britainswomble Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 I've recently looked through the April edition of the model magazine DIECAST COLLECTOR. In it is a picture of a Universal Hobbies Krone Optimat manure spreader. This is a 1/16th scale model which would look really good behind my UH Power Major. I couldn't believe what I saw when I looked closely at the picture. They have made it with the European drawbar setup with the PTO under the drawbar. :'( Does any market use this drawbar setup any more, because I certainly haven't seen it for a long time. Vicon used to have a similar machine which came with the "continental" drawbar, but that could be reset for what I call the conventional type. It would have looked the part behind a 1/16th Power Major, but sadly as it is, its about as much use as a chocolate teapot. Incidentally, the Vicon Buffalo manure spreader was a clever idea and almost identical to the Optimat. It was relatively easy to remove the rear beaters and then it could be used as a conventional trailer or bale trailer with a bale extension and ladders supplied with it . There were extra supports for the sides to make the floor wider. It was produced in the late sixties or early seventies and aimed at the small farmer. Its worst habit was that it used to pelt the driver with stones. Has anyone bought an Optimat, and have any knowledge of whether the drawbar can be adjusted in any way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 we had a vicon bufalo on the farm, nice little spreader as for the krone, we noticed that a while back when we saw the release pics, but i guess its not worth making one version for the uk, and another for europe, so i guess it will have to be a convo for somebody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britainswomble Posted June 3, 2007 Author Share Posted June 3, 2007 we had a vicon bufalo on the farm, nice little spreader as for the krone, we noticed that a while back when we saw the release pics, but i guess its not worth making one version for the uk, and another for europe, so i guess it will have to be a convo for somebody Thanks for taking the time to reply. I used to use a Vicon Buffalo behind a Ford 3000. That must have been in the early seventies. We bought one to replace a land drive Massey spreader, and later traded it in for a Howard 100 rotaspreader. I would imagine the Krone one must date from around the same time I'll have to look for some better pictures of the Krone to see if it looks like a relatively easy conversion to modify it to a UK style hitch. The Vicon was like the Claas Rollant baler drawbar and had almost infinite adjustment so it would fit UK and European tractors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmernick06 Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Although im not a 1/16th collector and don't really fully respect the classics yet but does it really matter that the PTO is round the other side or whatever? \ It's only a model surely? \ Im not disrespecting you by the way britainswomble, just wondering \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGEL FORD Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 We used to borrow a JF like this in the late 60's with the facilities you say the Vicon had from Netherfield Place Farm and load it with their Zetor 5511 & Alo Quicke loader but with only belt drive to the beater bars at the back the heavily matted yard dung straight out of the calf rearing sheds in the spring used to jam it up something terrible. So we then maxanned (?) the dung all summer and hired a Rotaspreader in the autumn, before buying our own in later years ( we didn't have our own foreloader until '74 !!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Do any of the current range of UH 1/16 scale tractors support this type of PTO, and further more, have any of them got the European hitch?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Do any of the current range of UH 1/16 scale tractors support this type of PTO, and further more, have any of them got the European hitch?? None of the ones that I've seen so far have or do \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 None of the ones that I've seen so far have or do \ As I thought..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 no as you say jas, they are all uk spec so far, mind you i havn't seen the renaults yet ,may be its aimed at these?? we used our buffalo on the back of the 165, many great memorys of riding along on the foot plate with y grandad spreading with her, inc seeing a blackbird spyplane go right over us at about 250 m one day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britainswomble Posted June 4, 2007 Author Share Posted June 4, 2007 Although im not a 1/16th collector and don't really fully respect the classics yet but does it really matter that the PTO is round the other side or whatever? \ It's only a model surely? \ Im not disrespecting you by the way britainswomble, just wondering \ The problem is that if I wanted to display my UH Power Major with the spreader coupled to it, then it would not work. The Krone drawbar is designed for a tractor with the hitch point between the top link and PTO. If you hitch it to the tractor it will sit 'Nose down' with nothing to connect the PTO to. This design is unheard of in 1/32 and I thought this type of hitch disappeared long ago due to tractor stability problems, ie rearing up as it would do, towing from the top link mounting point. I would like to know what tractor they had in mind to couple it to, after all they wouldn't produce a Joskin trailer that couldn't be coupled to anything. Imagine it a Joskin dump trailer with the two rear wheels off the ground and a very "Nose down attitude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britainswomble Posted June 4, 2007 Author Share Posted June 4, 2007 Do any of the current range of UH 1/16 scale tractors support this type of PTO, and further more, have any of them got the European hitch?? Not to my knowledge ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1972farming Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 Has anyone tried converting one yet ? I am thinking about trying one. \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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