For you guys who sold the cows and were wondering

The table chain on the manure spreader still breaks in the middle of a snow storm

Thanks for that great refreshing thought Dr. P.

NEVER green wrote:   How many bushels???     We bought the biggest manure spreader they made, was great till it broke.

When heating or cutting metal on a manure spreader the aroma reminded me of parties I attended when younger where some were smoking Marijuana. I didn't like the smell then and still don't!

Tips for daily hauling in winter. Run the spreader before you fill. Fill the spreader and haul immediately when freezing out. Have a scrapper with you and clean the spreader up good. Depending on your drive home run the spreader empty when driving home so it freeze dries or at least back across the field. Get rid of the old flat chain and get a pintle or T bar chain. Last flat chain we had broke when it was empty, apparently it was wore out. And if you have a chance occasionally spray spreader walls and floor with drain oil thinned with diesel. And watch that slats don't get thick with frozen crap. Then you have to clean them.



Edited by DanWi - 19 Jan 2025 at 5:04pm

Years ago when I worked for Heathercrest Farms, they had two of those NH barrel manure spreaders. Farmall 400, and Farmall Super M were the designated manure tractors. During the winter time it was 5-6 loads between the two of them everyday. Needless to say, about every 14-15 months, those tractors needed engine overhauls.

I can't imagine running one with a tracto that small. My dad had a 3020 and that spreaders made it grunt.

213 Mike. Except for a tedder, a kubota skid loader and a couple of wagons, its my only non ac machine

Edited by dr p - 19 Jan 2025 at 8:34pm

The secret to using smaller tractors on those, was before refilling with manure was turn the pto real slow, and have the chains wrap around the shaft instead of hanging down in the barrel. This was especially true if loading hard packed manure from a bull pen, or calf pens. Didn’t matter if the load was mostly liquid, as those loads were easy to start.

Dad always had a couple feet of some heavy #9 wire & spade shovel on our NI manure spreader. If chain broke, hopefully you only dug it out/down to its break? Then if you were lucky, wire broken links together as best as you could & eeeaassse into the pto???

“60% of the time, it worked everytime!” ~ Ron Burgundy.

Edited by AC7060IL - 17 hours 10 minutes ago at 9:50am

Either the chain breaks on the coldest day or you get stuck in a wet spot on the hottest day. A pitch fork was always the remedy .