Fleming Mini Muck Spreader: comments?

[David, Surrey UK]

I'm considering getting a Fleming Mini Muck Spreader for use with my newly bought Massey Ferguson 135. It's a bit of an unconventional design. This is the only photo of it I can find (sorry about the poor quality, it's from the Fleming website!): :roll:

http://www.fleming-agri.co.uk/Images/Products/Mini%20Muck.JPG

(Sorry I can't insert the photo or an active link, the forum software says I'm too new here. You'll have to copy/paste the address.)

It takes a cubic yard of manure, which will be OK for my purposes, and it fits directly onto the 3-point hitch and PTO drive. It has no wheels, so you can put down to ground level for loading (manually in my case) then raise it for transport and spreading. Apart from that it's a conventional side-exit spreader as widely used here in the UK. I'll be using it for horse manure only.

The only problem I can see is that it's a bit too close to the tractor for comfort -- I don't fancy getting hit on the back of my head even if it is soft stuff! -- but there seems to be a built-in deflection guard that could be extended if necessary. 8)

What do you think? Any disadvantages you can see? :?:

David

 

[Anonymous-0]

I dont know, looks like alot of weight hanging on the back of a tractor. A Massey 135 might be too small to handle the weight, front end stability could be a serious issue with a full load.
On a side note, I wish barrel spreaders were still available here in the U.S. Simple design and worked good for sloppy dairy cow manure. Just had to keep the flail chains shortened.

 

[onefarmer]

here it is

 

[David, Surrey UK]

(quoted from post at 12:45:25 08/13/07) I dont know, looks like alot of weight hanging on the back of a tractor. A Massey 135 might be too small to handle the weight, front end stability could be a serious issue with a full load.

You could be right.

Let's do some sums. :idea:

The unladen weight of the spreader is 200kg, or 440lb. It takes a cubic yard of manure. According to web pages I've found, the density of horse manure is about 50-60lbs per cubic foot. But this must be referring to fresh droppings; water is 62lb/cu ft, and my experience is that consolidated rotted manure doesn't float. So let's guess 70lb/cu ft (I should really go and weigh a bucket full!). That adds up to 2,330lb gross when fully loaded.

I can't find a figure for the maximum loading of the MF135's 3-point hitch -- maybe someone knows? -- but I've seen a figure of 3,645lb for the tractor weight. The loaded spreader would be 64% of that.

The other factor is that the spreader sticks out a long way -- it'll exert a lot of leverage.

So I think you're probably right and I need to go for one with wheels.
Thanks for your help!

David

 

[David, Surrey UK]

I ordered one of these instead. Funnily enough, it's also called Mini Muck.

David