[gene_stl]

https://www.scotts.com/en-us/products/spreaders/scotts-elite-spreader

Since I have loaded Scott's MyLawn app in my phone and have generally OK opinions about them, I let them send me the proverbial promotional emails. They sent an email about spreaders including the above. I have no idea whether that is a good idea or not but I had not seen it previously so I link to it for everyones' consideration and ammusement.

 

[MasterMech]

Yeah, but will it support a Spreader-Mate? :mrgreen: (Prolly not)

I have a Scotts EdgeGuard Pro, has been a great little spreader despite the reviews.

 

[Redtenchu]

For someone with a small yard like me, this might be a decent budget minded spreader.
$99 isn't bad, but for just a bit more there are some nice earthway spreaders available. I'd need to make a comparison before I could say what maybe better. I'll just wait for my old spreader to die before I get a new one!

Thanks for sharing!

https://youtu.be/5-V6xlzL-AQ

 

[Ridgerunner]

It looks like the rotors spin counter to one another. I like that. Single spinners/rotors always throw more to one side than the other and it annoys me that I have to stagger passes to get even coverage.

 

[Topcat]

If it only had pneumatic tires. I am looking to replace my worn out edge guard. This piques my interest but the hard plastic wheels is a deal breaker. I am looking for a smoother push thru the lawn this year.

 

[Cory]

If it only had pneumatic tires.

Just bought this today at my local hardware store, it was $80, on amazon it's $99. The tires aren't pneumatic but they aren't like the cheap plastic wheels on their other spreaders. They are a foam core, with a hard rubber tread, if you squeeze them you will feel it. You could easily swap the tires if you wanted though.

They also had earthway spreaders but I chose this one because it feels just as sturdy and has edge guard that is spring loaded, none of the earthway spreaders had edgegaurd included, it's an add on. Also the cheapest earthway was almost double the cost which was the nail in the coffin for me.

 

[Green]

Looks like push lawnmower wheels. Maybe I'm optimistic?

How is the quality level? Will be interesting to see if it actually holds up, unlike their Edgeuard Pro that has plastic rotating parts that get stripped out in no time if you're spreading dense, rough materials (just about anything other than Scotts fertilizer or Milorganite).

 

[Cory]

How is the quality level? Will be interesting to see if it actually holds up, unlike their Edgeuard Pro that has plastic rotating parts that get stripped out in no time if you're spreading dense, rough materials (just about anything other than Scotts fertilizer or Milorganite).

Definitely better than my old one, haven't spread anything with it yet though. Not sure what kinda dense material you would want to put in it, I only use them for fertilizer and granular insect killers. The earthway's have plastic gears too, wouldn't go running manure or anything like that through either of them. Have had my last scotts spreader for years and haven't had a problem with it, only replaced it because it's too small for my yard now and don't like the tow behind spreader I bought.

 

[Green]

It's the vertical plastic piece that rotates that's sensitive. Lime actually broke my Edgeguard Pro last Fall. Sulfate of Potash is even heavier/larger; too dense/coarse for that spreader...I wouldn't even try it. It doesn't bother my Earthway spreader.

Thankfully Scotts sent me replacement parts.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's the vertical plastic piece that rotates that's sensitive.

FWIW. I've had the break twice. I took my 4 year old Scotts back to HD a couple of years ago and they replaced it no questions asked and w/o a receipt. New one broke a year later- rinse and repeat, but did have the receipt.

 

[Cory]

It's the vertical plastic piece that rotates that's sensitive. Lime actually broke my Edgeguard Pro last Fall. Sulfate of Potash is even heavier/larger; too dense/coarse for that spreader...I wouldn't even try it. It doesn't bother my Earthway spreader.

Thankfully Scotts sent me replacement parts.

You're talking about the agitator in the hopper? I thought you were talking about the gearbox.
The agitators on this one look to be stainless steel cotter pins

 

[GrassDaddy]

I want to get it just cuz it looks cool having two flingermabob's.

