I'm looking to buy a push-type spreader for rock salt and cal chlor and wanted some input on what's the best one out there? I've been looking at the meyer hotshot 70HD- good spreader? I'll be used to salt driveways (only about 5 of them), and a couple walks, so it needs to have the deflector setup on it.
We have two of these, I don't if they are the BEST, but have not tested any others. We have done parking lots with these, obviously it is more work than having a regular truck spreader, which we also have.
Used to have the blue earthway,,,was good but rusted to nothing..the work ones are the small round earthways,,,,junk for salt. So I just picked up a stainless 50lb spyker. Seems gooder so far. It's pretty heavy,,the tubes are 5/8, and the on off is controlled by rods not a cable.
I like the SnowEx SP-85. I bought one last year. It works very well and I am totally satisfied with the unit. It is a pricey unit cost me over $500 with the tax. Well worth the price. I use it on a 9,000 sq/ft courtyard of exposed aggregate concrete and about 1,000 ft of sidewalk.
I used those cheap units in the past, but they are junk. You get what you pay for. I don't know about Meyers units but those less than $150.00 are throw-a-ways imo.
Thanks for the info guys- I'm torn between spending $500+ on a really good unit or $175 or so on a "so-so" one.... hmmmmm
I have been looking at new spreaders for 2 weeks, lesco stainless, snow ex stainless, meyer stainless. They all seem the same and prices are close. Toughest decision I have made lately. I will let you know what I do tomorrow once I decide.
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A.M. Leonard Co in Piqua, OH sells a full line of push-type salt spreaders. They have their own make, as well as Snow-Ex, Spyker, Earthway, etc. Everything from basic to fabulous. I happen to like their 70 lb stainless model. The Earthway stainless unit is a favorite, too.
Thanks for the link. There orange one looks good and at a decent price. How long have you had your and are running salt and ice melt through the unit. Can it be set up for fert also? Thanks
I believe ours are 2 years old. I don't use them for anything but salt, as that's what they're designed for. The aperture (opening) isn't well suited to metering out precise amounts of fertilizer. It is more suited to feeding clumped or chunky materials like rock salt.
I think I noticed the stainless units are out of stock right now, but AMLeo is pretty good about keeping inventory. I rely on them.
I have had two eartways and two saltdogs. The earthways I only spread walk salt with them so they never broke just finally rusted through.
BUT the saltdogs on the other hand are junk, broke all the time. They are suppose to be able to run bulk and bagged bulk. If it wasn't the spinner shaft it was the gears.
Now I have a snow-ex and love it. It's on its third season and has probably had, if I had to guess 15-20 ton run through it. All bulk and never a problem.
The snowex is nice but at 550 plus tax is a hefty bill. But if you are going on your third season then it is worth the investment. Does it spread treated bulk?
my meyer hotshot has been a top performer for dry material. If you can get dry bulk and store it dry until you need it you're n good shape with it. It won't spread rock salt. It bulk sand/salt mix that is damp. I just drive bagged calcium or magnesium or jet blue through it and I have 3 tonnes of bulk that I sourced last summer and kept dry. That way the Meyer works for me very well.
Pete
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I use both the SnowEx drop spreader which is awesome and the SP-85 models. We run several of them. They are not the cheapest, but if you want something that will last a long time take a look at them. We've been using them several years with no issues at all. The flow is always even and no clogs. We run a lot of material through them.
It's so easy even a girl can do it. Just teasing, that's my daughter as we were calibrating it.
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Last edited by Wayne Volz; 12-12-2012 at 10:28 AM..
The snowex is nice but at 550 plus tax is a hefty bill. But if you are going on your third season then it is worth the investment. Does it spread treated bulk?
I think it was around $400, but it isn't the stainless one. Which says alot for the regular finish because I barely have any rust. I did fluid film all the cracks and crevices and opened the gearbox and fluid filmed that.
I have never tried treated but I have spread wet bulk salt with acouple shakes here and there to knock it down.
The snowex is nice but at 550 plus tax is a hefty bill. But if you are going on your third season then it is worth the investment. Does it spread treated bulk?
I've spread treated salt with mine with no problems. The opening in the bottom can get very large if necessary. A few shakes to keep it going but that keeps flowing. If we use wet product we will even spray a little "PAM" nonstick on the sides.
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Thanks, I would be using clearlne treated bulk salt and I looked at the Lesco yesterday and I do t honk it will work and just looked at the Meyer hot shot and it was nice but seemed a little cheaper built then the snowex. It was true stainless one I had prices out with a discount. If I got the one you have I would just fluid film the heck out of it and do what you did with the gear box. Now when you have the deflectors straight down how wide of an area is it covering. I like the ability to flip them up if I don't need them but most of the time the walks are 6 foot wide. Thanks
I actually took my deflectors off the end of last year. I guess that would be my only complaint is it was getting loose and falling down into the way when ever I had to give it a shake. I finished out the year by hand and bucket method for walks. I just used the spreader for condo parking up by garage doors, a couple small lots, and well trafficed parking like handicap areas, building entrances, or employee parking. With the deflectors off it will throw 10ft either side.
But with the deflectors on and all of them down if I remember correctly it spread heavy on the left side and about 3' wide so some my 6' walks I took a trip up and a trip back and it worked out just fine. If I was short on time I would put the front flap up almost all the way and jog with it and it would easily spread six' just alittle sloppy pattern.
I was shopping for another one this summer on craiglist(save acouple $$$) but never ran into one I liked.
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