Salford BBI Cricket 50 User manual

Owners’ Manual

2
Table of Contents
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR SPREADERS…………………………………………..…
TO OUR CUSTOMERS…………………………………………………………………..
WARRANTY………………………………………………………………………….….
SAFETY WARNINGS……………………………………………………………………
AVOID ACCIDENTS…………………………………………………………………….
SAFETY……………………………………………………………………………….….
HAZARDS TO AVOID…………………………………………………………………..
GENERAL INFORMATION……..……...……………………………………………….
INITIAL STARTUP………..………………………………………………………..……
ROAD TEST…..…………………………………………………………………..………
GENERAL OPERATING PROCEDURES……………………………..……..….……..
ADJUSTING THE SPREAD PATTERN …………………..…….………..……
SPINNERS……………………………………………….………….
MATERIAL FLOW DIVIDER……………………………………..
BANDING CONVEYOR………………………………………………………
FERTILIZER CALIBRATION GUIDE……..……..………..…………………………….…..
GENERAL FACTORS AFFECTING SPREAD PATTERNS………………….………..
HOW TO CHECK A SPREAD PATTERN………………………………….…………...
EFFECTIVE SWATH WIDTH..…………………………………………………………
HOW TO CORRECT SPREAD PATTERNS………….…..………………………….…
ACCURATE METERING OF FERTILIZER MATERIALS…….………….………...…
MAINTENANCE……………………………………………………………………………………
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE……………..……………….………..……...…..
HYDRAULIC SYSTEM…………...…………………………….………………………
SERVICE SCHEDULE…………………………………………………….…………..
SPINNER GEAR CASE……………...………………………………………………..
CONVEYOR CHAIN...………………………………………………………………..
LUBRICATION OF BEARINGS…….……………….…………………..…...…….….
CLEANUP………………………….…………………………….……….…...….…….
PARTS AND SERVICE MANUAL…………………………...……………….……….………
COMPLETE ASSEMBLY………………………...…………………………….…...…...
PARTS LIST………………………………………...…………………………….………
APPENDIX…………………………………………………………………………………….
PLUG-TO- TRACTOR SPINNERS…………………………………………………….
CONVEYOR HYDRAULICS………………………………………………………….
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TO OUR CUSTOMERS
The BBI team takes pride in producing superior spreaders that will provide many
years of service. Components are selected for their proven performance record and
availability. Our skilled employees give special attention to detail in design and
assembly to make certain our equipment will meet or exceed your expectations.
Our parts department stands ready to serve you with replacement parts at
affordable prices. We stock a large inventory to assure support for our customers,
and take pride in offering “same day service” for those orders received before mid-
afternoon.
At BBI, we provide quality service with a friendly atmosphere. Our dealers can
offer service assistance, or we can be contacted directly. We strive to quickly
provide solutions for your needs in order to minimize any downtime or delays.
At BBI we take safety very seriously. Great concern is given to reduce any
potential safety issues, whether with equipment or in the work place. Our
equipment is designed to minimize pinch points and provide guards where they do
exist. Decals are placed on our equipment to identify and caution against areas of
pinch points and hazardous moving parts. Please be sure that those who operate
BBI equipment are properly trained. Never conduct maintenance or repairs unless
the equipment is fully disabled with the power source turned off. Never stand
inside the unit while in operation or moving. Our spreaders are designed to project
materials from 30 to 90 feet, depending on the specific equipment; and standing
too close can result in injury. Please use extreme caution when operating all farm
equipment.
Thank you for choosing BBI spreading equipment. You will be glad you did.
Richard B. Hagler
President
“Spreaders That Work as Hard as You Do”

