# Just saw the SnowEx 8500 in person



## CTerrySGD (Nov 2, 2005)

I just stopped by my local shop to find that they had one SnowEx 8500 that they were installing. I think that this might be the answer to everyone's problems that they had with the old one. Obviously that comes with a price too as he was quoting $5300 for a new 8500. He did tell me that they only made 500 of them this year because it was a new thing for SnowEx and they wanted to see how they made out with the new design. Apparently they have already send him a few updates for it and now all of the 8000's come with two vibrators. 

After inspecting the 8500, it looks much beefier and able to handle more of a variety of material. The auger that runs down the center of it is huge! Looks like it will chop up or spit out anything that you can get through the top screen. We'll see what happens. I told my guy that I was skeptical of anything that is a first year product so it will interesting to see if anyone on here bought one of the 500 for the season and has good luck with it. If the reports come back good I will definately look for one at the end of the season if any are left or next year when they start to sell more.

Anyone that has one... please report in if you've used it good or bad!

Chris


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## THE BOSS 1975 (Nov 16, 2005)

well it is a nice design the vibrator is awsome and so is the controller but BEWARE i loaded 2000lbs of salt and by the time i got to the job i lost half of it and then later had somene call the police and say a rock fell out of the spreader and broke their windsheild b/s ..The bad side to that spreader is that you cant close the chute every bumb you loose material so keep this in mind ........


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## Bob Church (Dec 22, 2001)

*8500 Vibrators*

Did you get a good look at the vibrators on the new 8500? I'd like to know if they are black or red and if the model number on the round white label on the end of them is Z-200 with serial numbers over 04000? I know it's alot to ask. Thanks for the help.


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## rcpd34 (Jan 16, 2004)

*We'll see...*

Time will tell. I for one am going to wait. I'm tired of paying to be their test bed. The 8000 I have is a piece od ****. SnowEx offers NO customer support. Probably gonna try a Salt Dogg next time.


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## Bob Church (Dec 22, 2001)

*VeePro 8000*

rcpd34,

What's wrong with your 8000? If it's the controller you want to try one of the Omega II controllers from Karrier Company. It's designed to drive the 2 stage electric spreaders and it is the only 2 stage controller on the market with an automatic auger jam clearing feature.

If you have a flow issue Karrier makes the Z-200 vibrator that was originally used on the 8000 before Snowex knocked off the Z-200 with a different supplier. I'll bet they wish they haden't done that.

Tell me what's wrong and I'll try to help.

www.karrierco.com

Happy spreading,

Bob Church
President,
Karrier Company
Ph: 800-709-4434


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## PreFabber (Nov 17, 2002)

I wanted to let Boss 1975 and everyone else know that SnowEx has a solution to the problem. My father works for a construction company that just purchased the 8500, and yes the unit is awesome except for this problem. I told him about this issue after i read the post here and he looked out for it and it happened to him also. So, he called SnowEx directly and talked directly with their engineers. They were very happy to talk directly with a customer instead of a dealer too. Anyways, they spent the rest of today designing a solution for the problem, via a baffle, and are making it tomorrow and overnighting it. Apparently there's gonna be two different baffles, one for sand and one for salt because of their two different consistencies. They even asked if it was ok that it was to be spray painted instead of powder coated to get the solution fixed as soon as possible with another storm on the way. That sounds like pretty good customer support, sorry to rcpd34 for not getting the same. Anyway i just wanted to let you guys know that these are out there, and to contact either your dealer or SnowEx direct. Good luck to everyone.


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## rcpd34 (Jan 16, 2004)

I'm glad you guys are getting support. Perhaps they have learned their lesson. We'll see. Please keep us posted. Almost every single person I have spoken to who has has the 6000 or 8000 has been grossly disapointed. Quite frankly, they are nothing more than oversized tailgate spreaders. Even with the upgraded auto-reversing controller (which _does_ help) and a second vibrator, they slow me down and that costs me money. I have used SnowEx tailgate spreaders for years on all of my trucks and feel they are the best in the industry. It seems to me they didn't do enough R&D and field testing before they released the in bed spreaders.


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## tjlands (Sep 29, 2005)

For tailgate spreaders they are fine and worth the money but for the money
their bigger inserts 6000-8000 models are way overpriced. 
We have 2 yard Airflo stainless installed for under 3000.00.
I know several people that have the snow-ex inserts and they have problems
getting parts and service if something goes. Just be careful thats a lot of money
for the 8500


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## jax1013 (Dec 28, 2002)

*snow ex*

Hi guys
I happen to agree with rcpd34 (grossly disappointed)...i will never own another snow ex product again ..i'm thinking about donating my unit to my local school b/c they will accept it willingly, already knowing its a piece of s---!! AND I can have a tax write off. Since i didn't sell it to them, they shouldn't be too upset with me when it craps out on them in the middle of a storm. The issue of customer service....let me just say my unit was less then 2 years old when it needed its 1st auger motor. "Under warranty". That replacement crapped out and i had the 2nd auger motor installed in less than 6 weeks. I decided to call TRYNEX HQ. They said it was a design defect and sent me a piece of plastic to slip over the auger shaft. I inquired about $512 i just spent b/c of your design flaw, and informed them 1st repair was w/in the 2 year full warranty period. The outcome after 6 months of nagging and endless phone calls, i got back $378. I figured it was better to accept that check and at least get something back than nothing at all. The bottom line is NEVER AGAIN...
Best of luck, Jack


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## Mdirrigation (Dec 12, 2003)

I realy cant understand why someone wants to try and reinvent the v box spreader. The standard steel or stainless v box has been out there for over 20 years and it works. With a bit of maintenance you will get 10 to 15 years service from one . When you can buy a proven piece of equipment for 3500 dollars or buy something new to the market and unproven for 5300 dollars , the answer is obvious .


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## THE BOSS 1975 (Nov 16, 2005)

the vibrators are red and very powerful but i would think that instead of them fabing up something at last minute they should maybe have a recall and fix the problem without it being a inconvenience to the customers !!! see service is everything !!!!!!!!!


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