Front-Mounted Spray Boom Improves Visibility, Accuracy

Front-Mounted Spray Boom Improves Visibility Accuracy SPRAYING Miscellaneous “I bought a Schabin 3-point sprayer with an 80-foot boom a few years ago and after the first day of using it decided I was going to unscrew my neck trying to operate it ” says Oregon farmer Phil Rathbun “I went to my shop drew up some plans then found some scrap metal and built a mounting system that moved the boom to the front of the tractor Now I can see both ends of the 80-ft boom and spray my fields without looking back ” Rathbun mounted the spray boom to his Deere 8310 using the bracket that holds the tractor weights He added lateral bracing that attaches to the tractor frame Another alteration was to exchange the end sections of the boom so their breakaway was toward the tractor rather than forward The entire boom raises and lowers about 3 1/2 ft on the original sprayer frame Rathbun mounted the 400-gal spray tank on a 3-pt platform that rides behind the tractor “I used that arrangement which puts weight behind the rear wheels rather than adding saddle tanks and extra weight in the middle of the tractor ” Rathbun says “We’re spraying potatoes so we’re running between the rows and need to equalize weight distribution as much as possible ” Liquid is delivered to the spray boom through a hydraulic pump and a Deere rate controller which turns the boom off in 9 different sections to eliminate overlaps on point rows “The only problem I experienced with the whole setup was the fact that my 8310 didn’t have independent-link suspension so the boom would start bouncing and dog walking when I was turning ” Rathbun says “That problem went away when I mounted it on the front of my Deere 8530 ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Phil Rathbun P O Box 929 LaGrande Ore 97850 ph 541 805-1780; jdeere247@yahoo com

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