# V box VS. tailgate Spreader



## sorenson (Oct 10, 2015)

We have been using a tailgate spreader on a 5 yard dump for many years now. we are looking at a new 5 yard dump and wondering if the v box's are a better set up than the tailgate? we only spread salt. we would be keeping are old truck we just need to add a truck do to growing company. we are between a couple of options. #1 is a 5 yard dump with a tailgate spreader or a v box #2 is a v box a straight cab and chassis. any pro's and con's either way would help thanks


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

How much salt are you using per storm?


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

BossPlow2010;2036274 said:


> How much salt are you using per storm?


This is half the million dollar question right here. The other half is how much do you use per season? Once this is answered, everything else falls into place.


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## sorenson (Oct 10, 2015)

Are 5 yard dump right now is averaging about 4 ton a storm. We have a pick up with a v box in it. We go through about 150 ton a year


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## FISHERBOY (Aug 13, 2007)

*Hi*

THE pricey part would be central hydraulics, ive owned both v-boxes and currently have a tailgate spreader, with v-boxes so many moving parts to fail or corrode, but with a tailgate spreader every season I'm putting on hydraulic quick couplers , honestly its a small price compared to parts on a v-box


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

V boxes spread the same from the moment you start spreading until they're empty. No a big fan of under tailgate spreaders and would never run one. Jmo


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

So you're currently shoveling 2 tons of salt from the dump truck to the tailgate spreader? 
I'm figuring about 2 tons in the pickup.


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

I currently use a electric utg salter. Pros- I can carry as much as I can fit in bed,low center of gravity,less maintenance,lower cost of unit,can store easily and compactly in off season. Cons- raising and lowering bed to fill the salter,keeping salt dry if its still snowing/raining. I would rather use a vbox,they seem a little more precise (could be my imagination!) but this saves me from filling up multiple times.I go through 7-8tons per storm.


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## sorenson (Oct 10, 2015)

I guess after thinking about it the pros I see with a tailgate is it can still be used to haul snow with minimum set up time. There are not a lot of moving parts. The cons are the offset spinner. And raising the box to fill the test but this really isn't a big problem for me. The pros for v box is center spinner and wouldn't have to load a tray. The cons are more moving parts. It would be a lot more labor intensive to get it set up for hauling snow. And price. Any other input on this? Also does anyone have input about the life of apron chains? I wouldn't want to have a apron chain break with a full load


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

One con with the under tailgate unit is running into a large overhang/entrance to a medical facility at 2am with the box up.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

I'd go the v box route. Minimal (1 hr or less) experience with UTG/TGR spreaders but from what I have had, I think the slightly decreased weight capacity and a little more upkeep for the v box is worth it.

To switch to hauling snow, undo 4 straps and unplug your wiring, or unhook hydro hoses and lift it out with a skid steer. I can't see that taking more than 10 minutes.


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## sorenson (Oct 10, 2015)

Lapeerlandscape- we don't drive with the box up. 

John_deeregreen- we go down the road to haul snow so we would have to put the tailgate on. Do you put the tailgate on? Or do you have a different system for that?


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

We don't haul with our little trucks. For the little hauling we do we subcontract an excavator friend of mine that has tandem trucks sitting all winter.

I just hated the experience I had with an UTG spreader, so I'd gladly take a little more time to use a v box than one of them again.


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## modulmet (Oct 22, 2015)

Greetings from Finland!
Here the amount of salt in the fight against the slippery roads has degreased significantly. Nowdays the most common article in use is coarse sand or fine cravel. We have different ways to spread the sand. Separate sander with own container has its benefits but lack of capacity. Tailgate spreader is more versatile as it has the whole truck bed capacity available for the load.
Problem for the use of truck bed is the need to continious need to fill the spreader. In normal way you have to rise the truck bed so that the sand or if using the salt, pours to the spreader. That way the load balance will shift with unexpacted way. Also the center of cravity will shift, possibly affecting to the manoverability of the vehicle.
There is some distribution systems that use a track with showels that are s wide as the truck bed. In the traditional models the track system stays in the bottom of the truck bed. Problem with these systems is that when the truck bed is filledwith the sand/salt, the whole load will be in top of the system, pressing the convayor belt tightly to the truck bed blocking the operation. To prevent this one just have to degease the amount of the load so that there is not too much weight in top of the convayor belt.
These problems in mind there was some discussion that led to a more developed design, where the convayor unit is actally risedup to make room for the load. After the filling of the truck bed, the unit is lovered to the TOP of the sand/salt pile. When the sanding/salting will start, the convayor will be started and it starts to showel the sand/salt to the spreader.


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## ryde307 (Dec 3, 2009)

LapeerLandscape;2036509 said:


> One con with the under tailgate unit is running into a large overhang/entrance to a medical facility at 2am with the box up.


Those medical buildings jump out of nowhere.


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## snowman55 (Nov 20, 2007)

ryde307;2043196 said:


> Those medical buildings jump out of nowhere.


Have had that too. Scary what it it came down on truck like at moa


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

sorenson;2036506 said:


> I guess after thinking about it the pros I see with a tailgate is it can still be used to haul snow with minimum set up time. There are not a lot of moving parts. The cons are the offset spinner. And raising the box to fill the test but this really isn't a big problem for me. The pros for v box is center spinner and wouldn't have to load a tray. The cons are more moving parts. It would be a lot more labor intensive to get it set up for hauling snow. And price. Any other input on this? Also does anyone have input about the life of apron chains? I wouldn't want to have a apron chain break with a full load


You can have a Vbox out of the truck in 10 minutes with a loader or skid. I assume the time frame is about the same with a UTG. The benefit I see is not having salt (or at least al the salt) sitting in the bed of the truck. Maybe the Vbox will allow the truck bed to last longer


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

jhall22guitar;2043253 said:


> You can have a Vbox out of the truck in 10 minutes with a loader or skid. I assume the time frame is about the same with a UTG. The benefit I see is not having salt (or at least al the salt) sitting in the bed of the truck. Maybe the Vbox will allow the truck bed to last longer


If you leave a vbox in the truck bed its harder to clean out all the salt that comes off the chain,you can rinse the bed out easily with an utg salter.I've not noticed any excessive rust with either setup if you keep clean.Personal preference I guess


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## PALS Landscapin (Dec 3, 2011)

I have both vbox and UTG. I have to say I like the tailgate spreader better. One thing I dont like about a vbox if you have a jam or something happens, its alot of shoveling to do to empty the vbox. The tailgate u have an issue u just dump it but its my own opinion.


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