 600+$.


Thanks!

 

[Snaker]

The gearbox is the most important part. I would turn the PTO by hand first to make sure everything is free. If something is jammed up, you could break the gearbox. Big troubles. Everything else is open and pretty obvious. Check front to back for grease points (gearbox for lube). Don't forget to look under for broke/rotted hangers.

 

[sweettractors]

Secondly, if you fix something every year, farmers should charge more for food (always a belief of mine) a chain assembly is 600+$.
Thanks!

As a life long farmer, I can say from experience, that as a producer, we have absolutely NO control over what we get for our product. We generally pay high input costs and sell low to middle. That is why most farmers have off farm jobs to subsidize our farming. Ken Sweet

 

[beenthere]

From the pics, looks like the apron will need to be fixed, as one or two flights appear to be broken away from the square chain. You'll get some learning on how to slip apart the square chain links (having the right anvil tool will help a lot here) and possibly how to repair the rivets that connect the flights (cross bars) to the special links. Having a neighbor or friend nearby as a tutor will help a lot here.
Getting a manual with parts breakdown will help a lot.

 

[Learning to Farm]

I happened to catch one of the guys that does some maintaining on the farm this weekend. There are many broken/rusted snapped flights (learned a new word). He said that yes, the power part is fine but the chain had jumped and a lot of the flights are broken. If I buy a new set it is $450. That maybe easier than learning to wield. Haha!

 

[grsthegreat]

I happened to catch one of the guys that does some maintaining on the farm this weekend. There are many broken/rusted snapped flights (learned a new word). He said that yes, the power part is fine but the chain had jumped and a lot of the flights are broken. If I buy a new set it is $450. That maybe easier than learning to wield. Haha!

Never heard of the term flights..... i have been able to get parts for mine thru "Shoup's". most parts , if not all, on the roller chains can be poped out and replaced without replacing the entire chain assembly.

are flights part of the gears???? or the chains??

 

[rockinmywaypa]

if you're going to go out and replace stuff every time you see a problem especially a manure spreader then you're going to run out of money pretty quick. Take the chain out of the machine and repair the crossers, then make sure that they are all spaced exactly even. The guy told you that it jumped which means it was loose, this is what ultimately caused the slats to break off as they rolled around the ends when one side got ahead of the other. I'm more than positive judging by the pictures that there is a lot of life left in that machine.

 

[Learning to Farm]

Flights is what Been called them I figured they were the bars. The chain and bar things are rusted really bad, most bars are broken. I found the bolts which is how to remove the current chain. All of the equipment on the farm was abused by the last field person. I knew him (the reason the chain is hitched is he was liquor drunk 90% of the time) and he left it that way. I found a finish mower in the weeds missing a wheel (I am hoping that is the next piece I fix up). I am not a life farmer, I didn't know that machine shops (places to fix stuff) existed. Do I just take in the broken bars? I am not trying to throw money away, I just don't know what else to do but replace.

I can clean, grease, oil and that is the extent of my knowledge. The barn manager (horse farm) doesn't give a rats a**, she said let the fields go to weeds. I started out just BHing my horse's two rotational pastures. Then other boarders asked me to do their horses fields. I am unpaid labor, the owner said I can use anything I want on the farm. We also have a manure pile the size of 6 tractor trailers. I sent off soil and compost samples and am working with the Ag Extension to put into action what I learned in my Ag Degree, but they at least at my school don't teach tractors 101 or anything like that. As my screen name implies, I am learning to farm. My joy is that the farm looks better and the horses are not on weeds.

Sorry for the rant-

How do I decide what a good price to fix all the bars is? I mean if all have to be repaired is it better to replace in that instance?

How long should it take?

Will they wield them?

How much rust is to much rust?

How do you clean out a manure spreader when done, sweep? (to prevent rusting)

 

[Learning to Farm]

Hey grst I looked on Shoups don't see just the flights, bars, crossers? I broke down and they are sending me paper catalog, maybe that will make it easier to find replacements if they can't be fixed.

