# Spreader Mate Options



## mdmack (Aug 21, 2018)

A buddy had an old 80# lesco with a busted gear box that he was going to throw out so I grabbed it to make a sprayer out of. Since I already have a spreader and wanted a sprayer I talked myself into buying the spreader mate. This was a tough pill to swallow at $829 already and then I find out it doesn't come with a charger (I have other chargers, but its sort of the principal of the thing) and they want almost $100 shipping so this thing ends up at roughly $1,000 :shock: and I still will probably have to buy more teejet nozzles. I understand its not a small piece of equipment to ship, but it just seemed pretty excessive to me for a product that is already priced at a premium.

I have seen some of the DIY threads etc. and I am completely capable of building one, I just don't really have the time with a 1 1/2 year old, and another on the way. So my questions are.

1. Is the spreader mate exclusive to Gregson Clark (I am assuming so based on my research)
2. Is there any other good options on the market to save a little coin? 
3. Is there any kind of discount code or free shipping code or something to stop the bleeding?


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## adgattoni (Oct 3, 2017)

1. Yes
2. No
3. No

They've basically got a monopoly on this sort of thing.

You could try the Chapin 24v push spreader, but IIRC it only has a single nozzle and is already about $400. I thought about getting it and adding a boom, but the pump probably isn't designed to push the volume for more than the single nozzle.

The other thing I thought about doing was getting an Earthway style spreader and mounting a pump assembly on top of a 5 gallon bucket lid. Then you could mix up several 5 gallon buckets, drop a bucket into the Earthway hopper, and hot swap them when they run out.


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## ThomasPI (May 18, 2019)

I have also searched and not anything I can find like it and yes a lot of coin. One thing to keep in mind is that due to the higher center of gravity, the unit has the proclivity to topple over and it'll go forward every time and there is a likelihood it'll bend the boom. I'd look into a kick stand of sorts to avoid such issues.


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## mdmack (Aug 21, 2018)

adgattoni said:


> 1. Yes
> 2. No
> 3. No
> 
> ...


I looked at the chapin, but I already have the 80# spreader, and if I am going to have to do the work to add a boom I might as well just build one for the Lesco.


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## mdmack (Aug 21, 2018)

ThomasPI said:


> I have also searched and not anything I can find like it and yes a lot of coin. One thing to keep in mind is that due to the higher center of gravity, the unit has the proclivity to topple over and it'll go forward every time and there is a likelihood it'll bend the boom. I'd look into a kick stand of sorts to avoid such issues.


Good word, definitely will look into this if i end up biting the bullet on the spreader mate.


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## adgattoni (Oct 3, 2017)

mdmack said:


> ThomasPI said:
> 
> 
> > I have also searched and not anything I can find like it and yes a lot of coin. One thing to keep in mind is that due to the higher center of gravity, the unit has the proclivity to topple over and it'll go forward every time and there is a likelihood it'll bend the boom. I'd look into a kick stand of sorts to avoid such issues.
> ...


There's also a 1 year warranty on the spreader mate. Plus due to the lower center of gravity on the spreader mate, you're looking at a more comfortable ride as well. Operator comfort is something to consider when pushing 75 pounds of liquid, and would aid in getting a more even distribution. Just a few of the reasons I am still on the fence about DIY vs. the Spreader Mate.


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## ThomasPI (May 18, 2019)

For the coin difference I'm leaning to the Solo 433 and set that up like @Greendoc did. I found a little info here but a Google search turned up more. It's a gas powered sprayer and it'll be heavy as would pushing around a Spreadermate. No easy out.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

It's fair bit of cash for sure. I love mine, wouldn't do it any other way unless it was a full DIY build, which would likely cost more knowing me. The versatility of the boom is unmatched, and it's built very strong, it'd take a lot to really hurt it.


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## Babaganoosh (Apr 21, 2019)

I would never pay a grand for a drop in insert for the lesco. You could buy a tow behind for around 300 and rip all the parts off it and then slap together something to attach to the lesco. You can probably find a small tank somewhere and possibly sell the bigger tank to get some cash back. Or just start with ordering all the parts you would need (might be more expensive than buying a tow behind sprayer).

Failing that the Chapin would be a good bet. Fix the lesco and sell it. Or just sell it if you go that route. Or even use it for granular. I have a tow behind sprayer but still use my spreader on occasion.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Babaganoosh said:


> I would never pay a grand for a drop in insert for the lesco. You could buy a tow behind for around 300 and rip all the parts off it and then slap together something to attach to the lesco. You can probably find a small tank somewhere and possibly sell the bigger tank to get some cash back. Or just start with ordering all the parts you would need (might be more expensive than buying a tow behind sprayer).
> 
> Failing that the Chapin would be a good bet. Fix the lesco and sell it. Or just sell it if you go that route. Or even use it for granular. I have a tow behind sprayer but still use my spreader on occasion.


The kicker is that the GC-SM is a custom tank that fits the Lesco like a glove. And no $300 tow-behind that I've seen is going to offer a 3.5-5gpm pump like the Spreadermate does. Especially with the 5 gpm pump, tank agitation is excellent on the SM, even with 4 red nozzles in it. Any DIY drop in is going to have the tank sitting high in the hopper too, raising the CG and making the rig that much harder to handle. What made it worth it for me was that the GC came with ALL of the bits I was looking for like the folding boom, individually controlled nozzle bodies, agitation, and a decent hand wand. I couldn't see myself piecing together an equivalent rig for less money and as a bonus, I have one of, if not the best, spreaders for fertilizer apps.


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## Babaganoosh (Apr 21, 2019)

MasterMech said:


> Babaganoosh said:
> 
> 
> > I would never pay a grand for a drop in insert for the lesco. You could buy a tow behind for around 300 and rip all the parts off it and then slap together something to attach to the lesco. You can probably find a small tank somewhere and possibly sell the bigger tank to get some cash back. Or just start with ordering all the parts you would need (might be more expensive than buying a tow behind sprayer).
> ...


The way I see it is that a person gets a push sprayer because they don't have a very big yard. Obviously not tiny because then a backpack would be a no brainer there. So if you have a smaller yard then you don't want a boom that's 4 nozzles wide. That means you don't need a 5 gpm pump either. That's what? 80 inch boom? Great for bigger areas but not smaller yards (depending on how they are landscaped). Maybe that's why the boom folds in and has individual shut offs?

Lesco spreader and the spray kit is coming in at around 1500 if you pay full price for everything. Might as well by a used zspray and have a blast.

I got this lesco spreader a few weeks ago. Did an engine swap and the whole thing cost me 150 bucks including the new/old motor. Putting a sprayer in this would be pretty cool.

I'm probably going to sell it actually. It is fun to use though.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

@Babaganoosh I was on the fence when I was shopping. I have 20K, pretty open but there is a fence and landscaping in the plan. If it was going to stay open, I would have built a mounted rig for the lawn tractor. But then I know that would have been way too big once the landscaping happens.

I am so tempted to do a power unit, but I have enough money in my spray gear for sure. :lol: but it would help so much with the slopes and sprayer calibration....


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