The traditionally pure white line of SpraCoupe sprayers just got a new coat of yellow paint, placing them firmly within the Agco sprayer family along with cousins Wilmar, Rogator and Terragator.The best news for farmers is that the latest model 4000 and 7000 SpraCoupes maintain their recent suspension upgrades.“The suspension was completely re-engineered to take the bounce out of the machine. It’s much more stable now,” said Chris Lund, marketing field specialist for AGCO.“The SpraCoupes still have the tightest turning radius in the industry, even with the front wheel assist.”Lund said there’s a huge demand from producers farming less than 3,000 acres.“Guys over 3,000 acres want 1,100 gallons and more. But the guys farming less than 3,000 acres are definitely buying new sprayers in the 600 to 800 gallon range.”He said there are more Spra-Coupes on North American farms than any other brand.“The market is obviously not going away, because Deere just introduced a new 600 gallon sprayer.”Most SpraCoupes go to row cropping areas in the U.S. and Eastern Canada, but Lund said the Spra-Coupe still has a place on grain farms. There’s a strong market in Western Canada with more acres going into corn, beans and other specialty row crops.But there are still a lot of cereal growers buying new 800 gallon machines, said Lund.The 4000 model is powered by a 125 horsepower Perkins diesel, running through either a BorgWarner five-speed manual or an Allison five-speed automatic.The poly product tank holds 400 US gallons. The available boom sizes are 60 feet, 80 feet and a combination 60/80 feet. A convenient feature of the lightweight sprayer is the optional tow bar, which allows the operator to pull the sprayer to the field with the feeder truck.The 7000 is powered by a 174 hp Perkins diesel running through a Caterpillar PowerShift transmission with six forward speeds.The standard poly tank holds 724 US gallons and the optional stainless steel tank holds 660 US gallons.The standard boom is a combination 60/80 feet and the optional boom is a combination 60/90 feet.
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Spring Spraying Tips
* Direct injection systems – Time wasted in filling or mixing chemicals and doing a full-system washout can be reduced by fitting a conventional sprayer with direct chemical injection. Comprising one to four pumps, the system dispenses chemical directly into the water stream on the pressure side of the pump. The main sprayer tank holds only clean water. The chemical is mixed with the water, either in a manifold or at the main water pump and the resultant mix flows to the booms and nozzles. * Tender in the field – Tendering in the field saves time driving to and from a water source. Make sure the tender tank allows you to fill the sprayer several times before refilling. Being able to transport the sprayer and the tendering equipment at the same time makes it a one-person operation. Sprayer tank washing takes a long time, especially if you’re meticulous about the tank and cleaning out the pipeline, filters and nozzles. A built-in tank washer speeds this process and cuts down the amount of water and rinsate to dispose of. The other advantage, particularly when used in conjunction with a second tank of clean water, is that rinsing can be done in the field without the need to return to the filling area.* Correct spray tips in advance – Understand the chemical, droplet size, surface coverage and proper application rate in advance. Then choose the spray tip that will achieve the optimal rate at the ground speed you plan to travel. If there is no recommendation for nozzles or spray quality, consider the target, the product and the risk of drift when choosing tips. * Correct calibration – Under-application costs time to reapply. Over-application costs money through wasted chemical, crop damage or carryover issues. Calibrating the sprayer the night before or while filling provides time for attention to detail before the “itch” to get into the field takes over.* New technology – GPS guidance systems allow the operator to cover a field more efficiently, avoid overlap and reduces skips. Source: Agco