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WARRANTY
Barron & Brothers International warrants all products manufactured by it to be free from defects
in material and manufacturing at the time of shipment AND for an additional period of One
Hundred Eighty (180) days, from the date invoiced to our direct customer or the dealer’s
customer AND provided the total period does not EXCEED One (1) Year from the date invoiced
to the dealer. On parts manufactured by another vendor (i.e., motors, pumps, axles, etc.), the
parts will be subject to the original manufacturer’s warranty AFTER expiration of Barron &
Brothers International’s One Hundred Eighty Day (180) Warranty.
Barron & Brothers International’s warranty SHALL BE VOID AND NOT APPLY to any
product which has been subject to misuse (including but not limited to overloading),
misapplication, neglect (including but not limited to improper maintenance), accident, improper
installation of parts, modification of the unit, improper adjustment, or improper repair of the unit.
All parts to be warranted by Barron & Brothers International must be returned to the factory for
inspection and final disposition.
NOTE: THE PART ON QUESTION MUST BE RETURNED WITHIN 30 DAYS FOR
CREDIT TO BE ISSUED!!
Barron & Brothers International’s liability for its equipment, whether due to breach of warranty,
negligence, strict liability, or otherwise, is LIMITED to providing a replacement part(s) in
exchange for the defective part(s) AND Barron & Brothers International will not be liable for
any injury, loss, damage, or expense, whether direct or consequential, including but not limited
to loss of use, income, profit, or production, OR the increased cost of operation.
PARTS
Use only genuine Barron & Brothers International Parts!
Order them from the Authorized Dealer in your area.
When placing an order, please have available:
1. The pertinent model and serial number of the spreader.
2. The part name, part number, and the quantity required.
3. The correct street address to where the parts are to be shipped and the carrier if there is a
preference.
Shipping Damage
Claims for shortages or errors must be made immediately upon receipt of goods. When broken
or damaged goods are received, a full description of the damage must be made to the carrier
agent on the freight bill. If this is insisted upon, full damage can always be collected from the
transportation company. Please contact BBI as soon as possible after carrier is notified.
If your claims are not being handled by the transportation company to your satisfaction, please
contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-282-3570 for assistance.

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SAFETY WARNINGS
TAKE NOTE! THIS SAFETY ALERT SYMBOL FOUND
THROUGHOUT THIS MANUAL IS USED TO CALL
YOUR ATTENTION TO INSTRUCTIONS INVOLVING
YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY AND THAT OF OTHERS;
FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY
RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH.
In this manual and on the safety signs placed on your spreader, the words “DANGER,”
WARNING,” “CAUTION,” and “IMPORTANT” are used to indicate the following:
DANGER! Indicates an imminently hazardous situation that, if not avoided WILL
result in death or serious injury. This signal word is to be limited to the
most extreme situations and typically for machine components that, for
functional purposes, cannot be guarded.
WARNING! Indicates a potentially dangerous situation that, if not avoided, COULD
result in death or serious injury, and includes hazards that are exposed
when guards are removed. It may also be used to alert against unsafe
practices.
CAUTION! Indicates a potentially hazardous situation that, if not avoided, MAY result
in minor or moderate injury. It may also be used to guard against unsafe
practices.
IMPORTANT! Is used for informational purposes in areas that may involve damage or
deterioration of equipment and would generally not involve personal
injury.
The need for personal safety cannot be stressed enough. At Barron & Brothers we strongly urge
you to make safety your top priority when operating any equipment. We firmly advise that
anyone allowed to operate our equipment must be thoroughly trained and tested to prove that
they understand the fundamentals for safe operation.
The following guidelines are intended to cover general usage and to assist you in avoiding
accidents. There will be times when you will run into situations that are not covered in this
section. At those times the best standard to use is common sense. If, at any time, you have a
question concerning these guidelines, please call your authorized dealer or our factory at (800)
282-3570.

