# 5-6 yard salt spreader?



## TerryfromCanada (Dec 15, 2005)

Hello guys and gals. I have a gmc 6500 cab and chassis truck that I am going to install a salter on. I would like a 5-6 yard unit.

I need a gas or electric powered one. Prefer gas as I had a bad experience with an electric air-flo when they first came out.

What are your thoughts and suggestions?

Also, how hard is it to mount the unit to the chassis?

Thanks in advance,

Terry


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

How long do you plan to keep the truck? What are your thoughts on hydraulic? I have a 2001 6500 and we have a 5.5 yard hydraulic salter on it, don't think I would really consider anything else.


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## TerryfromCanada (Dec 15, 2005)

Hello cet. Thanks for the reply. I see you are in Newmarket. I am in Whitby. I just bought the truck. It is a year 2000 gmc 6500. Don't know how long I will have it for. I like the thought of hydraulics but it seems pretty expensive. Gas or electric seems like the more inexpensive route.


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## TGS Inc. (Aug 17, 2010)

*Chassis mount*

We built one International 4300 with a chassis mounted v-box and are building another one. We have done this a couple of times before. They work great! Hydro kits are about $1800-2200.00 if you install them yourself. Most items are bolt on with a few custom hydro lines.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

I'd hate to do anything but hydro on something that size. Our electric spreaders are ok for 2 yards, but I think I'd gouge my eyeballs out waiting for one to empty if I had 6 yards in it...

TGS, where are you sourcing your hydro kits? Or are you buying pieces from here and pieces from there and putting it together?


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## TGS Inc. (Aug 17, 2010)

*Hydro source*



John_DeereGreen;1884425 said:


> I'd hate to do anything but hydro on something that size. Our electric spreaders are ok for 2 yards, but I think I'd gouge my eyeballs out waiting for one to empty if I had 6 yards in it...
> 
> TGS, where are you sourcing your hydro kits? Or are you buying pieces from here and pieces from there and putting it together?


We go through a local company called "Joint, Clutch and Gear". They basically are a buyers distributor. We get the entire kit from them.


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

TGS Inc.;1884431 said:


> We go through a local company called* "Joint,* *Clutch and Gear*". They basically are a buyers distributor. We get the entire kit from them.


Great people there!!!!!........Jeff knows his stuff............


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Run away from any electric spreader Terry. Far and fast.

Never had a gas, but I have made the expensive mistake of purchasing 2 electric spreaders and they are both flaming POS.

Personally, I would go hydro.

But, if you insist on electric, I'd be happy to sell you my Meyer MDV, as soon as it is repaired.......again.


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## 98Chevy2500 (Nov 27, 2005)

Mark Oomkes;1884600 said:


> Run away from any electric spreader Terry. Far and fast.
> 
> Never had a gas, but I have made the expensive mistake of purchasing 2 electric spreaders and they are both flaming POS.
> 
> ...


X2, gas or hydro is the only way.

I've got a 8-9 year old gas vbox that looks brand new, a little maintenace and a lot of FF goes a long way. Origninal except for one drive chain, one set of bearings, one carb, and one muffler. Never let us down, and has run a lot of wet bulk through it.


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## TerryfromCanada (Dec 15, 2005)

Thanks for the replies guys.
TGS, that's a sweet looking set up. How much was the salter if I may ask?
Thanks Mark. I have ruled out electric altogether.
98 chevy, what size is your salter?
Now that I have my truck, I have started to shop for salters in my area and there is none in stock. Where can I find gas salters 5-6 yards in stock or where can I get one within a reasonable amount of time. This is getting very complicated...lol...


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## TGS Inc. (Aug 17, 2010)

*Spreader...*

That spreader was around 12k. As mentioned above, they are bullet proof.


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

TerryfromCanada;1884987 said:


> Thanks for the replies guys.
> TGS, that's a sweet looking set up. How much was the salter if I may ask?
> Thanks Mark. I have ruled out electric altogether.
> 98 chevy, what size is your salter?
> Now that I have my truck, I have started to shop for salters in my area and there is none in stock. Where can I find gas salters 5-6 yards in stock or where can I get one within a reasonable amount of time. This is getting very complicated...lol...


If you can go hydro, find a truck with a dump body, then a replacement tailgate or under tailgate spreader is the way to go.

On my second truck with this setup and I will never ever use a v-box unless my life depended on it.

.. .. .. .


