Y’all, I need some help. I think this spreader is possessed. It’s pretty much brand new so in theory it should work perfectly, right? Hahahahahaha. Nope.
Day 1, works fine.
Day 2, apron chain pops off. BO’s hubby talks me through fixing it (um, it’s still loose that is weird).
Day 3, all good, but I’m being super stinking uber careful.
Day 4, apron chain off again, but now it’s the harder to reach sprocket–have to call BO at another farm that I sit for to help me get it back on–but now I know how to take off the side panel and reseat the sprocket which was coming apart–literally. The bolt/nut holding it together were not even remotely tight so it was wobbling like me after posting bareback.
Day 5, starts out great, spreads 2/3 of the manure and then the PTO is spinning, I can see the apron chain spinning (loosely, but it’s going!), but nothing is coming out the back. Hmm. I turn it off, clean out the beaters and paddles, make sure the whole assembly isn’t jammed/clogged. Turn it back on, PTO/apron chain are happy clams. Nothing happening with beaters/shredders/paddles nor is the bed moving at all. Huh. I turn it back off (completely!) and use my hands to pull out any hay that might be causing problems–gross, but whatever. Turn it back on and I get the spreader middle finger. :mad:
Give up and manually fork out the rest of the manure.
Help. This spreader is still shiny it’s so new. Apparently it’s been a problem from the day they bought it. Did they mention it to me before leaving town? Nope.
ABI website says there’s a money back guarantee which is fabulous for the BO, but I’m stuck there for 2 more days and I need poop management help that doesn’t involve me wheelbarrowing ALL the pooplets manually. I’m old. I’m injured. And I’m so freaking tired. I had no idea what I was walking into and I just want to cry. I’m not a crier. Well, that’s not true. I can’t watch those darn sad rescue animal commercials or Hallmark movies. But I’m tough cookie when it comes to farm work. I am treating this thing so gently that I could sip mimosas while spreading and I wouldn’t even get bubbles up my nose. Why does it hate me?
I read on one of the various equipment forums that a new spreader is more temperamental than a hay elevator. I didn’t know that ANYTHING was more temperamental than a hay elevator. I’ve been driving tractors since elementary school. I’ve used heavy farm equipment often. I’ve bush hogged and box bladed and dug holes and used spreaders. I’ve not been covered in this much grease in 10 years–cumulative. Help.
