ground driven manure spreaders - any to avoid?

tpetty · Apr 23, 2018

I'm planning on buying an old, smaller, cheap manure spreader. I will only need to use it a couple times per year.

I've seen International - McCormick 100 & 200, Oliver, and John Deere (don't even know the models, # all worn off) ones for sale near me - all at $300-$700. I haven't traveled to look at them, just seen pics. They all look old and rusty, as expected.

I realize chains may break, some maintenance needed, etc - on equipment that is 70 years old. My question really regards parts availability. Are any of these brands more difficult to find parts for, or more difficult to work on, than the others? I think I have read that the "S" apron chain links on the International are getting hard to find. I don't know about Oliver. I assume Deere may be easier to find parts?

The IH seems to be the most prevalent. I have no brand loyalty when it comes to spreading crap.

Any tips?

4020 electrician · Apr 23, 2018

Where you get into problems is loading them with a ?loader?. Ground driven spreaders weren?t made to have a heavy wet load. They were mostly loaded with a guy and pitchfork. If you do load it with a loader keep it real light or you?ll be using a fork when the chain breaks. Been there done that. That?s why the good condition single axle pto spreaders hold value.

hd6gtom · Apr 23, 2018

I have a Case. No problems getting parts.

Leroy · Apr 23, 2018

The McCormick 100 is a very small spreader made for a Farmall Cub and is I think about a 35 bushel spreader and dealer I know when he has one it is someware around a thousand dollars. The 200 is a normal sized spreader of someware around 70 bushels. Oliver I think was about a 50 bushel size. Deere never made one that small.

Bret4207 · Apr 24, 2018

The "S" chain is available, just have to contact the right people, ie- the Amish. The McD 200 is about the best spreading GD machine made from the aspect of shredding and even spreading. A New Idea 10 is a close second and is real easy to get parts for.

achesser · Apr 24, 2018

I use a ground driven New Idea. It spreads nice but like was mentioned you have to load it carefully. I shake apart the big dense wet chunks if I am using the loader.

DoubleR · Apr 24, 2018

I've got a I-H 200 I've used and had for about 20 years. Every spring I haul about 40 loads with it. It lives outside and I dump oil on the bed to preserve it and the apron chain. It doesn't owe me a thing although I did pay around a 1000 bucks for it.

DeltaRed · Apr 24, 2018

These days they are all old and well worn. I don't think 'brand' will be an issue.The thing to look for is RUST and high wear. Look at especially the floor and chain. then look at the rest of it.Spending a little more money for a better spreader will be well worth the extra money spent.

Leroy · Apr 24, 2018

The McD is a 2 wheel tractor spreader, the 4 wheel version and hard to find is a 200-H. The New Idea 10 is actually a 10A and is a 4 wheel spreader, for a 2 wheel spreader look for a 12-12A spreader. There are other models of New Idea but not as popular. I have an Amish friend machinery dealer that has made new frames for the 10A new idea. A good ground drive spreader is a Deere model R that is 2 wheel tractor spreader and a 95 bu size about like the 12A New Idea. A 10A New Idea is about an 85 bu size spreader, not sure on the McD 200 but it is smaller that the JD R or NI 12A. And the Oliver that I have seen is about a 50 bu size spreader. So we are talking in size anyware from 35 bushel to 95 bushel so what he is wanting to do could dictate what he should look for.

Hotflashjr · Apr 24, 2018

I have a McD 100 and have had no issues in 4 years. I am missing the small side shield and finding one of those is not easy. I have spread compost, manure, and a fine stone dust with it. I wish it flung all things a bit further than it does as I tend to get some spots of bigger clumps if the material is fine. Like you I only use it a few times a year and it does fine for what I am expecting. I paid $700 4 years ago in MA.

Charlie M · Apr 24, 2018

Can be hard to find an old manure spreader that isn't junk. Something to consider if you find one is tires. They can be odd size and quite costly to replace.