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AVOID ACCIDENTS
Most accidents, whether they occur in industry, on the farm, at home, or on the highway, are
caused by the failure of an individual to follow simple and fundamental safety rules and
precautions. For this reason, most accidents can be prevented by recognizing the real cause and
doing something about it before the accident occurs.
Regardless of the care used in the design and construction of any type of equipment, there are
many conditions that cannot be completely safeguarded against without interfering with
reasonable accessibility and efficient operation.
A CAREFUL OPERATOR IS THE BEST INSURANCE AGAINST AN ACCIDENT. THE
COMPLETE OBSERVANCE OF ONE SIMPLE RULE WOULD PREVENT THOUSANDS
OF SERIOUS INJURIES EACH YEAR. THAT RULE IS:
NEVER ATTEMPT TO CLEAN, OIL, OR ADJUST A MACHINE WHILE IT IS UNDER
POWER.
National Safety Council
SAFETY
CAUTION! If the spreader is used to transport chemicals, check with your chemical
supplier regarding the DOT (Department of Transportation) regulations
SAFETY DECALS
DECAL MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Keep safety decals and signs clean and legible at all times.
2. Replace safety decals and signs that are missing or have become illegible.
3. Replaced parts that displayed a safety sign should also display the current sign.
4. Safety Decals are available from your local dealer’s Parts Department or our factory.

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HAZARDS TO AVOID:
1. Refrain from wearing loose fitting clothing on or around this piece of machinery. There are
many places that loose clothing may become wrapped or pulled into devices.
2. Be aware of any moving parts on this machinery. Make sure that any person or persons on or
around this piece of machinery are aware of the dangers as well. There are many places
where injury may occur. Learn your unit and the dangers of it. Always use caution in the
operation of this piece of machinery.
3. Be sure that any individuals operating this equipment are trained and are aware of the
dangers of this equipment.
4. Check for rocks, sticks, or anything of solid mass that may cause bodily harm to you or
damage your unit.
5. Never attempt to work on or repair this piece of equipment while it is running. It is
recommended that the P.T.O. and/or any other power source be completely disengaged while
working on this unit.
6. It is recommended that those working around this unit remain at least 100 feet from it while
it is in operation. The fans are able to propel objects at a high speed up to this distance.
7. Use extreme caution while operating the driven portion of this unit. Its size may limit your
field of vision.
8. Never allow a leak of hydraulic fluid to persist. Hydraulic fluid is kept under very high
pressure, and may cause serious injury if it hits the facial area, especially the eyes.
9. To check hydraulic fluid level, or to add additional fluid to the system, the entire system
should be shut down.

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GENERAL INFORMATION
“The Cricket 50/60”
Pull Type Fertilizer and Lime Spreader
•Hopper Specs: 96” x 48”; 70 cubic foot capacity; 304 Stainless Steel or Carbon Steel
construction.
•Spinner Specs: 24” dished spinners driven by the PTO; Plug-to-tractor hydraulic powered
motors are available.
•Frame: Manufactured from 8” heavy-duty channel iron with reinforcement plates at high
stress areas to eliminate breakage.
•Jack: 7,000 lb., side-wind/drop-tube, screw-type tongue jack.
•Hitch: Heavy-duty adjustable clevis-type hitch.
Suspension - Single Rigid Axle:
•Axles: Extremely durable, low maintenance rigid 12,000-lb. capacity.
•Tires and Wheels: 14L x 16.1 implement tires mounted on 11C x 16.1, 6-lug heavy duty AG
type wheels.
Unit Power System:
•Hydraulic Drive System utilizing the wheel- mounted pump with a locking hub to engage.
This system is equipped with a 2-speed valve to control the bed chain.
The dual speed conveyor drive system is intended to provide a slower bed chain speed for
fertilizers and a higher rate for lime or compost.
•Connections on the unit for plugging into the remote ports of the tractor to power the
spinners.
Optional Equipment:
•Other tire and wheel options are available.
•Banding conveyor attachment in place of spinners.
Unit Conveyors (Bed Chains)
•The Cricket 50 can be equipped with one of two types of bed chain: A 1” x 1” 304 stainless
steel mesh chain or a “bar-type” chain. Each chain is 16” wide.
Spinner System:
•The Cricket 50 is equipped with twin 24-inch dished spinners with 4 blades per spinner for
an optimum spread pattern. The drive motors are “overhead” to keep spinner drive
components protected as much as possible from corrosive materials.
•A banding conveyor is also an option that includes 18” stainless steel mesh chains delivering
the material to the sides of unit instead of standard broadcast spinners.

