Chapin 8620B 150 lb Tow Behind Spreader with Auto-Stop, Red 8620B 150 lb Tow Behind Spreader with Auto-Stop

Other than one assembly snag, this was easy to assemble, and is a well made piece. What's more, it works wonderfully!After MAJOR excavation, I was in a race against time to seed two acres of pasture and 1/4 acre of lawn, because the seasonal rains were to start within hours and there would be no seeding once they did- the clay would be too gooey and slippery. The spreader arrived THAT day.Assembly was straightforward with one exception- despite their best efforts, the assembly instructions did not adequately describe how the side braces are in one position for shipping (to achieve compactness) and need to be rotated 180 degrees to be put in position for assembly.I read the reviews that criticized the spreader for tipping on slopes, and decided to only fill it halfway at a time because I had no room for error. I had some steep slopes where I was able to traverse laterally and even do u-turns without incident, and the surface was not smooth. And there was one very steep slope where I thought it would tip for sure, but it did not.While it is a small nuisance to get off the garden tractor to change the drop rate, the adjuster has substantial detents for each increment of flow and absolutely stays in place. I completed my seeding in the near dark about an hour before the rain started!Several weeks later, we had enough of a break in the rain that I saw a window of opportunity where I could spread fertilizer. I had a couple of old bags of 16-16-16 laying around and figured I'd spread that (pretty large granules). Well, I didn't realize that the bags merely being open enabled them to absorb enough moisture for the granules to stick together! The agitator could not adequately break apart these clumps and the fertilizer would not drop through the hole. At first, I thought the spreader was failing me. So I went to the feed store and got two more bags, and the spreader distributed that perfectly. So maybe not perfect at breaking up damp-ish clumps but I don't fault the device for that.The stop/start feature worked *fairly* well but not perfectly. FAR better than not having it at all!I previously had a Brinly tow spreader and what a pain! Despite being quite mechanical, I could not figure out a reasonable solution to hold the control for dispensing rate in one place! And even though it had an adjustment handle, it was not easy to reach without getting off the tractor anyway.In short, I am so happy with the Chapin that I won't dock even a half of a star for assembly challenges or the lack of a way to adjust from the driver's seat. Don't keep looking- just buy this- you won't regret it.

I first bought the Agri-Fab 45-0530 and was disappointed. It's very cheaply made, especially the key part: the flow control mechanism. So I shopped and found the Chapin, which is almost twice the price.However, everything about the Chapin 8622B tow spreader is significantly superior to the Agri-Fab 45-0530. It’s like comparing a Yugo to a BMW. The Chapin is solid as a rock; really heavy duty constriction, made to last. It’s farm grade.When unpackaging, I examined the parts closely with glee. I kept hearing my Dad’s voice in my head saying, “You get what you paid for.” Yep. The frame, wheels, tub, and above all the two most critical parts -- the mechanism to adjust the volume, and the gearing mechanism -- are pro or farm grade construction. See the product image showing the cast metal gears; the gear housing even has a nipple to add grease. That seems like a small thing, but it's not. It an indication of quality engineering and design to last, not "planned obsolescence" as with so many throw-away products these days.Quite conveniently, it was nearly all assembled out of the box, also unlike the Agri-Fab. With the Chapin, I only had to assemble the tow assembly. It took 20 min. A customer wrote a review in April, 2023 complaining about the assembly difficulty. That certainly wasn’t my experience. A photo from a different reviewer, Doug, from June 5, 2019, shows how few parts there are to put together. If someone can’t figure that out, they probably have difficulty installing a light bulb. I agree with the rest of Doug's review too. Even the bolts and little parts come neatly packaged and labeled, not jumbled willy-nilly in a plastic bag, as his picture shows.I’ve used it twice on a 5000 sq ft lawn area and it works perfectly. When you stop, the flow of material automatically stops. To be sure, you have to get off to make adjustments to the flow if needed. And you have to set it to zero if you want to drive without material being spread. But I’m OK with that. The Agri-Fab does allow one to remain seated and try (TRY!) to make adjustments, but the Agri-Fab’s control mechanism is such a cheap piece of junk that doesn't work as intended. You can see how cheap the Agri-Fab is just from looking it after buying. It isn’t worth it.The Chapin also comes with a cover for the tub (nice!) AND notice the shape of the tub itself. Another example of clever attention to engineering detail. It’s not rectangular; it has a pointed middle so that you can just tip it over forwards and pour out any remaining content into a box or bag. Love It. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

It is difficult to put together as the directions tells you to loosen a bolt but does not tell you to move the angled support to hold the handles. Can't wait to try it out. Damn rain!

I have used other spreaders from my neighbours but they were a hassle to start and stop. This Chapin unit caught my eye and the reviews were great (except the ones from dumb users who don't understand physics). I have a Chapin backpack sprayer and it is fantastic 7 years old and no signs of wear. You fill the hopper and go, there is no spilling while it's filled and none when you stop. It is well made and easy to assemble.

We spread 1000’s of lbs of Fertilizer/Lime. Always used John Deere ..decided to purchase a Chapin due to the fact of the none flow when stopped Big mistake. Going to try to return. Spreader is too bouncy. Already flipped it twice Spread adjustments very difficult to manoeuvre … screen not included. Which causes poor flow due to possible lumps getting caught and finally wheel base is too short

I have 1.5 acres and this is perfect for me , doesnt spill , super solid even in hills , would highly recommend !!

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