Pump, boom and nozzle quality are the three main areas to watch out for when buying a second-hand crop sprayer, writes

are the main things to watch out for. Too much play in the boom will mean poor distribution of chemical. Fold out the boom and measure the height of the boom at different points. Height difference should be less than +/- 60mm. On used sprayers, damage would normally occur from the boom hitting off obstacles in the field. In general though, booms are strong. Check that the break back mechanism is working. If it is seized, it can result in further damage in the event that the boom hits an obstacle. It’s also important to check if the boom pipes are firmly attached to the boom. sure all controls work properly. The electrics on a sprayer are not usually a concern, but they do benefit from minding. A spray of WD40 will drive out moisture.

Tank and Chassis

Tanks on a sprayer are generally durable. Check the frame supporting the tank, particularly for rust and cracks. On basic sprayers, all boom forces (forward and back/up and down) will affect the chassis; watch for cracks. Check that the boom suspension works. Smaller, 12m sprayers do not really need boom suspension but it is essential on 18m+ booms. If the sprayer has a winch raise or hydraulic boom raise, check that it is working properly. Also, note the condition of the roll wear pads. These prevent the boom from tilting from side to side too much.

Most sprayer tanks will be made from either polypropylene or fibreglass. Watch out for tiny fissure cracks on plastic tanks. This is a reaction to UV rays from being left outside. While these cracks can look harmless, they can develop into larger fissures. If buying a used sprayer try and get one that was stored under cover. Newer plastic tanks have higher resistresistanceance to UV rays. With fibreglass tanks, if you can detect a strong smell of chemical there is a chance that it is suffering from chemical retention. Check the condition of the intake filter as well — it may need to be replaced.