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Cricket 50/60
Hydraulic Driven Bed Chain System
The Cricket 50 is a specialized spreader designed specifically for
vineyards and orchards. It is unique in the way the conveyor
system is operated using a hydraulic, ground speed driven
conveyor system. A hydraulic pump is integrated with one of the
hubs on the axle. As the tire rotates, the pump supplies volume
and pressure to drive the conveyor system.
Bed Chain Operation
A locking hub on the hydraulic pump allows it to be engaged or
disengaged. The hub should be set to “free” when not spreading
material.
NOTE: When unlocking the hub, as with all locking
hubs, you have to back up to fully disengage.
DO NOT LOCK THE HUB WHEN PULLING THE
CRICKET 50 AT HIGH SPEEDS!
A Two-Speed Valve located at the front of the unit is also used to
control the conveyor system. It can be shifted into three positions:
“OFF”, “HIGH”, and “LOW.” The valve should be set according to
the desired application rate. Use the spread charts supplied with the
unit to determine an approximate application rate.
The Cricket 50 also comes equipped with a dump valve connected to
a 12 v.o.c. switch to temporarily shut off the conveyor. This should
be used to disengage the conveyor system for a short period of time,
for example, when turning around or changing rows in the field.
The primary shut off for the conveyor should always be the hub.
Two-Speed Valve toggles
from high application rate
to low application rate.
Hydraulic pump drives
conveyor system. Includes
locking/unlocking hub.

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INITIAL STARTUP
Check over entire unit to be sure all guards and fasteners are in place and fasteners are properly
tightened.
NOTE: Stand clear of moving machinery. Do not load spreader with material.
1. Check to be sure that no loose parts or other material are in the hopper, on conveyor, or
on spinner. Be sure to remove any loose pieces and ensure all guards are in place.
2. Engage the pump for the bed chain by locking the hub.
3. Attach “plug-to-tractor” hoses to tractor remote ports. Be sure hose fittings are free of dirt
or other material that may contaminate the hydraulic system.
4. Open feed gate to desired spread rate.
5. Set 2-speed valve to desired position
6. Check to make certain that no one is within 50 feet of the spinners. Engage tractor
hydraulics, which engages the spinners.
7. Begin operating spreader.
DO NOT check leaks with hands while system is operating, as high-pressure oil
leaks can be dangerous! DO NOT check for leaks adjacent to moving parts while
system is operating, as there may be danger of entanglement.
8. Your unit has a self-contained hydraulic system. Check the oil reservoir and refill as
required. IMPORTANT! Change the hydraulic oil filter after the first week or 50
hours of operation.
ROAD TEST
Prior to first use of the machine, prior to each spreading season, and following any major repair
or overhaul, the machine should be road tested to verify that all systems and components are
functioning properly. Road testing may be done on any suitable course that will allow the
spreader to be driven at similar speeds to be used during spreading. The following procedure is
offered as a guide.
CAUTION! To observe conveyor and spinner speeds while vehicle is in motion, proper
safety precautions should be taken. These may include use of suitable mirrors
clamped to permit observation by a safely seated observer, following the
spreader in another vehicle at a safe distance or other suitable means. DO NOT
stand in the body or on any part of the spreader, as there is danger of falling off
of the vehicle or into moving machinery. Use great care while performing this
test.

