How to Use an ATV Spreader?
ATV spreaders are designed to be attached to the front end of an ATV or UTV. They are used to spread just about any bulk material that a person wants to spread. Whether it be sand, fertilizer, seed, or salt, ATV spreaders can do the job. It is important to know how to use an ATV spreader in order to get the most out of the machine.
A broadcast spreader is a piece of equipment which uses to cover huge ground in minimum time. The design revolves around a central body with rotating arms and containers. The faster the arms, the more material is dispersed wideout.
How to Operate an ATV Lawn Spreader?
With an ATV spreader, you don’t have to worry about the weather condition and the no-till requirement for your fields. Compared with the hand spreader, the ATV spreader is much quicker to cover a field and much more efficient due to its large capacity. In short, an ATV spreader is a good machine that can definitely speed up your work.
Historically they are mounted on ATVs or other vehicles as they can be quite large and heavy but since modern technology has progressed at an extremely rapid rate, there are now smaller models which can fit on tractors, trucks, or other devices so farmers don’t have to spend their day walking through the fields, important when you’re up to your elbows in soil.
Read: Best Tow Behind Spreaders
Steps to Consider for Operating an ATV Spreader
1: Installation of an ATV Spreader
- First of all, check if the machine is properly packed and check if the package contains all the parts that are necessary to assemble the machine properly.
- After you have the necessary parts, start assembling the machine. Start with the frame and then mount the wheels. Make sure that you mount the wheels properly and tight.
- Then mount the tire chains, the seed spreader, and the auger. Make sure that the tires are properly inflated so that you don’t face any issues later on.
- Now, mount the control unit and the motor control unit. Don’t forget to put the necessary wires in place.
- Mount the control unit to the seat and secure it properly.
- Once you have done all the above-mentioned things, connect all the wires properly including cables and belts, and fill the tank with fuel.
- Now start your machine and make sure it runs smoothly and properly.
- Now attach the spreader and make sure you have the right settings. That is, it. You are ready to go.
Safety Gears
Before you can begin seeding, check to make sure your safety gear is firmly in place. The first time you use the spreader each year, make sure the handles are closed and locked so that the chemical load will not spill from the hopper.
Close-meshed seed cover protects sensitive seedlings from fertilizer spills and drift. Use caution when handling loaded spreaders to avoid dragging a 3-foot-wide band of fertilizer across your yard.
Material You Want to Spread
when it comes to ATV Broadcast Spreaders, the most important thing to take into consideration is how much material you are laying down. Throwing out any material that is too light or fine in texture won’t provide the same effect as something larger like corn or rock salt crystals for de-icing during winter months.
Speed Trial
Another equally important factor to consider is how fast your ATV will be moving while driving. The faster the vehicle goes; the less coverage area you’ll get from your sprayer. If your ATV doesn’t have a speedometer on it, see how long it will take for you to travel 88 feet. Speed, combined with the weight of material in the sprayer, determine your coverage area or what’s known as an arc of influence (AOI).
Go one mph and travel 88 feet in 60 seconds; go 8 mph and get there in 8 seconds. It isn’t recommended to exceed 10-12 mph. You’ll need to find a balance between your desired AOI and what makes you comfortable depending on the terrain conditions where you are spraying so that it doesn’t affect the stability or put you at risk for a loss of control. Once you’ve found that sweet spot that works best for you, stick to it.
Things to Will Need to Calibrate an ATV Spreader
- ATV Spreader
- Fertilizer/grass seed/weed killer/ salt
- Tape Measure
- Flags
- Scale
- Bucket
- Calculator
- Pencil and Paper
How to Calibrate an ATV Spreader?
- Place a bucket onto the scale. Open the hopper, and slowly add 20 pounds of product into it. Close the hopper, place a now full bucket onto the scale, move the marker on your measuring tape to 22 pounds, and list your calculations in both metric and standard form for each step.
- Now that the test has been executed, it’s time to measure the 50 or 100-foot strip which is no longer brown. If you’re on a turf area and need to mark off a strip to measure, please don’t do this on the grass as you’ll leave permanent marks. When marking off your points, feel free to use chalk or flags for measurement. It might be wise to sweep up any of the product on the pavement since it could wash into lawns and other areas nearby if left behind.
- If a new product seems slow to open when you’re making bags, there may be too much product in the hopper. Check to make sure that there isn’t more than one-third to one-half full of product. Write down the weight of the hopper measurement, which should be close to your known weight.
- Adjust the spreader to the recommended setting on the product label (if available). Choose the half-rate setting if you plan to make two coverage passes when treating turf.
- If a treatment pass does not get down to the desired depth, adjust your pace slightly so that you move at an even pace that allows you to complete one full pass without stopping or variable speed. If the roller gets ahead of you, gradually increase your ATV speed until you are ahead of the roller; then slow back down.
- Pour the remaining product from the paint mixer into a bucket. Then weigh the bucket and subtract its original weight in order to find out how much of the product has been produced. If you want to make sure your batch doesn’t end up with too little or too much, it’s important to calibrate the machine.
- Now you have the data on how much product will be distributed in the release test run.
Reference
https://extension.psu.edu/calibrating-your-fertilizer-spreader
I am Ricky Martin, a seasoned landscape designer, a passionate gardener, and a barbecue enthusiast. With 12 years of experience in building and restoring, I welcome you to my website lawnscanner.com
