# Buyers Tailgate Spreader



## Green Boys Lawn (Apr 24, 2006)

What do you guys think of Buyers? I just bought this tailgate spreader, and used it for the first time today. It was my first time ever salting, also. It's a small spreader, holds about 300 lbs. I have the adjustable speed controller. I used a bagged de-icer called Miracle Melt (a calcium chloride, magnesium chloride mix). It took me *two* hours to empty the spreader on the highest speed setting, I thought it would take 15, maybe 30 minutes tops. There were some bigger pieces in the bottom when it finally emptied, that were probably slowing things down. I then tried to sand using bags of tube sand. This went a little quicker, but the motor kept stalling. I found some fair size rocks mixed in with the sand. I found a couple places in town that sell a bulk salt/sand mix for spreading. I'm hoping it's a little finer material. But with only a 300 lb. capacity bucket, I'm going to be running back in forth a lot, and they primarily sell by the ton, anyway. Any suggestions?


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

Hopper spreaders won't do sand efficiently. It shouldn't have taken you 15 minutes to empty that hopper. I can drop a yard and a half in 20 minutes and gone.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

two hours, thats a problem. must have barely been spitting anything out. I don't believe the buyers will throw mix.


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## Green Boys Lawn (Apr 24, 2006)

I tried the bulk sand with liquid calcium chloride mixed in 65-35. It was wet and just packed in the hopper. I couldn't get it to come out at all. 

Basher - What type of salter do you use for sand? V-box?

detroit dan - What did you mean when you said that the buyers won't take a mix? Did you mean a salt/sand mix, or just a salt mix like the miracle melt I used?

I'm starting to think that the motor may be running the wrong direction. Thanks for the help.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

I meant salt/sand mix. I would check your wiring, you may be on to something with it running backwards.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

Green Boys Lawn said:


> Basher - What type of salter do you use for sand? V-box?
> 
> .


You need either a v-box or a snow ex 1875, or somebodies 2 stage unit (western, Fisher both make one)

Nobodies gravity feed funnel type hopper is going to efficiently, or reliably kick sand. They work great for kicking straight salt, or other forms of pelletized material, but no one I've ever met or talked to has successfully used one of any type gravity hopper for sand.


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## Green Boys Lawn (Apr 24, 2006)

I switched the leads on the motor, and it works a lot better now. I emptied a 50 lb. bag in about a minute. 

The guys I bought it from installed a vibrator, do you think this will help me spread sand. I was able to spread dry sand with it.


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## Runner (Jul 21, 2000)

No, a vibrator won't even help this type of spreader for sand mix. It also will not spread bulk salt without bridging up. It needs to be clean, dry salt. Also, bagged salt is smaller particles. This has been tried and tested over and over by several people in the past, and as was said before, you need a two stage type spreader to spread bulk material.


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## dlcs (Sep 2, 2004)

Runner;327606 said:


> No, a vibrator won't even help this type of spreader for sand mix. It also will not spread bulk salt without bridging up. It needs to be clean, dry salt. Also, bagged salt is smaller particles. This has been tried and tested over and over by several people in the past, and as was said before, you need a two stage type spreader to spread bulk material.


I have run the larger Buyers spreaders for several years and let me tell you, know way in hell would I put sand in it. All that will happen is it will pack itself in there and you will be unloading by hand. Only use dry bag salt and if it has clumps it may jam some but you can usually clear it by kicking the hopper. No, a vibrator will not help very much.


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## CARDOCTOR (Nov 29, 2002)

i had a small buyers i put a grate on top to catch the chunks. i used a plastic bread rack
the kind you find behind a food store and a few pieces of all thread to support it

john


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## fernalddude (Feb 15, 2004)

One of the prob with the small buyers is the slot on the spinner and no auger to force the salt down. To fix some of the faults you can add another slot to the disc180deg.opposite the first this allows more flow but the spreader is only good for dry bagged product. The vib will only compact the product. Also you can weld some rods to the top of the spinner to break up any clumps but its best not to have any so good product is a must with the buyers receiver type..


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## mmwb (Jan 12, 2005)

There are two different models of the smaller Buyers hitch mounted spreader. The capacity is the same, but the more expensive one comes with a variable speed controller, has a small auger to help feed, and uses the heavier duty motor that they put in the bigger spreaders. For the price difference, it is no doubt worth going with the mored expensive model.


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