manure spreader for hauling dirt?

Super Steve · Nov 20, 2012

anyone ever used a spread with the beater taken out to haul dirt/fill with?

i happen to have the beater out of my spreader right now being rebuilt and need to haul some fill. i wouldnt load it right up but taking a few loads with the spreader would beat making 500 trips with the loader bucket.

its a 185 NH with an endgate if it matters

rrlund · Nov 20, 2012

Might be a case where using something for a job it wasn't intended for costs you a LOT of money. I sure wouldn't put much in it or you're going to break the apron and end up doing a lot of shoveling and a lot of fixing.

rustyfarmall · Nov 20, 2012

The dirt MIGHT be a bit abrasive on the chains and sprockets, but other than that I don't see why it wouldn't work. Wet, sloppy manure can be fairly heavy also.

Bret4207 · Nov 20, 2012

I tried it once- ONCE! manure is lots lighter than dirt. If you want to do it, make sure the axle is really solid and only load it about half way.

rrlund · Nov 20, 2012

The apron just rolls under the sloppy manure. It doesn't try to carry it all out at once.

paul · Nov 20, 2012

You won't be the first one to bust an apron trying that idea.

Manure is slippery, dirt is heavy & not at all slippery.

good luck.

--->Paul

JMS./MN · Nov 20, 2012

It's simply an issue of mathematics. 500 loads with the loader takes how much time, vs trying a 1/3 load of dirt, then maybe half, then guaranteed how much time and parts to fix? But yeah, it CAN work.

Sid · Nov 20, 2012

"anyone ever used a spread with the beater taken out to haul dirt/fill with?"

Yes. Never again.

504 · Nov 20, 2012

The drag chain will break and you get to shovel the load off BTDT and it was a load of stuff, just mostly dirt.

DoubleR · Nov 20, 2012

Be ready to unload it by hand after you find out it doesn't work. You don't need to ask me how I know either.

Bret4207 · Nov 21, 2012

Any chance you could find a dump trailer or someone with a dump truck? I have a dump trailer made from a 1948 GMC truck. Slow and very heavy, but it works.

I broke my NH 329 spreader bad the one time I tried it. Collapsed the axle, broke the apron chain, broke the floor, did some other damage too. It's not worth it.

rockyridgefarm · Nov 21, 2012

Friend of mine tried to use a Knight Slinger to haul a small quantity of compost/dirt. These are the side discharge spreaders with the auger down the middle of a V tank. He broke the heavy 80 chain that drives the auger. Pitching out a box spreader isn't fun. Pitching out a V tank spreader just downright sucks.

RodinNS · Nov 21, 2012

You'll probably break the apron. Even if you only go with half a load. Dirt will be close to double the weight of manure for a given volume.... and as noted already... dirt is not slippery. Even mud will not slide very well in a box spreader. I've hauled the last scrapings of a compost pile that was probably half dirt or more in a hydraulic push spreader. That was some of the most miserable stuff I've ever hauled in it. Dirt just doesn't slide and it makes probably twice the friction in addition to double the weight so it's 4 times as hard to push out of the spreader box.

Rod

Greenfrog · Nov 22, 2012

A manure spreader is one piece of farm equipment that the manufacturer will not stand behind.

onefarmer · Nov 22, 2012

I've done it when I was first starting out. It will work if you only put 6inches in at a time. Any more and you WILL be shoveling.

manure spreader for hauling dirt?

Super Steve

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rrlund

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rustyfarmall

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Bret4207

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rrlund

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paul

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JMS./MN

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Sid

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504

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DoubleR

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Bret4207

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rockyridgefarm

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RodinNS

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Greenfrog

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onefarmer

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