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GENERAL OPERATING PROCEDURES
To operate the spreader, the following sequence should be observed:
1. Be sure the unit has been serviced and is in good operating condition.
2. Check to make sure the hydraulic spinners are not running and hub is unlocked.
3. Fill the body with material to be spread.
4. Adjust the tractor’s hydraulic control valve to the setting required for the material used,
based on the desired spread pattern.
5. Adjust the material flow divider to give the desired spread pattern.
6. Set the feed gate opening to obtain the desired yield.
7. Lock hub.
8. Set 2-speed valve to desired position.
9. Engage the spinners.
10. Drive at a speed that will allow you to maintain good control for the terrain.
ADJUSTING THE SPREAD PATTERN
IMPORTANT! Spinner assembly and material flow dividers have not been adjusted at the
factory. Before spreading material, spread pattern tests must be conducted
to properly adjust the spreader. THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS
SPREADER WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR MISAPPLIED MATERIAL
DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED SPREADER.
It is recommended that spread pattern tests be conducted prior to each spreading season, after
any spreader maintenance, and periodically during the season. Spread pattern tests must be
conducted whenever a new product is to be applied.
The spread pattern is affected by a variety of conditions including:
1. Spinner speed.
2. Point of delivery of material to the spinner discs.
3. The condition of the distributor fins on the spinner discs (i.e. damaged, bent, broken,
rusted, dirty, etc.)
4. Material granule size.
5. Material flow characteristics.
6. Material weight per cubic foot.
7. Rate of delivery of material.
8. Balance between deliveries to both spinner dishes.
9. Cleanliness of the spinner fins and the dishes themselves.
10. Level of spreader.
11. Wind.
Because most of these characteristics will change with each load of material being spread, a
certain amount of experience mixed with some testing will determine the adjustments needed to
obtain the spread width and pattern desired. That which follows provides some guidance on how
to read the conditions you have and how to make changes to get the spread pattern you need.
CAUTION! Contact with spinners and other moving parts is very dangerous. Please
exercise caution when working around the spreader. Stand clear of the
discharge coming off the spinners. Do not ride on a moving spreader. Do not
make adjustments while the machinery is moving. Always wear eye
protection.

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Spinners
IMPORTANT! Keep your spinners clean. The smallest amount of build-up, rust, or
anything that causes a rough surface will affect the outcome of the spread
pattern.
Spinner RPM – Spinners are powered by the tractor’s remote hydraulic ports. They are
controlled by the priority valve supplied with the hydraulic spinner system. The key to keeping
proper spinner speed is having enough oil supplied by the tractor to allow the priority valve to
maintain excess flow.
Proper spinner speed adjustment is very important in obtaining good spread patterns. Its use will
depend entirely on the material being spread. Once set for a particular material, use a marker to
label the location of the flow control lever so as to avoid having to rerun the trial and error
testing for that particular material again.
The particle size will also determine the maximum spread pattern width. The spread pattern can
vary anywhere from 25 ft for powder type materials such as lime or up to 60 ft for fertilizer
pellets.
Spinner speed will vary depending on the type of material being spread. The size and weight of
the particle determine the speed required. Too high a spinner speed will dump everything behind
the tractor. For finely powdered materials the speed will be fairly low but for large particle
materials, the speed may be very high.
Perhaps the best way to adjust the spinner speed is to observe the way material spins off the
spinner. At slow speed the material leaves the blades in bands. At medium speeds it forms wide
bands in the air, and at higher speeds the bands form into one thick blur.
DO NOT STAND ON THE FENDER WHILE THE SPREADER IS IN MOTION
Material Flow Divider
The material divider should be adjusted in conjunction with spinner speed to obtain the best
spread pattern. Moving the divider forward will increase the amount of material directly behind
the tractor, moving to the rear will decrease the same. Trial and error will help determine the
correct position most of the time. After experience is obtained with a variety of materials, the
trial and error will become less and less of an effort but never completely eliminated.
Here are some common results of spread pattern tests and how to correct them.
Pattern 1: Two heavy swaths located directly behind the spinners; material is seen blowing
over the tops of the spinners.
Cause: Spinner speed too fast, material blows over the tops of the spinners and falls to the
ground directly behind the unit.
Cure: Decrease spinner speed.
Pattern 2: Heavy on one side only.
Cause: 1. More material is being deposited on one spinner.
2. Material has collected on the divider panels.
Cure: 1. Accurately measure the position of the flow divider and adjust if necessary.
2. Keep divider scraped clean of material build-up.