And for the last question of my last post, I know there is going to be rust. I am looking to slow the process.

 

[easygo]

I think learning to weld should be pretty high on your priority list. You can probably find a used, but darn good welder for $200-300 and save that same amount of money after the first repair or two. Since you have a working farm things will likely keep breaking on the semi-regular bases.

 

[Snaker]

I'm grew up farming and don't know the technical terms for most things. We called the whole moving chain works the apron. The flights I believe are the crossbars plus the special attaching link. I have a Fleet Farm store near me that sells various size chain links in lengths or singles. They also sell the special links (there is a difference between left and right). I have ground the rivets off and replaced with bolt/nut instead of rivets.

The links do wear. You can see what part of the link slides on the deck. That metal will get thin. Your wallet might dictate how far you let them go but I wouldn't go beyond half thickness or they will start breaking. How heavy the loads are also affect them.

One more thing to check are the wheel hubs. They varied from a grease zerk to automotive style bearing that needs to be disassembled and repacked.

 

[grsthegreat]

I'm grew up farming and don't know the technical terms for most things. We called the whole moving chain works the apron. The flights I believe are the crossbars plus the special attaching link. I have a Fleet Farm store near me that sells various size chain links in lengths or singles. They also sell the special links (there is a difference between left and right). I have ground the rivets off and replaced with bolt/nut instead of rivets.

The links do wear. You can see what part of the link slides on the deck. That metal will get thin. Your wallet might dictate how far you let them go but I wouldn't go beyond half thickness or they will start breaking. How heavy the loads are also affect them.

One more thing to check are the wheel hubs. They varied from a grease zerk to automotive style bearing that needs to be disassembled and repacked.

i purchased some 6-10 foot lengths of several styles of chains and some left & right links about 3-4 years ago. i simply replace them as needed. I also thoroughly hose off and store the spreader under cover when not in use. This prevents alot of deterioration. Manure can eat away metal pretty fast.

I wont replace the entire chain, cause im too cheap hehe. Alos, i too replace an occasional rivit with a nut and bolt. this works just as good.

I just fix it as i need to. One thing i did do is drill out holes and install cotter pins behind alot of the large nuts holding the gears and shafts on. i noticed that there always backing off and i even lost one (found it with metal detector as the bearing fell off also).

 

[beenthere]

Hey grst I looked on Shoups don't see just the flights, bars, crossers? I broke down and they are sending me paper catalog, maybe that will make it easier to find replacements if they can't be fixed.

And for the last question of my last post, I know there is going to be rust. I am looking to slow the process.

I notice that Shoup's calls the flights, bars, crossers by the name of slats. These slats may be just steel angle iron that can be bolted to the right and left t-bar chain links. If so, repair will be much easier than trying to weld them up. Deere calls the crossers 'flights' and the assembly that I've always known as the apron, they call the conveyor. So names are all around the place. But they all are the movers.

For rust, many will use a pressure washer to clean the spreader after manure use, and then if storing it for a period of time will spray it down with used motor oil. That will help the rust and also help preserve any wood in the floor boards.

 

[grsthegreat]

I notice that Shoup's calls the flights, bars, crossers by the name of slats. These slats may be just steel angle iron that can be bolted to the right and left t-bar chain links. If so, repair will be much easier than trying to weld them up. Deere calls the crossers 'flights' and the assembly that I've always known as the apron, they call the conveyor. So names are all around the place. But they all are the movers.

For rust, many will use a pressure washer to clean the spreader after manure use, and then if storing it for a period of time will spray it down with used motor oil. That will help the rust and also help preserve any wood in the floor boards.

your right ...mine look like simple angle iron. there rivited to the left/right chain links. looks like soemthing one can make themselves with very little effort.

 

[Learning to Farm]

Easygo, well like I said the guy that tended to the equipment last treated it like trash. Here is what I found under a pile of junk (or what I perceive to be junk)

 

[grsthegreat]

heres my little spreaders home