Amazone ZA mounted twin-disc fertiliser spreaders have been around for decades, with the ubiquitous ZA-M spearheading the firm’s 24m plus spread width range from 1990. Subsequent 36m ZA-M (still on sale new) and 48m ZA-M Ultra models continue to be widely available on the pre-owned market at prices of £5,500 for decent examples of the latter. Yet it’s the newer and less common ZA-TS models, which started to sell from 2013, that we consider here

Although Amazone trialled its first ZA-TS spreader in the UK back in 2011, with a further five test machines coming over in 2012, it was not until 2013 that these models, with their advanced spreading system, started to sell in any numbers. A couple of years later the 36m ZA-V models were launched.

These have a higher capacity than the existing ZA-M, and will be a rare used find. It is worth understanding the similarities between these later models as, at first glance, a ZA-V spreader can look to be pretty similar to an equivalent capacity ZA-TS.

Both model ranges share the same hopper design with capacities of up to 4,200 litres and can be fitted with either a Super Cat II only or Ultra Cat II/III headstock. There is also the same choice of Tronic pto or Hydro hydraulic disc drive; initially, the Hydro spec was standard on the ZA-TS. Note: Though not covered here, the ZG-TS spreader is essentially the trailed alternative to the mounted ZA-TS and shares the same respective spreading systems. So much of what applies to the mounted machine will be applicable to the trailed equivalent. These trailed models have hopper capacities of up to 8,200 litres.

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