Vicon (now Kubota) Pendulum Spreaders

[bunchgrass]

I'm looking to buy a decent (not Chinese crap) spin spreader and saw Vicon had some that looked good. Now it appears that Kubota bought Vicon and is marketing the spreaders under their own label -- ex VS 400. Anyone have experience with either the Vicon originals or the Kubota version? Vicon had a slew of models but Kubota seems to only carry 3 that I can tell.

 

[5030]

Think I'd buy one from Agri-Supply. Much cheaper. It's a pendular spreader btw. I have one.

 

[Farmer495]

I'd go with Kubota/Vicon, good brand and they were considered the gold standard in 3pt spreaders. I run an older Vicon, very happy with it.

 

[5030]

Keep in mind that a spin spreader and a pendular spreader are 2 different things entirely.

 

[Big Barn]

We had three of the original Vicons on the farm. All the 2200 pound (metric tonne) 3 pt hitch mounted versions.

The only thing I ever replaced were the pendulum spouts.

 

[bunchgrass]

Yeah --- I should have used the right term but didn't. Spin spreaders aren't pendulum spreaders.

Anyone spread seed or gravel with the Vicon/Kubota? My Kubota dealer is trying to get me to buy a Landpride (also now owned by Kubota). None of the local Kubota dealers has any of the Vicons in stock and the salesman claims they're never sold one in this area. Guess we're a bunch of cheapskates.

 

[mjw357]

Anyone spread seed or gravel with the Vicon/Kubota?

I got lucky and picked up a used Vicon PS 203 for $150, put another $150 in parts in it, works great. I use it exclusively for spreading clover and grass seeds.

 

[Hay Dude]

Vicon makes really nice spreaders. Kubota is very busy these days buying up smaller AG-equipment companies

 

[5030]

I spread 46 granulated (prills) and seed with mine, I'd never consider spreading gravel with one. Sounds like almost instant death to me.

I have the Agri Supply model PDV 500, 500 pound capacity, Item number 76161, $2119.99. I also have their spin spreader, 672 pound capacity, P250, $499.99.

Never had any issue with either but I don't spread gravel either...lol I keep them greased and clean them out (pressure wash them inside) after I use them. 46 will destroy any spreader in short order if left inside the hopper.

Just be sure your 3 point can carry the weight of the spreader and the contents.

Neither is as you term it 'Chinese Junk'. Neither are made in China.

 

[5030]

Spreader death is always caused by lack of cleaning out the fertilizer after use. All fertilizer is corrosive on metal parts' so even if the hopper is poly, the rest of the parts are metal and prone to corrosion.

 

[5030]

Vicon makes really nice spreaders. Kubota is very busy these days buying up smaller AG-equipment companies

I don't know for certain if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I looked at their rebadged disc mower and rotary rake and candidly, I wasn't overly impressed with the build quality or the price. Not sure if that is a sound plan to get your foot in the larger ag market.

 

[bunchgrass]

Think I'd buy one from Agri-Supply. Much cheaper. It's a pendular spreader btw. I have one.

I'm not seeing that much savings by going to AgriSupply.

I spread 46 granulated (prills) and seed with mine, I'd never consider spreading gravel with one. Sounds like almost instant death to me.

I have the Agri Supply model PDV 500, 500 pound capacity, Item number 76161, $2119.99. I also have their spin spreader, 672 pound capacity, P250, $499.99.

Never had any issue with either but I don't spread gravel either...lol I keep them greased and clean them out (pressure wash them inside) after I use them. 46 will destroy any spreader in short order if left inside the hopper.

Just be sure your 3 point can carry the weight of the spreader and the contents.

Neither is as you term it 'Chinese Junk'. Neither are made in China.

PDV500 by COSMO from AgriSupply is the same unit as the PDV500 from Sundown.

Shipping from AgriSupply is over $1000 to me.

Vicon promote(d) gravel spreading as one of its uses.

 

[bunchgrass]

I don't know for certain if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I looked at their rebadged disc mower and rotary rake and candidly, I wasn't overly impressed with the build quality or the price. Not sure if that is a sound plan to get your foot in the larger ag market.

Depends on whose mower and rake they rebadged. Or are you saying they're rebadged Vicon products?

 

[5030]

Interesting. I find their ship cost to be very reasonable.

 

[bunchgrass]

Interesting. I find their ship cost to be very reasonable.

Sorry -- I misspoke. It is actually half of that $566 in shipping.

 

[5030]

Depends on whose mower and rake they rebadged. Or are you saying they're rebadged Vicon products?

Kind of like JD Pioneer hay tools are rebadged and repainted Kuhn. Last time I checked, Kubota built tractors and loaders, excavators and RTV's not implements. Why they bought Land pride first. Called expansion of market. Again, not really germane to me. I run New Holland hay tools and Unverferth tillage.

 

[Farmer495]

I don't know for certain if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I looked at their rebadged disc mower and rotary rake and candidly, I wasn't overly impressed with the build quality or the price. Not sure if that is a sound plan to get your foot in the larger ag market.

What didn't you like? I'm a NH haytool user but Kubota has a good local dealer and usually has haytools in stock on the lot.

 

[RickB]

I don't know for certain if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I looked at their rebadged disc mower and rotary rake and candidly, I wasn't overly impressed with the build quality or the price. Not sure if that is a sound plan to get your foot in the larger ag market.

Vicon was a pioneer in the disc mower market and has built probably as many disc cutter bars as anyone except maybe Kuhn. Their hay tools are generally well received and liked.

 

[Farmer495]

Vicon was a pioneer in the disc mower market and has built probably as many disc cutter bars as anyone except maybe Kuhn. Their hay tools are generally well received and liked.

I ran Vicon tedder years ago and it was decent, folded a lot easier than the manual fold Kuhn that replaced it, and I consider Kuhn to be #1 in tedders.

I saw a Vicon square baler around here years ago, was new in the mid 80s. Thought it was an oddball. I since found out Vicon bought the IH square baler tooling and was making basically a brand new IH square baler in Europe and importing it to North America.

 

[52wej]

I recently purchased a PDV 500 Cosmo from Carver Equipment in NC. Great unit. Good price. But for anyone who has one, you had better spend time at the end of the spreading season disassembling and thoroughly cleaning it. I tried the pressure washer midway and you would be amazed at how many places you will find fertilizer hidden. Fine particles build up between the flow regulating discs which are stainless steel and harden there. Everywhere I had sprayed water on the cast pieces, there was rust.

I have concluded that it is best to use a leaf blower and or shop vac to clean out what is left at the end of a day's spreading. Then disassemble by removing the plastic cover over the pendulum mechanism when spreading season is finished. If it is washed once the plastic covers are removed then it should dry without too much problem. It takes about an hour to clean and reassemble, though I waited longer until everything was dry before reassembling because I washed the stainless discs and the cover to remove the fine dust. And I thoroughly greased everything, spraying water dispersant on the rusty areas, and put anti-seize on any exposed threads. W Jones