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Questions on spreaders

10K views 56 replies 27 participants last post by  RigglePLC 
#1 ·
I have a new lesco dealer in my area and have started to use their products. Im in the market for a new spreader and if Im using lesco products then it makes sense to use a lesco spreader. I was wondering if spyker or earthway spreader are compareable or not? Ive see the bags of products have the spyker settings on them also. Any comments are appreciated

wayne
 
#3 ·
indyturf said:
I would highly recommend the Lesco spreader. pay the extra for the SS frame or it will only last a couple years. I have had Lesco spreaders last 15 yrs!
The Lesco spreader is the only spreader to have. They will out last any spreader on the market, and will be the last spreader you buy. We have two of them, and have never had a problem. One is six yrs. old, the other is brand new.

Good luck..
 
#5 ·
Thanx for the replies, I just wanted to check before I invested 300 plus bux into a spreader. If you can get that many years of service from a product then the cost per year is very low compared to buying a cheaper sreader and having to replace it every 3-5 years. Anyone else that has a comment please post it, I like to hear it. I thought maybe more people used the spyker brand, maybe they havent stumbled on this thread yet

wayne
 
#12 ·
Jason Rose said:
Have you scrolled down a few pages on this forum? this topic was just up a day or two ago... Consensus there was Lesco as well.
No I have to be honest I didnt search, Ive been running like a chicken with its head cut off, with all the rain we had after a dry spell, grass is wide open, and Im trying to do aerations and overseeding and the days are getting alot shorter also now. So..........I took the easy way out and started a new thread......oooooops *trucewhiteflag*

wayne
 
#14 ·
I used to use a stainless Lesco spreader. I bought it 2 years ago. I didn't like the uneven spreading pattern (among other things). I also don't like the oscillating agitator on it (this lovely agitator broke the first year).

Having said that. I've seen countless people sing the praises of Lesco spreaders and claim they're the best spreaders out there. The impression I get from these people though, is that they've never even used an Anderson SR2000 spreader to compare to the Lesco. I tried an Anderson and I can tell you that I sold my Lesco as soon as I could, so I could get an Anderson.

Like it was mentioned before. I like the wider spread pattern of my SR2000. I can also adjust this spreader according to the prill size of the fertilizer I'm spreading. It also has a rotating agitator. I've yet to encounter any clogging problems with the SR2000. Clogging happened way too often with the Lesco I had.

I've tried both spreaders and it's the Anderson SR2000 all the way for me!

Vic
 
#15 ·
Victor said:
I used to use a stainless Lesco spreader. I bought it 2 years ago. I didn't like the uneven spreading pattern (among other things). I also don't like the oscillating agitator on it (this lovely agitator broke the first year).

Having said that. I've seen countless people sing the praises of Lesco spreaders and claim they're the best spreaders out there. The impression I get from these people though, is that they've never even used an Anderson SR2000 spreader to compare to the Lesco. I tried an Anderson and I can tell you that I sold my Lesco as soon as I could, so I could get an Anderson.

Like it was mentioned before. I like the wider spread pattern of my SR2000. I can also adjust this spreader according to the prill size of the fertilizer I'm spreading. It also has a rotating agitator. I've yet to encounter any clogging problems with the SR2000. Clogging happened way too often with the Lesco I had.

I've tried both spreaders and it's the Anderson SR2000 all the way for me!

Vic
Victor could not have said it any better. I also had the Lesco spreader then bought the SR2000. Spend the extra money it is well worth it. Best spread pattern and does not clog like the lesco. I sold my Lesco spreader and will never buy another.
 
#16 ·
I've got one of the smaller SS Spyker spreaders (Model 64). Go through a hopper cable every year - POS. Spread pattern not so great either. I would pass on this model...
 
#17 ·
khutch said:
I've got one of the smaller SS Spyker spreaders (Model 64). Go through a hopper cable every year - POS. Spread pattern not so great either. I would pass on this model...
i have the sr2000, and as with my PG i lube ALL the cables w/ a 50/50 mix of atf and oil in a squirt bottle, and give'm a good lube once per week, and also lube the slides on the hopper opening w/ white lithium lube. the sr200 has millions of sqft under its belt w/o a failure, the PG is close also, and not a failed cable.
 
