Modern top dresser units have enough design variation within them to make selecting the right one perhaps more involved than it may at first appear. Here we take a general look at what is on offer using the broadcast Dakota range from Campey Turf Care Systems as an example.

When considering a top dresser, the first job is to choose between the two main design types; those that broadcast using spinning discs and those that 'drop' the material to a spread width determined by the width of discharge.  Both design types have their merits.  With a broadcast design you can vary the spread width, with some models spreading to 16.0m dependent upon material and the capacity of the unit in question. The Dakota range have the ability to narrow the spread down to around 3.5m or less if the aim is to discharge in a 'windrow'.  A 'drop' discharge unit works at a fixed width and, once the desired application rate has been determined by the rate of flow from the hopper and the forward speed, it should be relatively easy to match each bout pass. These machines are ideal when spreading over areas where the material needs to be tightly contained. The design is also well suited to adopting for pedestrian units.

Where wide areas need to be covered, productivity will typically increase using a broadcast machine.  For some jobs, such as top dressing a golf green, some users will set the unit to dress the total area in a single or dual pass. This can save a great deal of time. The appeal of a machine that can spread material wide needs to be countered by the requirement or ability to accurately match bouts at these widths.  Once the type of machine has been selected, other top dresser points need to be considered, with the need for added versatility often helping to make choosing a given design easier. As an  example, several higher capacity trailed machines can be readily converted into a bulk loader, the addition of a rear
conveyor allowing them to discharge directly into a smaller spreader, trailer, a bunker or even into a heap or windrow on the ground.

On trailed models, the variety of wheel and tyre options to consider varies too; some designs favour a relatively narrow track but with four wheels across the width of the dresser body. Others adopt a conventional axle with wide flotation rubber.With
the Dakota range, you can choose between either type, a fifth-wheel design for use with turf trucks adding to the choice on offer.  On smaller models, both mounted and trailed, there may be a choice of an integrated power unit. (These are not offered by Campey Turf Care in its Dakota range). These 'self-contained' models can often be used in conjunction with  equipment that would otherwise not have the power, hydraulic flow or PTO to drive a spreader but are otherwise ideally
suited to top dressing and spreading duties.

Next up are hopper capacities. It is all too easy to assume that a large trailed top dresser will be too heavy.  A key issue is that there are no rules to say a nominal 3.0m3 capacity machine needs to be fully loaded. On really sensitive turf, a 'big' top dresser filled with 1.0m3 of material may offer a weight footprint that is less than a smaller machine with the same load
on board.  This leads on to the issue of tyre types and inflation pressures.  Without getting into the complex territory of