# Should I buy this new Saltdog spreader?



## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

The Buyers shpe2000 is on Ebay for 2995. It will cost $300 to ship it to Oklahoma, where I may not use it but 3 days out of each year. I have needed one every year that I have been in business and now have even more contracts. Rather than depend on friends to spread, I feel this is the one to purchase[ for the money] . Please talk me out of it. Thanks, Bill


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## cornerstone (Dec 3, 2007)

Ropinghorns;606915 said:


> The Buyers shpe2000 is on Ebay for 2995. It will cost $300 to ship it to Oklahoma, where I may not use it but 3 days out of each year. I have needed one every year that I have been in business and now have even more contracts. Rather than depend on friends to spread, I feel this is the one to purchase[ for the money] . Please talk me out of it. Thanks, Bill


Hi, since I'm in your state I'll throw in on this one. We have one and if you're buying one I would for sure recommend this unit. Since we use it rarely the electric motor I think is the way to go. We were required to have one to secure a multi year large contract and negotiated a sander purchase in the contract. Otherwise I would not have put the money out for one. I would run the #'s to see what year payoff might occur.  Unless you take care of Lowes, walmart etc... it will take a while to pay it off let alone profit from it. You can put a nice blade on your truck for that kind of cash and let someone else mess with the sanding. Don't know if this helped but it's food for thought!


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## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

Thanks Cornerstone, I hope to order it in the next few days. Hope no one has had trouble with theirs. Looking forward to hearing from more owners. This is my first day on the forum and I really do like it as well as lawnsite.


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## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

First off Ropinghorns....welcome
Second...have you got salt to spread? It is hard to get this year and very expensive.


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## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

No, I really just need it for sand..I have a great resource for sand and my contracts require it. I am paying others to sand for me [in the last few years]. Bank chains that are far apart but pay good and Emergency room driveways too. Hydro, I plan to spray lcc instead of salt.


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## Drottlawn (Jan 14, 2005)

I own 2 of them and highly recommend for salt usage. Sand on the other hand, I would avoid. It will clog like crazy or bridge all the time. Just my thoughts, hope this helps.:salute:


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## plowtime1 (Nov 1, 2007)

drottlawn,
thanks for your input, we have been searching ,reading posts etc.
I got off the phone this evening with a distributor for the salt dogg; he actually steered us away; his claims "even with the vibrator, spreading sand is a not for this unit". my 350 has a short bed and thought perhaps the 2 cu yd would be a great addition(more material I can carry) I'm opting for a western tornado or a fisher poly; any thoughts i greatly appreciate.


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## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

Wow, I am glad to know that info. Thanks


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

I belive the only thing that will work for sand is a v box The poly electrics will bridge like a sob. You will be out side shoveling more than spreading


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## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

Will the " Western Tornado " spread sand ok?


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## LHL Inc. (Oct 13, 2008)

*V box spreader*

I am also looking at buying a spreader. Am looking at a buyers stainless salt dog v box, Wil this work for spreading salt and sand mixed? it will b more sand than anything.


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## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

Is it the 10.5 hp motor that helps the sand to go on through with the metal spreaders? [Or] With the electric motor on the polys, do they just not have enough power?


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## lilweeds (Aug 3, 2007)

No it's the vibrations..... I would go electric with a drag chain. The augers don't do well with sand.


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## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

Does the sand need to be dry?


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## T-MAN (Jan 9, 2001)

Ropinghorns;632676 said:


> Does the sand need to be dry?


If its not dry it will freeze in ANY v box.
You need to have a mix of salt sand, or treated sand to keep it from freezing.
However liquid treating wet sand wont work to well.

I own a Buyers Salt Dogg 2y that spreads wet or dry salt like a champ. I have pushed well over 200 tons threw it last 2 seasons with ZERO issues short of frozen wet salt in the box.

Sand in an auger type v-box (Salt Dogg, Snow Ex) tends to bridge. So the vibrator will get a work out.
The drag chain v- box's dont tend to bridge as bad, and move the product to the spinner with less bridging. If you have wet sand it will probably bridge in a drag chain unit as well, so you will need a vibrator.

