# Leaving salt in a v box between storms



## MatthewG (Jun 16, 2009)

Would anyone comment on leaving salt in a v box between storms. I don't have a v box so I'm curious if this is OK or would it harden or rust faster. Obviously I would tarp it, but the truck would probably be outside.

Just thinking ahead to next year, load 2 scoops in the box, spread only one scoop per storm, you get my drift


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## ford6.9 (Aug 17, 2006)

Bad idea unless you like chipping out frozen salt. Even with magic salt you can have it freeze up.


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## bristolturf (Dec 20, 2008)

It really all depends on how your salt is. Does it have a lot of moisture or is it dry. think about it, salt is stored outside under a tarp and doesnt freeze. The problem occurs when you move it from indoors in a heated area back to outdoors and dont spread it. then it freezes. If you have indoor storage then put it there if not, keep it outside. But dont keep swtiching between the two with the same load. 

Brickman does a hospital by me, and they go load up day before the storm usually, early am (i see them when I head to the shop) and then they park the truck outside overnight. And they are spreading it then. They could go fill it up 7 AM monday morning, and not spread until 12pm on tuesday afternoon.


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## bigal426 (Jan 16, 2011)

MatthewG;1208919 said:


> Would anyone comment on leaving salt in a v box between storms. I don't have a v box so I'm curious if this is OK or would it harden or rust faster. Obviously I would tarp it, but the truck would probably be outside.
> 
> Just thinking ahead to next year, load 2 scoops in the box, spread only one scoop per storm, you get my drift


I would NOT recommend leaving any salt in a V box, or as previous person indicated----you would be chipping it out. Anyone that has and uses an insert spreader, and leaves it parked outside, will tell you that he has been burned from it freezing up. Even if you had used your spreader, and had salt stick to the inverted V or corners, you should remove that also before the next use, as it will break loose the next time you are loaded, and then will clog up the entrance to the chute. Then you have trouble! Maintence is the key on an insert spreader. Keep the hopper clear of any residue, adjust the chain and belt after each use, and spray the linkage and carb springs after each use with oil. I also sand blast my spark plug after about 5 uses, as I used to buy new ones, but one really only neads to clean them.


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## paponte (Oct 28, 2003)

All of our trucks empty out after each storm. Had one the other day that went down and couldn't empty out. Fixed it the following day, and had to grab the pick axe and bar to get the stuff out.


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## bigal426 (Jan 16, 2011)

What also works is the local quarter car wash. One can loosen the salt up from the sides and chute and inverted V for about$4.00 in quarters, then turn on the spreader and run it out on the road or car wash, as they appreciate the free salt.


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## BSDeality (Dec 5, 2005)

ford6.9;1208921 said:


> Bad idea unless you like chipping out frozen salt. Even with magic salt you can have it freeze up.


i disagree completely with the comment about magic salt.

We leave magic salt in our vboxes all winter long. we've only had one load freeze up on us in 3 years. and I called our supplier to complain about it and (unofficially) he said they had an issue with a batch. Our sanders are custom tarped with heavy tractor trailer style tarps, they do not leak or let water in at all. Well worth the ~$200 it cost to have custom made. We still wash around them after each storm, but we leave them loaded or partially loaded from december til march


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## Burkartsplow (Nov 1, 2007)

I use clearlane in my dump insert and it does not freeze up one bit if I leave a load in there for a week one time. But I have lleft salt in there for a day and started to freeze up bad. Plus this was dry salt and covered up the whole time insert. The insert is aluminum also. I know not a v box but salt will freeze quickly.


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## MatthewG (Jun 16, 2009)

I guess I'll scrap this plan. Time to look into a sea container for salt storage


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## bristolturf (Dec 20, 2008)

if you can park it inside you will defenitally be fine. Trust me, the trucks we run are fully loaded after each event and parked inside a heated garage. We had a period of no snow for 2 or 3 weeks. No problems what so ever the next strom.


