# Boss VBX pintle chain



## plow4u (Jan 17, 2000)

Any advice on Boss VBX 8000 pintle chain spreaders? Looking to purchase running Salt Doggs now auger. Never ran pintle how’s the spread pattern on the boss and the reliability? Any issues or recommendations?


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Where's @JMHConstruction ??

We ran several auger vbx spreaders and they were great as far as reliability, but spread width and volume left a lot to be desired. Pintle chain should fix the volume issue.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

The spread pattern was great. It threw a little farther on the drivers side, but I think most spreaders seem to do that. The ground was covered evenly. I would assume that would be the same for the pintle or auger.

Just from talking with guys on here with the auger, pintle seems to put down salt quicker than the auger. A big factor in me getting pintle was the faster feed rate. I also knew we get a lot of wet, rainy events, and I knew the auger would handle wet salt better.

As far a reliability....well, I didn't have the best luck this year. In the products defense, my issue should have been solved on day one, not day 6. It was a simple part swap that I should have had the part on hand to do it myself. From others I've talked to with vbx, they don't have much issues.

If you get it, I would keep a module on hand, along with any other parts you keep. This seems to be a big thing that eventually goes out.

There's a bit more maintenance and things to check with pintle. It's also more messy. I believe the aguer can only put salt out from the back where the spinner is. This wasn't a huge deal breaker for me, but it can be a pain to clean that extra salt out.

I've only had mine for a year, but let me know if you have any specific questions that I didn't answer.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

John_DeereGreen said:


> Where's @JMHConstruction ??


JMH didn't realize it was Saturday and went to the jobsite, rolled out all the tools, hoses, and cords, and was waiting for my crew to show up. It wasn't until the homeowner came out and made a comment about us working on weekends that I realized what day it was


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

JMHConstruction said:


> JMH didn't realize it was Saturday and went to the jobsite, rolled out all the tools, hoses, and cords, and was waiting for my crew to show up. It wasn't until the homeowner came out and made a comment about us working on weekends that I realized what day it was


LOL


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

JMHConstruction said:


> JMH didn't realize it was Saturday and went to the jobsite, rolled out all the tools, hoses, and cords, and was waiting for my crew to show up. It wasn't until the homeowner came out and made a comment about us working on weekends that I realized what day it was


Don't feel too bad. We switched to 4/10's last year. Ran Monday-Thursday last season, this season we are running Tuesday-Friday. I got to the shop on Monday at about 10 am, and started wondering why no one was there...


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## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

JMHConstruction said:


> JMH didn't realize it was Saturday and went to the jobsite, rolled out all the tools, hoses, and cords, and was waiting for my crew to show up. It wasn't until the homeowner came out and made a comment about us working on weekends that I realized what day it was


I haven't actually rolled out before, but I've driven to the jobsite and then realized we weren't working that day. I was hanging a little


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

JustJeff said:


> I haven't actually rolled out before, but I've driven to the jobsite and then realized we weren't working that day. I was hanging a little


I was bright eyed and bushy tailed, just didn't know it wasn't Friday:laugh:. Luckily the home owner came out earlier for his paper before I started calling my crew all pissed off. He came out about 5 minutes before start time, and I was wondering where everyone was.

I stayed about an hour and worked on the stairs. Then rolled everything back up....:hammerhead:


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

OP, Jeff has the auger VBX and seems to be pretty happy with it


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

JMHConstruction said:


> OP, Jeff has the auger VBX and seems to be pretty happy with it


though he did say he spreads salt only


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## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

Correct. Salt only. In hindsight, if I had to do it again, or when I buy another one, I'll get a pintle chain model. It spreads more, faster. No complaints about the one I have though. I've also still got one Saltdogg, and have had them in the past. The Boss is a much nicer model. Standard work lights, dump out feature that is nice as well. I like the controller too. I can see how many volts my battery is putting out etc...


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

That one saltdogg should be in the Guiness Book of World Records too...


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## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

Fingers crossed, it's worked just fine. And it works even better when it's not shoved in so hard that it shatters your rear window.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

JustJeff said:


> Fingers crossed, it's worked just fine. And it works even better when it's not shoved in so hard that it shatters your rear window.


Do you dump and work light buttons still work Jeff? Mine both quit working about midway through the season. When I opened it to look, it looked like the wires broke off from rusting out or bad solder. Dealer wouldn't replace them because they thought I broke them off by taking the back off...

Not a big deal, I just use the controller. I need to just solder the wires back on, but I've been putting it off.


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## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

JMHConstruction said:


> Do you dump and work light buttons still work Jeff? Mine both quit working about midway through the season. When I opened it to look, it looked like the wires broke off from rusting out or bad solder. Dealer wouldn't replace them because they thought I broke them off by taking the back off...
> 
> Not a big deal, I just use the controller. I need to just solder the wires back on, but I've been putting it off.


Yes, they both still work fine. I don't use the dump feature too often, but it comes in handy if the sidewalk guys run out of bagged salt and they need a little more to finish their walks. I use the lights every time I spread at night. Maybe it's age, but I need a lot of light when salting at night. So I use the spreader lights as well as the lights in my bumper to see what's going on back there. Oh, and I almost forgot.......your dealer's a jerk.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

JustJeff said:


> your dealer's a jerk.


I was thinking the same thing...


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