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

White Gardens;1885077 said:


> If you can go hydro, find a truck with a dump body, then a replacement tailgate or under tailgate spreader is the way to go.
> 
> On my second truck with this setup and I will never ever use a v-box unless my life depended on it.
> 
> .. .. .. .


You like the tailgate replacements that much better than a hydraulic v box? I'd just feel a little bad about dumping salt into an expensive dump body, when I could take that dump body off for the winter and bolt a hydraulic v box to the frame instead.


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

TerryfromCanada;1884987 said:


> Thanks for the replies guys.
> TGS, that's a sweet looking set up. How much was the salter if I may ask?
> Thanks Mark. I have ruled out electric altogether.
> 98 chevy, what size is your salter?
> Now that I have my truck, I have started to shop for salters in my area and there is none in stock. Where can I find gas salters 5-6 yards in stock or where can I get one within a reasonable amount of time. This is getting very complicated...lol...


Who have you called? Have you tried Drive Products? It's pretty easy to buy from the US. The dollars not great now but I bet you would still save some money. Try ESI or Bonnell.

http://bonnellusedequipment.com/content/swenson-mdv-1044-v-box-spreader


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

John_DeereGreen;1885154 said:


> You like the tailgate replacements that much better than a hydraulic v box? I'd just feel a little bad about dumping salt into an expensive dump body, when I could take that dump body off for the winter and bolt a hydraulic v box to the frame instead.


If you can take the dump body off then that's a good option.

In our case, we don't have the means to take the dump body off the truck.

Really though, if you could get a stainless dump body, then there really isn't much difference if any at all.

.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

White Gardens;1885186 said:


> Really though, if you could get a stainless dump body, then there really isn't much difference if any at all.
> 
> .


That would be the ticket there...I bet the body would last as long as 2 trucks, too.

We have 3 wheel loaders and a 4 ton hoist in the shop, so removing a dump body can't be that damn hard. I think they just bolt to the frame.

Oh well, projects for another day and dollar. Our v boxes work well enough to get the job done, and I think that money would be better spent elsewhere.


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## Triple L (Nov 1, 2005)

White Gardens;1885077 said:


> If you can go hydro, find a truck with a dump body, then a replacement tailgate or under tailgate spreader is the way to go.
> 
> On my second truck with this setup and I will never ever use a v-box unless my life depended on it.
> 
> .. .. .. .


Dumping the body 50 times a night is that fun isn't it??? LOL

I'll never use a tailgate salter unless my life depended on it, nothing but a pita and never a nice consistent dependable flow that doesn't leave big clumps when you turn it off


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## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

I'll trade you my under tailgate for your Vbox any day - Vbox maybe a bigger investment but consistency and ease of use will payoff sooner than later.

Electric is for 2yd or less.


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## TerryfromCanada (Dec 15, 2005)

Thanks guys. Still trying to locate an avaiable spreader. Going with a v-box, just have to find one...lol...


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## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

Am I just wishful thinking or did V-Boxes go waayyy up in price? I thought a 7yd Salt Dogg was 10-11k, I see them now for 16k.


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

Triple L;1885192 said:


> Dumping the body 50 times a night is that fun isn't it??? LOL
> 
> I'll never use a tailgate salter unless my life depended on it, nothing but a pita and never a nice consistent dependable flow that doesn't leave big clumps when you turn it off


I don't understand your argument.

If you are doing large lots, you raise it up to 45* and leave it there while you are spreading.

For small lots, you just dump 500-800lbs to the back of the truck and leave it there until and then hit your lots.

No motors to deal with (if the V-box is not hydraulically operated), no sprocket or chains, and no drag chain.

And generally speaking, it's a dependable and consistent flow. If you shut the auger off first before the spinner, then you don't get any chunks at the end.

Again, it's a matter of your setup, tonnage being used and the ease in which you can deal with the equipment. In our case, the under tailgate fits our needs perfectly. I can take it on and off in 10 minutes, by myself without any help from my employees and all it takes is a mini skid steer to lift it.

That in itself helps us out in the fall when we are doing leaf cleanups and the truck is being used for leaf removal. We can dismantle the leaf box and put the spreader on in no more than 20 minutes if we get an early icing event, or early snow fall.

......


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## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

Our under tailgate is on an International 4900 that we used to put almost 20k pounds in. You could spread quite a bit before having to lift the bed but it really depended on the salt - that stuff could be piled high and still rat hole that back 18" out, backing up and hitting the brakes would move it but...