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## pvtben121 (Aug 22, 2010)

just had to shovel two vboxs out cause the genius drivers left them in all weekend and it was below freezing all weekend not fun


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

Hahahahahah.....go for it! It should only take once or twice of learning the hard way before you never do that again. Heated shop is ok provided it's dry, wet stuff will compact on it self if it sits for awhile


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

It will work above about 15 degrees.


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## Deershack (Feb 19, 2009)

I've had various amounts of straight salt in my dump for over a month. I have it tarped and leave the box partially raised and it does not freeze. The only problem I've had is the trough on the UTG spreader that is exposed to the snow. That is usually easily broken up with a hammer and the auger grinds up the pieces. I have plumped an air fitting into my air brake tank and have a 4' air powered floor scraper with a 4" blade just in case the salt in the box does get solid. It's a lot easier on my back then swinging a sledge.

The weather up here has ranged from +35 to -20 during that time and we've had over 30" of snow, while the trucks have been outside.


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## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

It depends on what your load is and how it's stored. When I ran a spreader several years ago I ran sand/salt mix not straight salt because that's what the yard I bought from stocked- which was piled outside uncovered. 
I payed by the ton, and would load up when I was empty- truck was loaded before the first storm of the season and essentially had a load in it until the end of the season out of necessity. I would use about half per application (only 1 account was spread). Only had an issue of the chain seizing once, and it was the beginning of the season (my fault for not ensuring off season maintenance)- only had the load solidify once and a shovel and large pry bar resolved it in 15 minutes or so. 

I had no choice in the situation but would cover the spreader with a tarp to keep it as dry as possible. Granted I only did this for 4 seasons or so before that account was given up (truck was paid for in 4 years from that account alone).


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## GrazerZ (Jul 26, 2000)

Speaking from experience, don't do it. I have also had magical freeze ups. One guy on here suggested using windshield washer fluid to break down a freeze up. I tried it and it works! The best thing as mentioned is to empty out the unit. I know a guy who hot water washes everything down after an event inside his cozy heated shop. Wish I had that type of set up. I did add a hot water spigot to my house and wash everything down outside when its over 20 degrees. Cleaning out the bed chain trough makes a big difference to me.


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## MnM (Sep 23, 2005)

I would not recommend this either. I will say however that salt will usually freeze up in my stainless steel v-box in 24 to 36 hrs. I also have a plastic blizzard ice chaser v-box and the salt has never frozen up in there. I have left like half a box of salt in there for days and nothing. It probably has to do with the plastic box and the fact that is has close able barn doors to keep the material out of the elements. just my $.02


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## tuney443 (Jun 25, 2006)

BSDeality;1209061 said:


> i disagree completely with the comment about magic salt.
> 
> We leave magic salt in our vboxes all winter long. we've only had one load freeze up on us in 3 years. and I called our supplier to complain about it and (unofficially) he said they had an issue with a batch. Our sanders are custom tarped with heavy tractor trailer style tarps, they do not leak or let water in at all. Well worth the ~$200 it cost to have custom made. We still wash around them after each storm, but we leave them loaded or partially loaded from december til march


I agree,sometimes I leave some in for a day or 2 and have not had any issues.I think a lot has to do with my supplier getting nice dry salt to begin with and spraying Magic in a heated warehouse combined with my Salty Dogg hopper being plastic.Even a 5 gallon bucket that's been in the snow since early Dec. yesterday was not frozen.


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## BSDeality (Dec 5, 2005)

tuney443;1229952 said:


> I agree,sometimes I leave some in for a day or 2 and have not had any issues.I think a lot has to do with my supplier getting nice dry salt to begin with and spraying Magic in a heated warehouse combined with my Salty Dogg hopper being plastic.Even a 5 gallon bucket that's been in the snow since early Dec. yesterday was not frozen.


we left salt in some rubbermaid totes and a galvanized steel garbage can at an office building we do over the entire spring, summer, fall and when we went in for the first storm this year the salt was still good. granted it did freeze up once a couple weeks ago, but we also had -11F as an overnight low. as soon as it came up above zero for a few hours it was fine and we finished off the totes and re-filled with fresh material. it's just all how dry you keep it.


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