#19 ·
upidstay said:
You shouldn't use a rotating agitator with SCU products. Breaks the coating. Lesco's agitator "wiggle"s for a reason.
thats a very trivial statment and would be the last thing to worry about when getting a spreader... have you seen the way fert is handled while it's being loaded in/out of trucks, shipped, etc. and if that doesn't break it, then the rotating agitator is not to fear. jmo
 
#20 ·
upidstay said:
You shouldn't use a rotating agitator with SCU products. Breaks the coating. Lesco's agitator "wiggle"s for a reason.
That rotating agitator is one of the reasons I switched over to the Anderson spreader and sold my Lesco Upidstay. I got sick and tired of my Lesco spreader clogging up. Not once has my Anderson SR2000 clogged on me.

As far as SCU products being negatively affected by a rotating agitator. Do you have a link to post, that backs up that statement? You sure can't see any adverse affects in my customer's lawns.

Vic
 
#21 ·
Just heard it from a few different lawn guys over the years. I have used Lesco spreaders for years, done millions and millions of square feet. Only had them clog on me with either cheap fertilizer, old fertilizer, or from nuggets or other debris. Methylene urea has given me grief. Other than that, unless my hopper gets wet, I don't have any problems. It is very easy to compensate for the fact that Lesco spreaders throw more to the right than the left. Used to do multi-million dollar estates owned by some very finicky people. Only did them by hand with a Lesco spreader. They looked mint.
 
#22 ·
One quick story:
While on th highway, behind an unmarked competitor's truck, their new Lesco spreader flew off of the back at 65mph. It hit the asphalt, bounced twice, then rolled down an embankment. We stopped and grabbed it. Had to replace a tire and rim, one roll pin, one cotter pin, and threw a cover and deflector on it. Used it every day for the next 5 years until some idiot backed over it in the garage. And by every day I mean 5 to 6 days a week from april through november. I have worn tire treads down on my Lesco spreaders to the point they had to be replaced. Let me see ANY other spreader brand do that.
 
#23 ·
Let me see ANY other spreader brand do that.

my sr2000 does more then 6 million k year (about 6.4 to be exact) and it's been doing it for 5 years, as far as falling out of a truck, i take care of my equipment to ensure that doesn't happen.
 
#26 ·
The Anderson's SR2000 & Lesco are constructed equally well & both can survive falls from trucks. Both will last for millions of square feet with nominal maintenance & wear parts are readily available for each. I have my first Lesco spreader which is so old the hopper has the first "Golf Ball Logo" molded into the hopper & it's still going strong (23+ years - Only the hopper is original)

However the Lesco does suffer from a distinct spread pattern fault where prills fly farther to the operators right side. This has the effect of concentrating prills to the left side. The Anderson's SR2000 corrects for this error with a helical cone. This pattern error is inherent in all rotating impeller spreaders. Scott's knew this & fixed it years ago. Most experienced applicators learn how to correct for the Lesco fault but when a lawn is starting to get hungry.....we see.

I spent 10 years humping commercial spreaders. When Fitz swiped the Scott's design & put pneumatic wheels on it Lawn Care applicators thought we'd died & went to Heaven. Just getting away from the heavy fiberglass hopper was a score but those solid wheels were only good for greens. The bumps in most home lawns...Yikes.

When Lesco added large diameter wheels there was a period the impeller turned too slow for it's design. The 5:1 ratio was slower than the 13" wheels could turn the impeller. We kept this quiet & most applicators never even knew that the spread pattern problem had worsened. But some veterans knew from their own testing & trained their applicators to move a minimum of 3 mph. Even a little slower was really bad.

The new 7:1 gears finally corrected for the 13" tires but Lesco (now CTP) has never made an effort to correct the spread pattern other than to (rarely) encourage the use of the poorly engineered adjustable "third hole".

It pains me to admit this but having used both machines I must admit that The Anderson's SR2000 is superior to the Lesco overall. Lesco has a slight advantage with their sealed gears but when it goes it is expensive to replace. From every other stand point (ergonomics, quality of finish, spread quality) the SR2000 rules.

My personal "feel" for the two has changed. The new "ergonomic" handle on the Lesco feel awkward to me. Others will disagree. This is a personal thing that folks must decide for themselves. The SR2000 just "feels" nicer. I prefer my antique Ball-Logo to either but it is no longer available.

Buy the SR2000. Right now it is the best spreader made. -around $500
 
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