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Pattern 3: Heavy in the center, no material exists ahead of fans.
Cause: Divider is too far forward.
Cure: Move divider toward rear.
Pattern 4: Heavy at outer edges. Excessive material strikes front deflector panels.
Cause: 1. Divider is too far rearward.
2. Spinner speed too fast.
Cure: 1. Adjust divider forward.
2. If adjusting divider does not fix
problem, adjust spinner speed.
Pattern 5: Good pattern
Cause: Proper spinner and divider setting
Effect: Material exits on an arc from near the
spinners to front deflector. Pattern
density tapers off to nothing at outer
10% on each side of total spread
width. Flow
Divider
Gauge
Flow Divider
Crank

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Banding Conveyor
The banding conveyor attachment is an option that replaces the spinners. It consists of two
stainless steel mesh chains that distribute material along both sides of the spreader. The
conveyors are driven by the hydraulics used for the spinners and controlled by the priority valve.
The speed of the banding conveyors will determine the distance the material is discharged.
ATTACHING THE CONVEYOR
Converting from the standard spinners to the banding conveyors is a simple task. First the
spinners and their corresponding parts must be removed. Then the conveyor assembly can be
fastened to the spreader. Here is a general guide to help in this process:
1. Make sure all moving parts have stopped and the power source has been
disconnected.
2. Remove spinner guard and flow divider.
3. Unbolt spinner motors.
4. Disconnect hydraulic hoses from spinner motors.
5. Unbolt shield from hopper.
6. Attach banding conveyor to the hopper with existing bolts.
7. Plug hoses into the conveyor motors.
8. Verify the assembly is securely fastened.
CAUTION!
Banding Conveyor replaces
spinner assembly.
When reattaching parts and assemblies to your spreader, make sure all
fasteners are tightened properly. Loose or incorrectly fastened parts can
cause damage to the equipment or personal injury!

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FERTILIZER CALIBRATION
General Factors That Affect Spread Patterns:
Fertilizer Size and Density – Large, dense particles will be thrown further than
finer materials with lower density. Even after un-sized fertilizer has been thoroughly blended,
there will be some segregation during the spreading.
Size is more important than density in determining the distance a particle is thrown. For
example, granular urea is less dense than potash or phosphate materials, but it has a larger
particle. In most cases when spreading a blend, a higher percentage of urea will be found on the
outer edge of the spread pattern.
Driving at an interval to obtain a 100% overlap will minimize the effect of segregation (See
Diagram A).
Diagram A
Application Rate and Ground Speed – These two factors combine to produce a
flow rate. Drivers should avoid situations where both factors are high. As application rate is
increased, ground speed should be lowered accordingly. When both ground speed and
application rates are high, too much material is delivered to the spinner. When this happens the
material will dribble off the spinners instead of being thrown, causing a heavy swath directly
behind the spreader. Generally, the best spread patterns are obtained when a spreader is operated
at 5-10 mph.
Driving Interval – Variations in material being spread will change the swath width of
any particular spreader. Diagram B shows the effect of driving interval on the fertilizer
distribution across the field. The Cricket is designed to run on a 30-40 foot swath spreading lime
and approximately 50 feet spreading blended fertilizers. You can vary the swath widths as you
become familiar with it and run your particular types of materials.

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Effect of Driving Interval on Fertilizer Distribution
Diagram B
(Arrows indicate the direction of travel of the spreader.)
Slope of Land – Spreading fertilizer up or down hill may cause the materials to be placed
on a different area of the spinner, thus changing the spread pattern. Spreaders with discharge
chutes extending down close to the spinners and having small openings through which fertilizer
falls on the fans reduce the variation due to slope.

