Salt spreader - so many choices

[KubotaBX2670]

Hello all:

I am considering purchasing some type of salt spreader for my rural property... my lane-way is paved... 150'x12' long with a top parking area that is about 80'x50'...

There are many choices of salt spreaders... walk behinds that fan out, ones that drop salt... etc.. plus pricing is all over the place.. SnowEx being pretty expensive for a basic walk behind.. $500++

I have a new tractor with a 3PH but don't think I need the expense of an attachment...plus worried about salt damage if I use one.

What do you recommend?

 

[Tomtint]

I bought my father a 3point spreader for the rear of his BX23. His driveway is about 450' long 12' wide and has a 4 car parking spot and a circle. It works well for him, but the salt newest do be dry. It will spread sand as well but that also needs to be bone dry. He has found it easier to use 40/50lb bags and just put them in the hopper, slit them and repeat. It's easier than shoveling material into the hopper. You can also use a rubber flap to stop material from spraying back at your tractor.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

In the Winter, we sell plenty of the 3pt Agrex Broadcast Spreaders equipped with salt/sand spreader control kits.
Travis

 

[KubotaBX2670]

Very nice, ... Something to consider in the future.. Right now I think a walk behind is all I need... There are so many choices and price ranges... I like the SnowEx models but there are very expensive....I'm looking for feedback on similar lower cost models.

 

[msb1766]

This is what I have, it's on page 49
http://www.fimcoindustries.com/images/catalog/13/2013_FIMCO_Catalog_lr.pdf

It was $249.99 at Tractor Supply in 2011

 

[flyingcow]

5 gallon bucket and a coffee can.....can't wear 'em out.

 

[KubotaBX2670]

Let's market that! :laughing:

 

[jgayman]

5 gallon bucket and a coffee can.....can't wear 'em out.

I use the same setup and those coffee cans rust out pretty quick when using rock salt.

 

[PILOON]

I have been using a walk behind seed fertilizer spreader for a number of years with success.

My findings;
Round with a tapered bottom, make the agitator pin smaller for sand and or sand/salt mix as the mix is denser than seed or fertilizer.
Most have only one wheel driving the spinner so I lock the second wheel as well as otherwise the one simply slips.
Use only dry sand.
While even the cheapest all plastic units will do the job my latest 'find' was a pneumatic tired unit that had about a 5 gal container and all moving parts were SS steel. Now that unit works like a real charm! (again I locked both wheels)
I found that the best material to spread was 1/4" fine crushed stone sold at big box stores. One pass up the middle of my drive and the crushed covers the full width of the drive. I spread it kinda like salt/pepper, i.e. sparsely and my drive is hilly and even walking when the drive is wall to wall clear ice is fine.
Sand, I find, really is not that great as it does not stick and washes away fast.
My drive is hilly and about 1000 ft or more and one tub full (about 5 gal) does a satisfactory job for me, I simply walk down and return. One pass.

Being designed for seed or fertilizer they even have adjustable 'gates' so U can control the flow. The big trick is to us only dry aggregate as otherwise things will clog up and that is very frustrating.

 

[aczlan]

I have used several types. I used one like Amazon.com: Scotts 76121 Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader: Patio, Lawn & Garden to salt the sidewalks at a hotel and it did very well with Calcium Chloride Pellets, but not so well with rock salt (chunks in the stuff we had were too big) or on ice (a box of sheetmetal screws into the wheels would have helped with ice traction)
I have also used about the same spreader, but setup as a tow behind unit with the same results.

A few years back I picked up a big Agrifab spreader (this one: Amazon.com: Agri-Fab 175-Pound Tow Broadcast Spreader 45-0329: Patio, Lawn & Garden ) at a yard sale for $10. Seems to work, but we don't salt much now (don't work at the hotel now), so I don't know how well it would do. Should do better with rock salt as it has a bigger opening in the bottom.

Aaron Z