The electric motors are workhorses, that hold up very very well. 
If anyone tells you a Gas Unit is the way to go they have never used a quality electric spreader. The efficiency of an electric motor makes a gas unit look archaic. They always start when its 10 degrees out and dropping, never run out of gas, and no gas can to lose the lid for either 
Did I mention they always start ? 

Look into A Sno Way, Down Easter, Smith electrics. You wont be disappointed.


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## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

T-Man. you are the man....... I know nothing but what I read. Yesterday I put wet sand in my Western Tornado and it would run so slow I thought something was wrong with the motor. [ It was only half full]. Is that normal.


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## T-MAN (Jan 9, 2001)

Ropinghorns;632910 said:


> T-Man. you are the man....... I know nothing but what I read. Yesterday I put wet sand in my Western Tornado and it would run so slow I thought something was wrong with the motor. [ It was only half full]. Is that normal.


I am not familar with the Tornado on a personal basis, does this unit have an Inverted V ?
If it does not, you will have issues with to much weight on the drag belt. Most drag style v- boxes have an inverted v to keep the bulk of the weight off the drag chain/belt. You will wear out motors, bearings, chains etc in short order with the entire weight of the load on the belt.

How much sand do you plan to spread per occurence, and how much at each site ?


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

Ropinghorns;632910 said:


> T-Man. you are the man....... I know nothing but what I read. Yesterday I put wet sand in my Western Tornado and it would run so slow I thought something was wrong with the motor. [ It was only half full]. Is that normal.


Hopefully your tornado is new and not one of the first produced ones from 2-3 years back, they were junk.


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

T-MAN;632904 said:


> The electric motors are workhorses, that hold up very very well.
> If anyone tells you a Gas Unit is the way to go they have never used a quality electric spreader. The efficiency of an electric motor makes a gas unit look archaic. They always start when its 10 degrees out and dropping, never run out of gas, and no gas can to lose the lid for either
> Did I mention they always start ?
> 
> Look into A Sno Way, Down Easter, Smith electrics. You wont be disappointed.


Electric work well in the right application. They are no good on larger lots cos they cannot throw the salt far and dont put enough down. For smaller lots they are great just as you said "they start" but it would take a 45 mins to put down 2 yds on one lot were as i could come in with a v box or under tailgate spreader and be done in ten mins

time is money when its snowing


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## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

It was raining out so I filled my new found Tornado half full of sand since that is what I will be using mostly in and around Tulsa. This used Tornado might need some help or a smarter operator.
Several of you have advised me to get the inverted v as to not put so much weight on the belt of what ever kind I purchased. But trying to save $, here I am.
I think this one needs an inverted V or more powerful motor. I saw this one slow down and completely stop running and so I turned it off. I then manually turned it in reverse and kept working with it till it had about 6 inches of [ wet ] sand on the belt. Then it started to speed up. [ Keep in mind it was 70 degrees out and I had only filled it half full].
This is my first spreader, and it is used, but with all the upgrades since they came out. I was just trying it out to see how it would do. What a letdown. Also, with out an owners manual, I did not know what the red light was blinking for on the control knob. Any one know?
Edit/Delete Message


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## scoopdog (Jan 7, 2008)

I am a Buyers dealer and Air-flo dealer. I will tell you that these 2 units are almost the same. Price is what you have to look at. A Buyers 4 yard machine is cheaper (about $7000) than air-flo, but on the 2 ton unit air-flo is $4500. This is stainless. You way want a steel one, but pay the extra $600 and buy a stainless it is well worth it. Chad 513-678-1597


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## albertaplowman (Dec 13, 2006)

*your tornado*

Hi

In regards to your tornado. We had one of the first ones and it was always having problems. It didn't have an inverted V. I believe they have an inverted v for them now. If you go onto Westerns site under publications library you can find the owners manual which will tell you all about the blinking diagnostic light.

Kent


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## NSRoadEng (Nov 2, 2007)

Small gas engines are a pain and flat chains don't pull crusher dust sand well. I am switching to a new all Electric Salt Dogg. It has to be better, it cant get worse.


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## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

Well, since last month I have now found out that my electric motor in my Tornado, had water in it when we opened it up. That was the cause of the loss of power. I have a company here in Tulsa that can rebuild it much cheaper than the $700 I was quoted by Western...Seems to have me likeing my stainless saltdog I purchased new last week much more. [ 10.5 hp gas vs 1\2 hp electric] ????????


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