Anyone know anything about Vicon Spreaders?

they are great for wide, large areas. Golf courses like them (they claim the pendulum is better than rotary for calibration, consistency, etc). For a small plot, probably not exactly the best. They are some of the most expensive 3pt spreaders.

I have one, works fantastically, very accurate application. Mine will throw grass seed maybe 15 feet wide? Pelletized lime it will throw about 40 feet wide.

Check it over, if it has the rubber donut at the PTO connection, it seems to be a wear part. 400 bucks is pretty good if it's in good shape and it works.

I've not used this website, but intend to for parts: Pendulum Spreaders and Parts

Wow. They’re proud of their parts. That’s for sure…..

Gonna try to go look at it on Saturday.

Looks rust free in the pics, but pics can be selective.

The spout is missing in the pics but the seller says he has it. Replacements are a few hundred bucks.

I am not picky here as I’m overseeding or planting food plots. Not actual farming or agriculture.
Entry pricing for new spin spreaders is about $600 so if I can stay under that I’m happy.

A little Google-Fu tells me I'm looking at a PS203. Pics aren't fantastic, but nothing is obviously inoperable.

Gonna go give it a look tomorrow (8/14). I figured my look-for's are (in no particular order):

-Any rust that is beyond cosmetic
-Spout moves/actuates
-PTO shaft is in working order/present

Anything else I need to think about/check for?

I now own it!

Seems to be in working order. I have it apart to knock rust off some of the hardware and fluid film that stuff and reassemble.

Only “problem” I found was that the open/shut gate was disconnected from the operating lever. While it’s apart to reconnect that, I’m just tidying things up.

There is some corrosion but superficial and I’ll keep it indoors when not in use. That should slow the rust down that I don’t get to. Everything moves freely that should.

The pto shaft may be a smidge long for the 1025, but I can fix that if it comes to it.

Overall I think I got a solid working tool.

Well...looks like I got me a project.

It's not a lemon, but it needs some stuff.

Notably, the lever/plate to release material or stop the flow has some issues. So does the spout, but the feed gate lever is most critical.

I've been wire brushing bolts and cleaning and reassembling it, and it seems like it will mechanically work well if I can resolve the feed gate on/off issue. The spout i got with it is kinda confusing me, but worse comes to worse, I can buy a new spout.

Not sure how to get answers on the feed gate/lever system, though....that one is kicking my butt.

tddeangelo said:

Well...looks like I got me a project.

It's not a lemon, but it needs some stuff.

Notably, the lever/plate to release material or stop the flow has some issues. So does the spout, but the feed gate lever is most critical.

I've been wire brushing bolts and cleaning and reassembling it, and it seems like it will mechanically work well if I can resolve the feed gate on/off issue. The spout i got with it is kinda confusing me, but worse comes to worse, I can buy a new spout.

Not sure how to get answers on the feed gate/lever system, though....that one is kicking my butt.

Click to expand...

Do you have pictures? What's the issue specifically?

Still learning the terminology.

It appears to be the regulator bar that's the biggest issue I'm facing at the moment. I'll go grab some pics though and get them posted to show what's going on.

The regulator bar (where you turn that white threaded knob to adjust the feed rate) is the core of the issue.

Push the operator lever too far towards "close" and the regulator gets disconnected from the feed gate.

Also, it won't stay in the closed position (which requires the operator lever to be pushed away from the operator and "up"). Gravity it pulls it back down and opens the feed plate.

I'm certain this is fixable. I just haven't learned what I gotta learn yet....lol

Here's a manual I found, maybe this will help

It looks like it must need a pin to secure the feed plate to the arm, is there a hole in the arm on the feed plate? As far as the gravity issue, it looks like there's a bolt underneath that goes through the center of the feed plate that might be able to stiffen up the action.

I thought the same on both counts.

Parts diagrams show no pin for that arm. It seems almost like it’s misaligned. If I pull out on the operator control lever it mounts to, and then twist it slightly as well, it puts that regulator arm in such a position that it can’t come off the key hole fitting it engages. It also movefreely and without snagging.

I’m wondering if that lever got a little tweaked at some point and needs to be realigned.

I also tried tightening up the pivot points to no avail. All have bushings. I think some nylon washers may do the trick though.

I also did learn that there is a mount needed to attach to the spreader to put the long spout on. A short one is bolted on now. There is a quick change style mount for the longer spouts. I found that and the spouts on eBay for reasonable prices. Ish.

Once this feed regulator is resolved, I’ll have to trim the driveline to fit on the 1025 and we’re in business.

Nylon washers were 100% a success. All seems to be good to go. Regulator plate and arm are working as desired and expected. Gonna hook 'er up and check the driveline length. Most likely it'll need to be trimmed.

About the only thing needed at that point will be a mount bracket to put the long spout on, and possibly a fine material plate if I want to plant something like clover/turnips/etc for food plots.

Are the long tubes coming off the bottom and extending backwards something that has been added on?

It appears so. The Vicon’s all have some sort of guard there and my bet is it was put there for use with taller ag tractors so the spout doesn’t go in the dirt when lowering the implement for removal.

If they are an issue, they will go away. I figured I’d run it first and see how it works. If they cause an issue it won’t take much to shorten or remove them.