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On hillsides, the spreader will throw material further down hill than up. However, this just shifts
the spread pattern sideways and subsequent passes overlap properly. It is important to divide the
flow of the fertilizer equally between both distributors. This is accomplished with a center
divider, which extends from the flow divider to the gate.
Humidity – This causes fertilizer to adhere to flow divider and spinner blades. This build-up
of material will change the spread pattern. More of a problem is the fertilizer that adheres to the
conveyor chain and is carried forward under the spreader. This fertilizer falls off in a narrow
streak and will show up as a difference in crop growth. Any build-up of fertilizer on the spreader
should be cleaned off when it first begins to form.
Wind – When the wind is with or against the direction of travel it does not offset the spread
pattern too much. A crosswind will shift the entire pattern sideways. The final pattern remains
reasonably accurate for wind up to 15 mph. Crosswinds have more of an affect on lower density
materials. Diagram C shows how wind can affect spread patterns.
Effect of Cross Wind
Diagram C

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HOW TO CHECK A SPREAD PATTERN
Spread Pattern Test Kit
The test kit used for checking spread patterns contains the following items:
•13 plastic pans (14” x 18”) with 5” sides
•13 plastic test tubes with ¾” opening
•1 test tube rack
•1 tape measure
•1 funnel
•1 weigh cup to determine weight per cubic foot or five gallon bucket
Setting up the Test Area
The test area should be 250 feet in length and as wide as necessary, depending on the swath
width of the spreader to be checked.
Use the chart below to determine the interval that the pans should be placed. A swath width
from 30’-50’ will be sufficient to check most spreaders.
SWATH NUMBER OF PANS INCHES BETWEEN
WIDTH NEEDED EACH PAN
(center to center)
30' 7 60"
35' 8 60"
40' 9 60"
45' 10 60"
50' 11 60"
55' 12 60"
60' 13 60"
Lay out test pans on a level area so the spreader can be driven into or with the wind. If the wind
is greater than ten miles per hour, a spread pattern check should not be attempted.
Position the pans so the spreader can be running at least 100’ before it reaches them and can
continue spreading 150’ beyond the pans. Place a marker at the beginning and end of the test
area as guides for the operator.
Level the pans and place them at essentially the same height. Place a marker at the center of
each pan so after the pans have been picked up they can be placed back in their original position
without measuring.

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Area requirements for a 50’ spread pattern test.
Checking the Spread Pattern
Select the application rate, which is common to your operation. To get a good spread pattern
check, 200-400 pounds per acre is adequate. For a single check, 25 pounds of fertilizer per 100
pounds per acre application rate will be needed. Potash can be used for the checking because it
is less expensive than other materials. Once the spreader is set to give an even distribution of
potash, other fertilizer materials such as urea and blends should be used to see if the pattern
differs.
When loading the spreader, care should be taken to place the fertilizer materials against the gate.
Fill the scale, included in the test kit, with material to be spread. Balance the scale on a nail or
knife to find the weight per cubic foot.
OR
If you do not have a hand held scale, simply weigh a 5-gallon bucket of your material and
subtract the weight of the bucket (or tare weight). Multiply this weight by 1.5 to get 7.5 gallons
of material, which is equal to 1 cubic foot.
The charts on the spreaders refers to material in “weight per cubic foot”
Determine the gate setting by using the chart on the side of the hopper. Note: fertilizers usually
weigh 60-65 lbs. per cubic foot and lime usually weighs approximately 90 lbs. per cubic foot.
Begin operating the spreader 100’ before the pans. Straddle each end pan with the spreader and
drive 150’ past the pans before stopping the spreader.
Using a funnel, empty each pan into its corresponding test tube.
Numerically record the amount and plot the results on the graph paper provided with the kit.

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EFFECTIVE SWATH WIDTH
There are basically three acceptable spread patterns, the flat top, pyramid and oval. With the
correct swath spacing, all of these will give a uniform rate of application throughout a field
(Diagram D).
Diagram D
When one of these patterns is obtained, further adjustment is unnecessary and the effective swath
width can be determined.
The effective swath width is the interval that a particular spreader should be driven to obtain
uniform application. Driving at an interval other than an effective swath width will result in a
non-uniform application (Diagram B). The effective swath width will vary with the type of
material being spread and the rate per acre it is applied. Spread pattern checks should be made
before different fertilizer materials are spread.