Self-Propelled Sprayer Built From 1-Ton Truck

Self-Propelled Sprayer Built From 1-Ton Truck SPRAYING New Sprayers 26-3-12 "It has all the features found on modern commercial self-propelled sprayers, but I built it myself for only about $20,000," says Bob Wood, St. Pauls, Ontario, about the self-propelled sprayer he built on top of a 1-ton GM 4-WD truck frame. The one-of-a-kind rig is equipped with a 500-gal. tank and 60-ft. boom and rides on 8-in. wide, 42-in. high wheels set on 90-in. spacings. The 5-section boom mounts on a subframe that Wood bolted onto the truck's frame. The sprayer pump is direct-driven off the truck pto. Power is provided by the truck's 6-cyl. 292 cu. in. gas engine and 5-speed transmission. He used sheet metal to build a hood over the engine. The cab is off a Massey Ferguson 750 combine and has Hardi sprayer controls mounted inside it. "I use it to apply herbicides to corn, soybeans, and wheat on about 1,500 acres per year. It works great," says Wood. "I built it because I had been using a pull-type, 40-ft. sprayer and wanted a wider boom. I also wanted the protection of a cab, but my tractor didn't have one. I paid $2,500 for the truck and about $10,000 for the boom. The truck was five or six years old and had a lot of miles on it. The wheels were designed for a high clearance sprayer and are new, as are the tank and boom. "There's 2 1/2 ft. of clearance under the axles. I generally drive in low range and use a rate controller to automatically compensate application rates for varying ground speeds," notes Wood. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bob Wood, Rt. 2, St. Pauls, Ontario, Canada N0K 1V0 (ph 519 393-6796).

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