# Help Please, Frozen Drag Chain



## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

Does anybody have any tricks that will help keep an airflo drag chain unfrozen? The state yard is putting wet sand in here and it runs fine at first, then as you work more it starts to lock up repetitively, any suggestions?


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## weekendwrench (Jan 29, 2009)

Best trick I’ve seen was dumping a couple of gallons of windshield washer fluid over it.


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## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

weekendwrench;1731964 said:


> Best trick I've seen was dumping a couple of gallons of windshield washer fluid over it.


 my biggest problem at the moment is the spinner is stuck


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## bugthug (Oct 13, 2004)

Could you take a pipe wrench to the shaft to try to move it. Then start and see if it worked.


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## MSS Mow (Mar 19, 2006)

Amazingearth;1731989 said:


> my biggest problem at the moment is the spinner is stuck


If just the spinner is stuck, than it's likely not frozen sand that is your problem.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

MSS Mow;1732027 said:


> If just the spinner is stuck, than it's likely not frozen sand that is your problem.


Winner, winner.


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## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

I was able to move the spinner by hand to free it up for awhile then it froze again I'm guessing and is rock solid


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## bad5oh (Dec 22, 2013)

I've never heard of a drag chain freezing up as it's used unless there is so much slop that it gets jammed underneath. I would check your spinner shaft bearings, roller chain, clutch bearing, and also have you greased the fitting on the gearbox? For some reason there are little caps put on the fittings and a lot of customers don't even know they are there.


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## cmo18 (Mar 10, 2008)

I got wet sand once and withing an hour it would freeze into clump jamming my spinner. It was also -30, pain in a**!

Most times I could spin the spinner backwards enough to get it moving and then run it wide open


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## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

cmo18;1732239 said:


> I got wet sand once and withing an hour it would freeze into clump jamming my spinner. It was also -30, pain in a**!
> 
> Most times I could spin the spinner backwards enough to get it moving and then run it wide open


Mine has gotten to the point now where it won't move at all. Havent had a spreader for awhile.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I noticed my salter laboring yesterday, I greased it with a white lithium grease, for the most part standard grease is great, but we were at -27 this morning -32 with our windchill, does something to the fluidity of your grease and stiffens it up. I'm sure it still lubricates but every little bit helps. The heater in my truck took over an hour to kick in. Brrrr!


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## lfaulstick (Sep 7, 2009)

i do alot of sanding (no salt) just sand and pea gravel and it is a pain to keep it from freezing. what i like to do when it gets really cold is lay material out in really thin layers and keep picking it up as high as skid will go and dump and flick bucket at same time and just keep doing it over and over, when it gets below zero it like freeze drying the material and you are generally good to go. 

now when that isnt an option i also have done in past is use flex hose from truck exhaust into the vbox down by the conveyor chain and then tarp the sand it really helps when you are traveling more then 25 minutes in the extreme cold. but you still get clumps you have to break up but atleast its not a total ice cube.

and when i use just 1b gravel or pea gravel the winshield washer trick works pretty good.

ive even sprayed my spreader box with a mist of diesel fuel out of my garden sprayer and the chain and that seemed to help.


i wish they would make a kit to heat these vbox's i have a few ideas just need to get it in shop and experiment.


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## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

I agree I wish they made something to help keep that drive chain from freezing. It's just so weird to me how it runs for a little once you reverse the drag chain to loosen it then just re freezes in the middle of operation. I mean this thing is locked up! Can't even move it with a pipe wrenxh


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## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

How should I go about fixing this tomorrow??


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## MSS Mow (Mar 19, 2006)

Amazingearth;1732068 said:


> I was able to move the spinner by hand to free it up for awhile then it froze again I'm guessing and is rock solid


Then likely your drag chain is binding up, not freezing. It probably needs to be adjusted (as it's stretched out). Mine is doing the exact same thing right now. Every so often it will bind and all I have to do is turn the spinner (by hand) backwards a little bit and it frees it up.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

I'm guessing you have a bearing or gear box problem. Start it up when empty and check every thing over. It could be a loose chain but generally those aren't the symptoms. Put your hands on things or use a temp gun and see if anything is getting hotter then it should be.


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## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

So you think tightening the drag chain might do the trick?


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## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

I've got a load of high quality VDOT materials on now (soaking wet sand) but I'm gonna shovel that off, try to tighten up and then run it through


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## quigleysiding (Oct 3, 2009)

Amazingearth;1731963 said:


> Does anybody have any tricks that will help keep an airflo drag chain unfrozen? The state yard is putting wet sand in here and it runs fine at first, then as you work more it starts to lock up repetitively, any suggestions?


Blow that crap out as fast as you can. Dont let it sit in the box.We used to get the wet stuff all the time Its been a little better now that they have a salt shed.We still get the wet stuff sometimes though. I never sit on it, Its always trouble.


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## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

I have to take my boards off that are above my grate and just parked the truck after 34 hours of working. I will have to shovel it out


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## quigleysiding (Oct 3, 2009)

I know you have to this time . I have been there it sucks. Thats why I never leave sand in the hopper. I used to leave a little in it for weight but it always problems.


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## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

quigleysiding;1732579 said:


> I know you have to this time . I have been there it sucks. Thats why I never leave sand in the hopper. I used to leave a little in it for weight but it always problems.


Have you ever had one lock up like this?


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## quigleysiding (Oct 3, 2009)

Yup just like cement. Get some window wash fluid about 10 gallons dump it in after you shovel as much as you can out. Get a bar and break it up. How long did you leave it in there before it froze , If you can get it in a heated garage it will help


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## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

I went to the yard to get a load, before I got back to my route (15 mins away) it was locked up froze


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## quigleysiding (Oct 3, 2009)

Must of dumped some mud in there for ya


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## Amazingearth (Dec 30, 2013)

Yes exactly what it was, does having a tighter drag chain help at all?


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## quigleysiding (Oct 3, 2009)

I would definitly check everything when you get the thing empty. If the chain is loose adjust it. I have had them bind when they are loose.


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## Chineau (Aug 24, 2010)

Did you run unit before loading about two weeks ago I loaded and did not run prior yep frozen newbie mistake. You can try magnet heaters if you have a metal unit that might help.


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