# tailgate salt spreader



## bill (Jan 1, 2000)

Anybody have some thoughts about
tailgate salt spreaders? Lots
of brands to choose from. Can
you leave the tailgate on your
truck? Can you still load snowblowers if you can't swing open
your salt spreader out of the way.
i.e. big snowblowers- commercial use. How is the electrical hooked up? What is involved in installation? Anybody have a vanguard ladder rack and use a
swing tailgate spreader? What
modifications had to be made?
Bill


----------



## thelawnguy (May 20, 2001)

I have a Buyer/Meyer single stage. Worthless for anything but rock salt. I understand two-stage units are better as they allow you to spread sand, chloride, etc.

My unit slips into the receiver hitch, and I find I dont need the cross braces as long as its empty when I trael with it. It weighs around 120 lbs so I can usually install/remove it by myself but it gets to be a pain after the third or fourth time. I use single-stage blowers so I just lift em over the side.

Electrical is straight forward, from battery to controller in the cab back to a HD connector near the hitch.

Bill


----------



## cutntrim (Dec 28, 1999)

We've probably got the same type spreaders as Bill. 2 Buyers receiver hitch-mounts. They are a pain in the butt to hook up and can only spread #1 Rock Salt. Plus they don't swing-away. We bought 'em just before everyone started making the swing-away type. We'd like to sell them both and get a bed-mounted type next winter.


----------



## ashlandscaping (Dec 22, 1999)

We have a total of 7 tailgate spreaders not all on trucks thought. Meyers counting for 4 of them all but one mounted on square stock so can insert into hitch. Meyers work ok for bagged salt NOT for bulk salt or other de-icers. I took one and cut bottom were auger goes into hopper then put slide gate so we can spread bulk salt. Works ok but most have person in bed controling the gate and filling all the time. Goes thru salt ever quick. Other salter is a ss western salter. It to is mounted to Square stock to slide in hitch. Again like Meyers only good for bagged salt. But I like this one better due to the fact that it is not as wide as the Meyers spreaders so little more steady with out straps to bed and gives you little more room when backing up to building and or garge doors. Next is the 2 stage westren proflow bed mount. Like this one the best for the reason can handle more weight and salt then other spreaders. Plus it can spread bulk salt as well as any other de-icer. They make one that mounts outside the truck under the bed to the frame like that better then loseing bed space. On a pickup hard to load bulk salt with spreader in bed, on a 10 ft flat bed it works good. Now this year I bought a swing gate. Its like the rest only takes bagged salt. Its not a bad spreader swings out of way to load pallets or to remove snow blower but all I had to do with other speaders was pull it out of hitch. We also have a v-box spreader in the dump truck which is the best for large areas one guy goes out and can make lots of tracks. I mainly use tailgate for small lots lots that take less then 500 pds. of salt. One guy can jump out and load up spreader and do the lot. Proflow does some large lots that are not close to others we have. Truck plows then salts this lots that way only one truck is out of main area. If I could I would only use V-Boxs or tailgate spreaders on dump trucks but only have one dump and does nt have central hydros. As far as tail gate spreaders go they all are the same for the most part they will spread the salt just make it so you can make a way to quick remove. As far as rods or supports back to the truck all we use is tiedown starps. Qiuck and easy. Let it snow let it snow.


----------



## Guest (Jan 2, 2000)

I have a Trynex PIviot Pro salter. It swings away to the left side of the truck. It mounts to the rear step bumper with a handful of bolts. There are also two C shaped brackets that clamp to the top of the bed rails. They require no driling in the bed, bit I deilled mine to make it sturdier. They cover the stake pocket, so your ladder rack may have to be moved/modified.

There is a small electrical plug to disconnect for swinging. The wiring harness is not longenough to rouer it in such a way that it does not have to be unplugged to swing it. Someday I may make up a longer harness so that I don't have to unplug it to open the gate.

This spreader has nothing to do with the tailgate. YOu don't even have to have the tailgate on the truck. It is soley mounted to the top of the bed rails, and the rear step bumper.

My truck had a viynl pad on the top of the step bumper. I took it off when I mounted the brackets to the bumper. I wanted a solid mounting.

I can also pull the entire salter off the truck with only one bolt and one pin. IT is too heavy/awkward for one person, but is easy enough for two people.

Another thing, the hopper must be empty to swing it open. I have swung it with some(not full) salt in it, and supported the end of the salter that is hanging off the truck with a small 2' ladder. The ladder took the load, instead of putting it all in the one side of the truck.

I cannot even imaging having one that does not swing. Every time I load or unload something, I love that feature even more.

The capicity is high, 900# I think.

This is the same unit as the black colored Meyer.


----------

