This implement, manufactured by Earth & Turf company from PA and sold through the BCS America dealer network, is a great option for reducing the labor needed to spread compost on your garden beds! This spreader features a 30” spreading width, galvanized side-panels and a heavy-duty rubber conveyor belt. The unit has 6-inch ground clearance and the distance between the spreader wheels is 36”, so it can effectively straddle raised beds if they are not built too high (5” - 6” maximum bed height).
The conveyor/agitator is driven by the wheels of the spreader via a roller chain, and the output “gate” in the front (yes, this spreader drops the material at the FRONT) is adjustable in 13 settings ranging from 1/8” to 1” thick material coverage. There is also a control on the spreader to disengage the drive wheels from the agitator/conveyor, so it won’t continue to spread while transporting the machine. This spreader works well with thoroughly-composted material (including composted animal manure), but if the material is not well-composted and still contains too much fibrous stuff (OR is too wet), performance will be compromised. Also works with granulated substances such as Sand, Calcined Clay, FINE CUT wood chips or sawdust, infield clay for baseball fields, and top-dressing fertilizer.

Expanded-Capacity kit installed

The standard volume capacity of this unit from BCS is 6.5 cubic feet (filled “level”…about 9 cu. ft “heaped”). There are “expanded capacity” kits available (see below in “prices” section) which almost DOUBLE the capacity to 11 cubic feet “level” (up to 15 cu ft. “heaped”). IMPOPRTANT NOTE: The tongue on the front of this spreader is NOT strong enough to support the weight of a person standing on it or riding on the front of the spreader!! If you damage the tongue with excessive tongue-weight, it is NOT covered by warranty!!

This spreader will fit BCS and Grillo brand walk-behind tractors with differential-drive axle and minimum of 5x10x20” wheels (wheel weights on the tractor may be required for extra traction in some conditions). Note: If you want the tractor wheels to “straddle” your beds, the tractor will need to be equipped with axle extensions of the appropriate length (see our Accessories Page for a list of axle extensions).

The TOW COUPLER accessory is required to connect the spreader to the walk-behind tractor…see below for a list of tow couplers and the tractors they fit.

NEW ACCESSORY: LARGER WHEEL KIT!!

Another Earth Tools Exclusive: To satisfy our customers’ requests, we now offer a Wheel Upgrade Kit for the BCS Compost Spreader, which increases ground clearance up to 2 inches more than the “factory” clearance!

Larger Tractor-Tread Wheel on Left;
"standard" wheel on Right

What we manufacture is a set of Hub Adapters, which allow some sizes of wheels from our walk-behind tractors to be mounted to the spreader. The spreader “standard” wheels are 16” tall x 3.5” wide; our hub adapters allow either 18” tall x 4” wide OR 20” tall x 5” wide wheels to be mounted. Also, our wheels are true “tractor tread” type, which get better traction (very important, since the spreader is “ground-driven!”). Keep in mind that for each 2” of extra wheel height, the ground clearance increases by 1” (since the axle goes “up” HALF of the total diameter difference).

IMPORTANT NOTES:
1. Since this is a “ground-driven” spreader, putting larger wheels on it will slow down the movement of the “spreader belt” mechanism by a percentage equal to the percentage of wheel size increase (for example, a 20” wheel is 20% lager than the standard 16” wheel, so the spreader mechanism will operate 20% slower). However,, since the speed of the mechanism is not the greatest “limiting factor” of the spreading volume (the “gate” opening is), this should not make much difference in performance.
2: For the larger wheels to fit, the Chain Guard of the spreader MUST be modified!! Your options for this are:
A. If you are buying a new spreader from us and you want to get the “larger wheel” option, we will of course perform the modification of the chain guard here (we charge $20 for this).
B. If you already own one of these compost spreaders and want to buy the wheel upgrade kit from us, you can take your chain guard off and send it to us FIRST…we will modify it (a $20 charge) and send it back with the larger wheel kit.
C. You can buy a new “modified” chain guard from us along with the wheel upgrade kit. (This is the most expensive option, as the modified chain guard is about $120!)
D. You can modify the chain guard yourself, if you own / have access to the tools to allow you to do it (a cutting torch, or a hand-held grinder with abrasive cutting wheel)

DO NOT OPERATE THE SPREADER WITH THE CHAIN GUARD REMOVED! This would be unsafe!

Click here for an installation video of the wheel upgrade kit

Prices for wheel upgrade shown below

BCS / Earth & Turf Compost Spreader and Accessories

• Item 921.065PT: MSRP: $2799 Earth Tools Regular Sale price: $2659
• Fits BCS 732 - 948, Grillo G85d - G131 with appropriate tow coupler below
• Requires minimum 5x10x20” wheel size on tractor (larger wheels OK too)
• May require that tractor be equipped with Wheel Weights for extra traction
• If you want tractor to “straddle” bed, Axle Extensions will be required (see Wheel Accessories page)
• Earth Tools-produced Expanded Capacity kit made with pressure-treated lumber, to increase total capacity to 11 cubic feet level / 13.5 cu. ft. heaped: Item ET EC: $70
• BCS-produced Expanded Capacity kit made of metal, to increase total capacity to 10.7 cubic feet level / approx 15 cu. ft. heaped: Item 922.65LMS: $369 $350
• Requires appropriate Coupler/s to attach to specific tractor:
• Tow coupler ET TOW COUP-SMALL - Fits BCS 718 through 739, older BCS models 725 & 735 (Also fits Grillo G85d, G107 & G110 with addition of Drawbar shown below): $95 $90
• Tow coupler ET TOW COUP-LARGE (fits BCS 749, 750, 852, 853 and older models 737, 745, 945, 946, 948 and some 605): $95 $90
• Drawbar to fit above 922.59500 Tow Coupler to Grillo G85d & G107 quick-coupling system: BP-80-GR-Q5: $65 $60
• Drawbar to fit above 922.59500 Tow Coupler to Grillo G85d & G107 WITHOUT quick-coupling system: BP-80-BOLT: $50 $45
• Drawbar to fit above 922.59500 Tow Coupler to Grillo G110: BP-80-GR-G110: $65 $60
• (NOTE: The BP-80 Drawbars mentioned in the above line items are the same ones used to attach the Aldo Biagioli brand drag-type soil-working tools, in case you have one already)
• Tow coupler 9F4712 (fits Grillo G131): $90 $85
• LARGER WHEEL UPGRADE KIT for Compost Spreader - 18” Tall, 4” wide tractor tread wheels: Item ET 0550-18”: $400 $370
• LARGER WHEEL UPGRADE KIT for Compost Spreader - 20” Tall, 5” wide tractor tread wheels: Item ET 0550-20”: $460 $425
• CHARGE TO MODIFY CHAIN GUARD (On a NEW spreader, OR on a chain guard you send in to be modified) Item ET 0550-Guard Mod: $20