Mounted sprayers can be a sound second-hand buy. Most main manufacturers have been around for years so finding spares is not a problem. There are also a number of specialists that hold enormous stocks of all the parts you will ever need to bring a tired, but functional, machine up-to-date. Mick Roberts finds out what to look for.
A quick glance around a mounted sprayer reveals much about the machine. There are few complex components, and most parts are easy to reach, so inspection is relatively straightforward. First job, and one that is also a quick decider, is to check cleanliness. If the machine is crusted in streaks of chemical and generally unkempt, walk away. If the owner hasn’t even bothered to clean the machine externally there’s a good chance it also won’t have been done internally either.
Although simple in design, mounted sprayers still have many joints and hinges on the suspension system and boom. Wear in these parts is multiplied to large movements at the ends of the boom. This will result in uneven application. When first assessing the sprayer, look at the condition of all the hinges and joints throughout the machine.
Older and cheaper machines will have pins in housings without bushes. If these are worn it is likely the slack will never be removed – there’s no point.
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