Keith Molden · Apr 25, 2018

Shoups have the chains and S links that you may need. They also have the detachable chain that you may need for the gears. You just have to measure it to get the right size. Believe me, there are a lot of sizes of that type chain. I don't believe you will have much trouble finding the chain but if you break a gear you will probably have a lot of problems. I too have an old spreader and I made the slinger pieces for the beaters and there is a fellow on here that makes them. Just my thoughts, Keith

Texasmark1 · Apr 25, 2018

I have a JD N model, probably 1960s vintage and it probably still has the original tires....very cracked but F1 tread fine and hold air for years without adding......great machine on the positive side for what you might be looking for.

DR. EVIL · Apr 25, 2018

I have to disagree. Dad had a JD R ground driven spreader. We ALWAYS loaded it with a loader, and it wasn't full until it was piled and heaped WAY above the sides. R spreader wasn't very long or very wide but you could pile it WAY UP! Never had a problem with it. Slowly over the years the beaters on the back all stopped working, last year or two only the bottom front beater still worked, the top beater and wide spread beater just went along for the ride. Dad did have problems when he first got the spreader, corn cobs would get wedged between the crossbars on the apron chain and end of the wood floor and kick the chain off the rear sprockets, cutting the wood floor off about two inches cured that problem.

But if the ratchet mechanism that pulls the conveyor chain back is wore out all bets are off!

BTO I worked for had two Deere #44 PTO spreaders, one with the big diameter drum beater, other was conventional, top & bottom beaters and wide spread beater. I liked the single drum beater best. Both were WAY bigger than our old R spreader, think the R would fit inside those #44's.

tpetty · Apr 25, 2018

Thanks for all the replies. I really appreciate it. Sounds like there is no specific brand which people recommend avoiding, or which have particularly hard parts to find.

Leroy · Apr 25, 2018

Look for a size that fits your needs, then look at condition and go from there.

Shetland Sheepdog · Apr 26, 2018

I am surprised that no mention was made of the JD "H" or "L", both popular in this area, in the day, and both rated 70 bu, IIRC

Leroy · Apr 26, 2018

The L was same style as thr R just shorter, The H is older style, at time it was made it was the big spreader. By the time the L & R spreaders were out no one that wanted a new spreader wanted the smaller version so they were scarce.

Shetland Sheepdog · Apr 26, 2018

Cousins had a McD 200 that they used with their Farmall "H".
They traded for a JD "N", and used the Farmall SM-TA on it.
IIRC the "N" had the option of PTO or ground drive for the apron, and the beaters were PTO drive only.

Texasmark1 · Apr 29, 2018

TSC has ladder chains....that's where I got the links to fix mine when I bought it.

rockyridgefarm · Apr 29, 2018

(quoted from post at 18:09:31 04/23/18) I'm planning on buying an old, smaller, cheap manure spreader. I will only need to use it a couple times per year.

I've seen International - McCormick 100 & 200, Oliver, and John Deere (don't even know the models, # all worn off) ones for sale near me - all at $300-$700. I haven't traveled to look at them, just seen pics. They all look old and rusty, as expected.

I realize chains may break, some maintenance needed, etc - on equipment that is 70 years old. My question really regards parts availability. Are any of these brands more difficult to find parts for, or more difficult to work on, than the others? I think I have read that the "S" apron chain links on the International are getting hard to find. I don't know about Oliver. I assume Deere may be easier to find parts?

The IH seems to be the most prevalent. I have no brand loyalty when it comes to spreading crap.

Any tips?

Why do you want a ground driven spreader? PTO spreaders are head and shoulders better than ground driven models. They can be used to pile manure if you have to clean out a barn but can't spread in the field for some reason Some models, Knight spreaders especially, can easily be removed and you can haul other stuff like firewood and brush and unload it when you get it where you want it.

I can only see wanting a ground drive spreader if I wanted to pull it with something that doesn't have a PTO.

Leroy · Apr 29, 2018

Think under a hundred bushel size. All the PTO ones are over that hundred bushel size and will not back into a as small a space to load. Is not that Knight over 2 hundred bushels and could not be pulled with a 20 Max PTO HP tractor. I never had a PTO spreader and never found a reason for one.

ground driven manure spreaders - any to avoid?

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