 

[Green]

The gearbox, or more precisely the vertical rotating spindle that the agitator attaches to. On the "Pro" and "Mini" models (and probably the "DLX" as well), they're plastic, and get shaved down very quickly by the materials being spread. Once that happens, it either disconnects the agitator due to fracturing of the plastic rotating part, or causes the entire assembly underneath to bend. In both cases, the spreader is broken. That rotating part (not the impeller itself) is part of the gearbox, technically, according to Scotts.

In your photo, the impellers of the agitators look like metal cotter pins, and the rotating central part of it looks like stainless steel as well...? That's the piece I'm concerned about.

 

[SCGrassMan]

https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/outdoor-grounds-maintenance/snow-removal/salt-spreaders-plows/global-174-universal-spreader-100-lb-capacity

Just ran across that... looks like actual tires and whatnot. The plastic spreader wheels, for me, don't tend to spin correctly and slip all over the place.

Giving this some serious thought!

 

[Cory]

Broke the first go round. The drive wheel has a groove on the back side and the axle has a small hole, there is a cotter pin that goes through the hole and that is what spins the axle which turns the gear box. I guess the cotter pin wasn't strong enough and sheared off. I only had 25lbs or less of 16-4-8 in the hopper. You could run a small bolt through it if you really want the spreader but I returned it, figured if it broke with 25lbs in it then it most likely couldn't handle 50. Not sure what to get now.

 

[Rp9110]

Broke the first go round. The drive wheel has a groove on the back side and the axle has a small hole, there is a cotter pin that goes through the hole and that is what spins the axle which turns the gear box. I guess the cotter pin wasn't strong enough and sheared off. I only had 25lbs or less of 16-4-8 in the hopper. You could run a small bolt through it if you really want the spreader but I returned it, figured if it broke with 25lbs in it then it most likely couldn't handle 50. Not sure what to get now.

What did you end up replacing it with. I got mine last fall and used it a handful of times. Already seeing an issue where one side is throwing material and the other isn't. Contacting Scott's to explain my frustrations.

 

[TheTurfTamer]

Broke the first go round. The drive wheel has a groove on the back side and the axle has a small hole, there is a cotter pin that goes through the hole and that is what spins the axle which turns the gear box. I guess the cotter pin wasn't strong enough and sheared off. I only had 25lbs or less of 16-4-8 in the hopper. You could run a small bolt through it if you really want the spreader but I returned it, figured if it broke with 25lbs in it then it most likely couldn't handle 50. Not sure what to get now.

I got the Elite with edgeguard and replaced the cotter pin with a bolt and it will easily handle 80 lbs.

 

[Cory]

What did you end up replacing it with.

An Earthway 2150.

it will easily handle 80 lbs.

I couldn't imagine pushing it with 80lbs in it. The tires aren't big enough to be able to push that much easily, it would be a heck of a workout. The earthway I have holds 50lbs but a 5yr old could push it with a full hopper.

 

[ryeguy]

I just don't trust Scott's spreaders. They follow the "modern" style of manufacturing where everything is plastic and it's expected you just throw it out if something breaks on it. You might be able to get a spare part from customer service, but that's a crapshoot. It isn't something you're meant to repair for the most part.

On the other hand you have something like an earthway spreader that has pneumatic tires, a metal rod to control the flow rate instead of a crappy cable (some cheaper earthways use a cable though), and has all parts available for order online. I believe the newer models all have edgeguard built in, at least mine did (the 2150 commercial).

Earthway seems more like a "buy it for life" spreader.

 

[SoilSecrets]

Mine broke a few months after I brought it.....same cotter pin that fits in the groove. The problem is that the stock pin is cheap hollow steel. I went to Lowe's and brought a solid steel replacement pin and it works fine.

This elite spreader is tough to push when filled with 50lbs of fert or soil amendment. It's a workout. But, it's not expensive for DIYers when compared to prices for really good pro model spreaders.