Spreader Showcase
May 6, 2010 
The longer days of sunshine have warmed the soil. Crops are going into the ground, and with April showers mostly behind us, the time is right for spreading fertilizer and nutrients. If you find that your equipment could use an upgrade — or you just have your eye on something shiny and new — take a look at this year’s top-of-the-line spreaders.
New To The Show Floor
There are several new spreaders to check out this year. New Leader will be displaying its L4000G4 combination fertilizer/lime spreader with its new MultiBin insert. The MultiBin transforms the single-bin spreader into three or four bins to reduce the number of trips across the field, fuel consumption, and soil compaction — increasing your return on investment. The front hoppers dispense fertilizer products while the dual hoppers at the rear dispense micronutrients or seeding products.
Last year, FORCE Unltd. introduced the Agforce 4. Featuring in-cab electronic control of spinner speed with feedback, the Agforce 4 is very operator-friendly. FORCE Unltd. floater, row crop, and trailer spreaders are available with Duo-Force, Tri-Force, and Quad-Force to spread one to four products at once. Force spreaders also feature a heavy-duty belt over chain, stainless-steel hydraulic lines, the largest conveyor drive gearcase in the market, and in-cab electronic control of spinner speed with feedback.
Precision Tank & Equipment will be showing a standard New Leader L4000 spreader with New Leader L4000G4 series dry spreader. The single product body is 13 feet of 409 stainless steel, #4 belt over chain conveyor with a 24-gallon oil tank with hydraulic oil cooler and improved hydraulic spinner motors. Optional equipment includes a stainless steel frame panel cover, New Leader Nl7 control, Raven controls (SCS 660, Envizio Pro, Viper Pro), Ag Leader Insight control, and motorized feed-gate and fan-frame adjustment.
Extending The Season
While most fertilizer and nutrient applications go onto the ground in the spring, the GVM 9275 Prowler’s row crop tires allow the 9275 Prowler to operate in the post season as well, extending the machine’s use into the summer months. With a 45/55 weight distribution and a weight of 40% less than hystrostat machines resulting in less soil compaction, the Prowler features all-wheel drive and a mechanical drive train, designed to stay on top of the ground even in the wettest conditions. The single combo applicator can be changed from a liquid to a dry unit in less than one hour.
The Prowler can reach road speeds of up to 45 mph, making it always the first to the field and allowing applicators to cover more acres per day. It also offers the best fuel economy available today, according to GVM.
One new feature is the Prowler’s new Air Ride Cab, which, along with the GVM patented Air Walk suspension, absorbs the field shock and vibration producing a quieter, smoother ride for the operator. Also in the cab, the right-hand console comes with back-lit rocker switches for better viewing when spraying at night. The combo joystick features an ergonomic design with an integral hydro-style bump-shifting feel. It features tilt and telescoping steering. The Power View display and analog gauges, which show engine and transmission information, were designed for convenience and are located well within the operator’s visual range.
Likewise, the New Leader L3220G4 and L3030G4 dry spinner spreader attachments for John Deere’s 4930 Chassis Sprayer makes the sprayer a three-season vehicle that can also apply dry material. With up to 105-foot spread widths, the spreaders are capable of spreading 25% to 50% wider than most others on the market, covering more acres per day and increasing productivity. John Deere’s pressure- and flow-compensated hydraulics allow operators to maintain spinner speed throughout each pass, along with the ability to maintain spread widths even when rpms are reduced.
Tried And True
Some units at the show are putting in an appearance because they have continually proved themselves to the market as top-of-the-line models, year after year.
One of these units is the Atlas from Miller-St. Nazianz. Featuring a 365 -hp Cummins QSL 8.0-liter diesel engine, four-wheel air brakes, and an EATON wide-track front axle, the Miller Atlas is built to handle a 2,000-gallon tank with 32% liquid nitrogen. The 180-inch or 188-inch wheelbase can mount either a 13-foot or 14-foot dry spreader box.
Case IH offers the 810 Flex-Air Applicator with patented “Field – Leveler” independent suspension booms mounted over the chassis’ center of gravity to form a stable spreading platform, even at higher speeds. Co-ap bins and the liquid system are mounted externally to maintain full capacity of the main bin for more acres between fill-ups. The 810 Flex-Air, says the company, applies fertilizer, micronutrients, and granular herbicides in an accurate, uniform pattern, regardless of product size, shape, or weight.
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