No matter where you spread manure, when the season comes around, you don’t have time for breakdowns. Taking care of your manure spreader through regular maintenance keeps it ready to spread each time you pull it out of the shed. 

We’ve talked to a manure spreader operator and reviewed the maintenance manual to provide a quick list of some preventive maintenance to help you get the most out of your machine. 

“There is not very much maintenance required if you just keep everything in spec and do your visual checks,” said Mitchell Field, operator of a Vermeer MS400 manure spreader and Vermeer territory manager. “It’s low maintenance, which is very nice.” 

Daily manure spreader maintenance

Like all equipment, every day you use your spreader, you should start with a quick visual inspection of the machine. Spotting a potential issue and fixing it before starting the machine helps protect both you and the machine from harm. 

Here’s some of what to inspect daily: 

• Floor conveyor chain tension 

• Floor slats 

• Missing or worn parts, cutter teeth and bolts 

• Loose hardware, bolts or lug nuts 

• Hydraulic system 

• Tire pressure  

Taking care of floor conveyor chain tension and floor slats

Maintenance on the floor conveyor chain and floor slats can be some operators’ least favorite part of the process. With his old manure spreader, Field said he had to crawl under the machine to get to the multiple bolts to adjust the chain’s tension. 

“You had manure falling in your face all the time whenever you wanted to tighten it,” Field said. “You didn’t want to tighten it, but you know you had to.” 

Vermeer manure spreaders were designed with this maintenance task in mind.  

“It has two bolts and two jam nuts on each side, and you use a Vermeer-supplied wrench to tighten it up right from the side of the machine,” Field said. “There’s not even any bending over, crawling around underneath it.” 

Same goes for replacing floor slats. 

“You do everything from the side of the machine,” Field said. “You don’t have to crawl inside of the tub to change one or anything like that. It’s just really simple.” 

Regular manure spreader maintenance

More in-depth inspections and maintenance should happen on a regular basis as well. The following lists are good places to start, but for detailed guides on each step, please refer to your maintenance manual found on the machine. 

Weekly, or every 40 service hours, you should: 

• Grease regular lubrication points 

• Inspect gearbox oil level  

• Torque wheel lug nuts 

Every 100 hours: 

• Inspect overall machine 

• Inspect condition of access ladder 

• Grease all points of machine 

Every 200 hours: 

• Initial gearbox oil change 

How to clean and prep your manure spreader for storage

Manure spreaders that are properly maintained are more likely to perform as expected and needed, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Part of proper maintenance includes cleaning. 

When cleaning your spreader, the maintenance manual recommends using compressed air or a pressure washer. 

• End of day: Scrape off material around the beaters, sidewall or lift off end gate.  

• Before storage: Complete a comprehensive deep clean to clear all mud, dirt, grease and other foreign material. Coat cylinder rods with grease and lubricate all grease fittings and floor conveyor chains. 

Optional cleanout doors are available on some Vermeer manure spreaders. Contact your local dealer to learn more about units with that option. 

Where to find more manure spreader maintenance information

Every Vermeer manure spreader comes with an operator and maintenance manual stored on the machine. To order a replacement or download a PDF copy, contact your local dealer to get connected to the VermeerOne™ platform. 

The steps listed above are a great start to practical preventive maintenance on your machine. 

“Everything is just so simple,” said Field. “From one year of use, I have not had to do much maintenance on it really. Just little stuff — it’s more preventive maintenance than anything.” 

To learn more about manure spreaders or schedule maintenance work, contact your local dealer. 

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