I was thinking of getting a sander . 1.What is a good one to get to do small lots about 100'X 200'. 2. How do you maintain it in the winter do you let it go empty and wash it out or let the san/salt mix stay in it. 3. Steel or satinless. I have a fisher speed caster 2 now but was thinking of getting more sanding contracts.Loading it would be no problem because i have a 580L 4 X 4.Would apprciate any help.
I would get a sander in the 1.5 to 2yd capacity,depending on your truck.If you only have a 3/4 ton go 1.5 max.I empty mine after each storm and rinse it out,then WD40 the chain and spinner.In the spring I do a complete cleaning and service before storage.one time i let the mix sit,it froze up and was a PITA to get out.DO not buy a steel sander,go stainless,its one less thing to worry about.I put a set of backup lights on mine that have an override switch so i can see it spreading at night and they help see when backing.What truck are you putting it on?
I would be putting it on my '97 chevy 3/4 p/u.My friend use to leave his mix in all season and he always had problems.what brand have you had luck with frink, airflow etc.
I like the Diamond Brand, which is actually built by swenson ( because one company owns, diamond, meyer, and swenson. I would get a 2.0, 3.0 yard if you have a truck to take the weight. This is my feeling on stainless, I don't think its worth the extra money. My feeling is that after 7 years or so, a spreader is pretty much tost, unless ya want to rebuild the chain, the drive ect. Yes, the stainless doesn't rust like the steel, however it is still going to take 10 years to rust through really bad. So I buy a steel v-box keep it as long as i keep the truck generally less than 7 years, and get rid of the spreader. However after every storm i run the sand/salt out. Wash the spreader the next day, complety, i have 2 was bays for this reason. I would advice washning every truck after a storm is you could. Then coat the chain with used motor oil. I am also going to buy one replacement tailgate spreader, and find out how that work for this year. The F 650 and F 750, will get under the tailgate spreaders. Geoff [Edited by GeoffDiamond on 09-04-2000 at 11:58 PM]
I have a bradford 1 yd SS,I bought it used,its about all my GMC LD 2500 could handle safely anyway.I have run airflow and like them too,but i havent run harder or diamond brands like Geoff has.I like stainless because i keep stuff a long time,and have a much smaller operation than Geoff and cant buy new trucks/spreaders/plows every couple years.For him steel is better.He likes Fords too,Im aGM man,whatever works for you.I listen to everything Geoff says,he's done a lot more than I have in this business.
I'd look into the Ice-O-Way, which is think is now being marketed by Sno-Way as the "Spreadator". As well built as any of them and it has the advantage of having a swing away spinner assembly. One of the most commonly damaged parts on a spreader is the spinner, it's just too easy to back into a hard bank or immovable object and put your spreader out of commmision. With the swing away spinner is that you can latch it up beside the hopper when you're plowing and drop it down into spreading position quickly. Ice-O-Way/Spreadator are available in several sizes and are low enough to let you see some over the top of them when they are mounted. Other than that I've used both Torwell and Tarco units and they both work well. The Torwell was an older unit and had plenty of problems that I had to deal with. Once I got the bugs out it was a good unit.
Well here is my opinion. Get a smith/ harder stainless with electric drive. It is light, simple and quiet. No gas/oil to worry about in freezing weather. And if you are buying new, they are comparable with mild steel units. I have had one 4 yrs with 0 problems. I know of people with this unit well over 10 yrs old and they have had 0 problems. I have had gas powered spreaders and they dont like the cold, once they start they seem to be fine, but if the battery goes dead,they you have to pull start, and thats no fun. Most people have never heard of the unit, but I love mine. Dino
I only have one thing to add and that is i have three small sanders one is a flink,one is a swenson,and one is a henderson.I can never remember which is which between the henderson and the swenson,but I think it is the swenson and the flink that run the material by the belt and chain drive.This can be a major problem if your sand or salt has chunks because it will force the belts off of their pulleys.The henderson has all of the drive mechinsms above the discharge opening and I do not have near the trouble with it,even in reguards to chains,bearings,etc rusting like on the other sanders.Geoff is right other than that go find a sander and use it they don't last forever.
