My first post! Let me first say thanks guys. I've been a lurker for awhile and have enjoyed the site, your information and in many cases your humor!
I run 8 plow trucks all having tailgate spreaders. This year I will purchase (very soon) a insert bed mounted spreader for the first time. It will go on a GMC 3/4 ton. I would like to go with a 2 cubic yard spreader in poly and electric to save weight. It would seem the 2 cubic yard size would stay matched with the cubic yard bobcat scoop and be simpler for loading.
Can you guy offer help with
1. Poly vs stainless and weight issues.
2. Brand
3. gas vs electric
4. largest size for a 3/4 ton truck.
5. Will I need additional springs.
6. Any other modification you all perform on truck to help carry weight of the insert.
There's about enough questions here to cover multiple topics, so thanks for any help you can offer.
Go get a set of air bags for the rear. They are cheap and simple to install. The are a tremendous help.
X2 some of the best money I have spent. I have had the slide in snowed poly spreaders, have had a downeaster dump insert and used the downeaster replacement tailgate for the salt spreader. Works very well and would do it all over again.
Mike
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2005 Chevy Ext Cab 2500 H/D
Boss 8'6'' Superduty Straight Blade
Downeaster Dump Box
Downeaster Salter
S&W 9mm on me at all times plowing
Im thinking a 2yd is WAYYYY to much for a 3/4 ton. Even not plowing with salt in it all the time. But what if its loaded and you gotta do a emergency stop,,,,u ain't stopping. Maybe a 1.5 would be better poly,,electric,,anyone that has good dealer support in your area
True sulli. It can be done,,,right now the safety issue comes into play and well yea the weight. I know what our 2yds look. Like loaded on 3500hd gms might be pushing it a little
Thank you for the replys! So I take it that a 2yd poly spreader would be to much for a 3/4 ton truck. I will put helper springs or air bags on the rear. It is a heavy duty 3/4 ton with an 8 foot bed and sits up high from the factory.
Does that change anything. I would like to stay out as long as possible without driving back and forth to load salt so I'm looking for the highest capacity possible.
I have been carrying 2 1/2 tons of bagged salt (98 bags) in 1/2 ton chevys and spreading with tailgate spreaders for 10+ years. That's why I figured I could carry a 2 cubic yard spreader in a 3/4 HD GMC.
I did the tailgate spreader deal for a few years and carried two skids in a extended cab long bed one ton for one year, with the 5000 in the back it wasn't so bad because you spread the weight out so much but a half ton??
I can tell you that 5000# of bagged salt spread thru the bed is by no means the same as 5000# in a bed spreader. The weight you are talking about will be a couple feet higher in the air and centered farther back in the truck.
We can put 4500 in our spreader in a one ton truck but we are within a mile of spreading salt and drop 1-2000# right away. A loaded bed spreader puts our trucks on the bump stops and that ain't no way to be tooling around town for very long.
I don't know Chevy stuff but a Ford 3/4 verses a Ford 1 ton seem like night and day. IMO the extended cab, not the crew cab, seems to carry extra weight better than the regular cab - it seems to be the streched wheelbase that helps.
I read your other thread about putting 14 tons through tailgate spreaders. Are your sites pretty close together? If so I would look at getting a bigger truck then a 3/4 ton, maybe a 5500 or 6500. A 2 yard spreader in a 3/4 ton is overweight. You can drive with them but stopping is always the problem. We are usually driving in poor conditions and it seems all the idiots want to come out when it's snowing.
cet, framer1901 thanks. Those are points I would not have known. I have always put 2 pallets in a 1/2 ton Chevy and yes the truck was squatted. The bags would be stacked up to or slightly below the bed rail. I would have it loaded for a short drive and immediately start unloading. I can see that an insert bed spreader would sit up higher than the rails and would make the truck top heavy.
Why is stopping a problem? Just the extra weight and the momentum of the weight or something else?
Stopping is a problem with weight and small tks. Remember rules are a little different with us than semis. To much weightin the wrong tk with undersized brakes and u have issues picture this. Towing a loaded trailer (7700) with a tk that only weighs. 6350. And try to stop it without trailer brakes........ain't Gunna happen now add snow, ice and alotta cars....could make for a bad day
And just remember this. Your gvwr is only approx 2000 on your 3/4 ton tk I'm bettin your tk weighs about 6000lbs that only leaves about 2000 lbs to play with. Just something to keep in mind
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