Driving around with the bed raised, imo, is bad two ways. That raised weight in the air, driving thru pot holes, drains and elevation changes is abuse on the hoist, hinges and truck frame. Low hanging tree limbs and anings are just waiting for you to drive under them with the bed in the air.

Consistency - we own an Buyers offset spinner under tail gate. The auger is exposed for feeding say 16" on the driver side and 60" on the passenger side. The drivers side will rat hole out or uncover long before the passenger side - in effect feeding half the salt you think your feeding. You can see the salt coming off the spinner in the mirror, we have lights back there, but it is extremely difficult to tell when one side stops feeding - you think you just put down a ton when in fact you put down 1000lbs. To correct this problem on our spreader, we put a plate over the auger on the drivers side - you just run the auger faster. If salt is coming off the spinner, then it's feeding what you think it's feeding. While this corrects the inconsistency, the bed unloads way unevenly and leaves a lot of weight on the drivers side.

Even with a center feeding or center spinner set up, you still come back to the chance of one side running dry before the other and putting down half as much.

With all that being said, I have 1000's tons experience with the undertailgate, and zero experience with a conveyor - so I haven't experienced the problems there. If you have a way to pick up a v box, then the in and out of the truck is the same, storage space is way worse with the v box though.

For me - the biggest problem is knowing what you are putting down and a V box I think would solve that.


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

I can definitively see your point.

Our new truck has an offset spinner, and I never considered one side going empty before the other.

My last truck had the center drop, and never had the issue of one side emptying before the other, so I never even considered it with this newer truck.



.....


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

This has been discussed before, ad nauseum. 

They both have their place. I will never be without at least 1 of each. 

A UTG gives me full use of my dump body throughout the winter, not so with a V box. And filling is not an issue as White Gardens pointed out. 

I have no idea what you are talking about with one side emptying first. Mine has the spinner on the driver's side, the augers direct the material to the opening. Pretty much impossible for it to be empty on one side.


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## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

Mark - your auger probably feeds from one side only, ours feed from both sides, our spinner isn't at the end of the auger. Sorta like this:

XXXX----XXXXXXXXXXXXX - The auger pushes salt from both sides to the chute which is offset to the drivers side.

Bad design imo.


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

TerryfromCanada;1885255 said:


> Thanks guys. Still trying to locate an avaiable spreader. Going with a v-box, just have to find one...lol...


I posted a link for one. This week looks good, go and grab it. The $ sucks but I'm sure it's cheaper then you'll find here.


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## TGS Inc. (Aug 17, 2010)

*Delivery!!*

Our second unit showed up this morning...better late (4 weeks!) than never!


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## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

Funny that it didn't ship on an open trailer


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## TerryfromCanada (Dec 15, 2005)

Hey guys. I still have not found a salter. If anyone knows where or who has one, please let me know. Just to reiterate, I am looking for a gas powered 5-6 yard salter. 

Thanks again,

Terry


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## johndeereguy (Oct 19, 2006)

I have a 2 year old Henderson FSM stainless steel, 8 ft long, Briggs engine that I'm wanting to get rid of.


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## Flawless440 (Dec 6, 2010)

I have built sides on a 2 yarder, it would hold 4 yards


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## Grassman09 (Mar 18, 2009)

Triple L;1885192 said:


> Dumping the body 50 times a night is that fun isn't it??? LOL
> 
> I'll never use a tailgate salter unless my life depended on it, nothing but a pita and never a nice consistent dependable flow that doesn't leave big clumps when you turn it off


Yea I do get that either. I'm sure the condos didn't appreciate us revving the truck to get the box to lift or having to back up with it up to get salt to flow. The combo of the Diesel truck and the air brakes at 3am or whenever.

Also if you don't have a place to store the truck inside you will probably want to shovel the snow out of the box. Dumping the salt on top would always get the salt to stick to the box and a good yard or 2 of rock hard salt.

GAS = Pain in the ASS. Clutch seized on it had to install a new one. Eventually it will have issues starting in the cold or flooding. I made the mistake of buying a new 5 yard stainless Gas salter last winter. I had it for sale this fall no takers. Well just one joker from this site called Adam Humberview. All horny for the thing wanting to see it and then nothing. Glad I didn't pull it out of storage just for him. ****** way of conducting business.

I have wondered about converting it to Hydro. Not sure its cost effective.


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## Grassman09 (Mar 18, 2009)

framer1901;1891152 said:


> Funny that it didn't ship on an open trailer


If its a salt dogg that's how buyers ships them. I ordered mine from the US and picked it up at freight terminal here. They use who ever gives the best price.


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