# Salt Straight into my Truck Bed?



## hsnowremoval (Mar 23, 2013)

I am considering putting salt directly into my truck bed and shoveling it into my tailgate spreader. Has anyone done this before and if so did you seal the bed door with something?
Bags are so expensive! Any recommendations on this idea? It seems this could save me a ton of money. I already have a standard plastic bed liner. I think the only concern is the bed door area. Anyone ever try this?
Also trying to think about the best way to cover the salt other than a tarp?
Hope to hear from someone!


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## chad1234 (Dec 4, 2011)

Build a wooden box with a lid


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## Burkartsplow (Nov 1, 2007)

Just saw a sidewalk crew yesterday who built a box in the back and had it loaded with bulk salt. It had a lid that folded up towards the cab like a tri-fold cover. Had room for over a ton of salt in the box and space for snowblower, walk behind salt spreader and shovels. It was a perfect setup. Save a ton on material and also no bag to wrestle with.


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## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

It'd be great till it gets wet and it will, it freezes and it will.

If you can store your truck inside, the cost savings might be worth it but you are looking at added labor - even stored inside.


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## mpriester (Oct 2, 2011)

Thats exactly how i do it with mine. i use a 12x16 tarp that lines the bed and folds over its self when loaded to cover the salt. i am going to build a box over the summer to put it in with a folding lid for next winter. i would not recommend leaving it loadedwhen temperatures are cold enough to freeze the salt but other than that its a perfect set up for a tailgate spreader.


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## yardguy28 (Jan 23, 2012)

I know every location is different in terms of how much to charge and what clients prefer but if you pass the expense of using bags onto the client it's not expensive to you at all. 

in my neck of the woods most guys use tailgate spreaders and fill them with bags. we charge the client X amount per hour to spread and Y amount per bag. 

most guys do a 100%-300% markup on the bags. 

I'm currently paying $8 per bag and charging $18 per bag. I wouldn't call that expensive because I'm not actually paying a cent for the bags when it's all said and done.


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## Drakeslayer (Feb 11, 2011)

yardguy28;1626322 said:


> I know every location is different in terms of how much to charge and what clients prefer but if you pass the expense of using bags onto the client it's not expensive to you at all.
> 
> in my neck of the woods most guys use tailgate spreaders and fill them with bags. we charge the client X amount per hour to spread and Y amount per bag.
> 
> ...


I really hope you are only talking about the material cost and not including the labor to spread it.


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## KissMyWake (Sep 22, 2008)

i run an average of 60 yards a year through each of three trucks with salt in the bed. I have an a storage bin and load before going out. Also even if your salt gets wet or freezes for the most part you can break this up with a shovel and your tailgate should be able to handle chunks, if not get a vibrator. I have run rock salt so i have vibrator on all tailgates. 

As far as rust goes, pull your bed liner and spray the crap out of it with wd-40 a couple times a season..


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## yardguy28 (Jan 23, 2012)

Drakeslayer;1626407 said:


> I really hope you are only talking about the material cost and not including the labor to spread it.


the labor to spread it is as I said $35 per hour. on top of that they pay $18 for each bag I spread.


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## coldcoffee (Jul 17, 2008)

I carry loose bulk in my bed for places I can't send in a salt truck or for those times I have to respond in an instant. My bed is always loaded & ready, even if it doesn't snow for two weeks. I use a tarp to keep it from going through the gate or under the liner. I also have a roll top that works like a garage door, so it always stays dry. 

Aside from all of that, it helps me to monitor the suppliers who are adding gravel or limestone to the salt, which would otherwise go unnoticed, until you get a stone big enough to jamb the auger. It's an old trick that has resurfaced itself recently.


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## Burkartsplow (Nov 1, 2007)

KissMyWake;1626489 said:


> i run an average of 60 yards a year through each of three trucks with salt in the bed. I have an a storage bin and load before going out. Also even if your salt gets wet or freezes for the most part you can break this up with a shovel and your tailgate should be able to handle chunks, if not get a vibrator. I have run rock salt so i have vibrator on all tailgates.
> 
> As far as rust goes, pull your bed liner and spray the crap out of it with wd-40 a couple times a season..


He is not talking a out a replacement tailgate spreader but a tailgate spreader you have to load with bags or shovel. As Lon as your stock of salt is dry and stays covered you will be fine. I can leave salt in the salter of weeks and no freezing since it is dry when you put it in and I had heavy duty covers made for the salters that keep al moisture out of the salt.


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## WilliamOak (Feb 11, 2008)

Treated makes all the difference, last year we would leave treated in the salter and in buckets all the time and it would never freeze up no matter how cold it got- straight salt is a very different story.


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## KissMyWake (Sep 22, 2008)

Burkartsplow;1626673 said:


> He is not talking a out a replacement tailgate spreader but a tailgate spreader you have to load with bags or shovel.
> .


 so am i. i run vibrators on all western 1000 tailgate spreaders.


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## Burkartsplow (Nov 1, 2007)

KissMyWake;1626776 said:


> so am i. i run vibrators on all western 1000 tailgate spreaders.


Gotcha, my bad. I just have seen what happens when an employee try's to power through a large ***** of frozen salt a tailgate salter, bend the auger shaft!!!


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## MR. McBEEVEE (Nov 21, 2008)

*Salt in truck*

For what its worth, this is how we do it for tailgate spreaders. We do have the plastic bed liner by the way. We fill the bed with five gallon buckets then load the salt with a skid steer. The buckets catch 70% to 80% of the salt. Just pick up the buckets and dump in the spreader. This is a lot faster than shoveling. Obviously, when the buckets are empty there is still a little salt to shovel. We probably get 25 to 30 buckets in the truck on one layer. We dont cover anything usually. Not worth the hassle for us. The spreaders do great spreading wet salt with the help of vibrators. Also, if you dont need your truck for other jobs through the winter, we seal the exposed edges like around the tailgate with black monster tape. Keeps salt from coming in contact with the metal.


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