Only way to do it with a forklift is 1 ton sacks with a drawstring bottom. Lift the sack over the salter, pull the string. Simple as that. http://www.onetonbag.com/products/ third and forth option from the top.
Framer1901 ... I'm using SIX 1/2 ton trucks with tailgate spreaders each event. It takes all night and yes I know there is a better way. By the end of winter my men and I can hardly move. That's why I'm asking you all for help. I just bought our first 3/4 ton GMC but it sounds like I should have gone with at least a 1 ton.
The choices of brands and dealers in Ky are limited but SnowEx has dealers and I was thinking of going with the 8500 (2 yd spreader) but it sounds like with a 3/4 ton truck I had better go with the 7500 (1.4 yard spreader).
The math as I see it...
Salt in bags cost about $4 bucks a 50 lb bag so 40 bag (1 ton) x $4= $160
bulk salt cost ? not sure $80 a ton
I'd save a minimum of $80 dollars a ton by using loose salt
minimum savings 50 tons x $80 = $4,000 and a heck of al ot of savings in labor and pain.
OH, also in Kentucky we will close schools if there is snow in the forecast. A 1/2 inch to an inch will cancel classes and most everything. We salt everything here. Property managers are so afraid of slip and fall lawsuits that have got to start laying salt as soon as the first flakes fall. We are asked to put down salt after a rain just in case it freezes after rush hour.
OH, also in Kentucky we will close schools if there is snow in the forecast. A 1/2 inch to an inch will cancel classes and most everything. We salt everything here. Property managers are so afraid of slip and fall lawsuits that have got to start laying salt as soon as the first flakes fall. We are asked to put down salt after a rain just in case it freezes after rush hour.
I used to have my drivers running back and forth to the shop to reload all the time with a 2 yd sanders, and then try to plan routes.... I found it so much easier to get a larger truck and sander. It not only saves alot of time, stress and fuel. You may want to look into getting something in the 5 yd range or even a larger one especially with using 14 yds.
snowman55 my guess is he has alot of stops. I have 7 spreaders and do about 25 ton an event no way could i do it with less trucks
We have 4 very large center, 10 large accounts like lowes, and shopping centers. We also have a boatload of small centers, bank branches and office buildings.
I will still use the tailgate spreaders at the bank branches and smaller centers because it's seems it would be easier to keep track of the amount of salt put down with a tailgate spreader. The large shopping centers that take over a ton of salt are killing me with putting it down 13 bags at a time.
If the insert works out like I hope, I would think I could cut down the number of trucks I send out each ice event. By not stopping every 3-4 minutes to fill up the tailgate spreader may off set anytime lost driving to get more salt when the insert is empty.
Since I have a GMC 2500 HD I'm leaning towards going with the SnowEx 7550 1.4 cubic yard. What do you think? Any suggestions or advise would be greatly appreciated.
I think that from what I read, You will love the extra capacity of a 1.4, and if you can go larger you will like it even more. I know for me, I really have saved alot of time and $$$$ with going from 2 yd to 5yd sanders, I now have two larger sander sanders. You will say to yourself how did I ever do it with out the bigger salter. My advice to you would be to purchase the biggest truck and sander you can afford. That being said it is nice to have dual wheels when you put weight on truck. At least a f 350.
The one truck for everything doesn't always work out so well. It's great to have many assets so you can be many places at once.
As for that 3/4 ton - if you aren't driving fully loaded all over the place, take that thing to a spring shop and make it carry the weight, you just have to be very very carefull driving. You'll be amazed how different the truck handles with that bed spreader verses bags.
For loading, a smaller 40hp Kubota will hold about 900# per bucket, skid steers about the same. It'll make a mess but you can even load the tailgates with the tractor.
One thing that we noticed fr bulk salt thru a tailgate - the Boss one we have - we had to add a vibrator, the spread rate was slower because the bulk average size is bigger than bagged. I am not familar with any other tailgate but the one we have but ours just didn't have the ability to feed bulk as fast as it did bagged, we had to drive slower while spreading.... We just slowed down, that's all.
I personally have only used the Salt Dogg bed spreader. Ours is a dang horse, knock on wood that thing just keeps going. I like it because it's so simple, none of these doors or complicated covers. Four straps hold it in the truck, 5 tractor scoops or one small loader scoop fills it, roughly level it off, throw the tarp over it and drive away. I don't have to worry about door hinges or making sure doors will close..
Buy the bigger poly spreader, do something with the truck suspension and get a tractor of some kind - you are just using too much to be jerking around any other way...
Eleven skids of bagged salt in one night, that gives me the chills. WTF did you do with all the bags, all the skids, OMG I thought my one year of doing it was bad....
Framer1901 .... Are you saying to add additional leaf springs and buy the bigger bed spreader which would be the 8550 model a 2yard spreader?
I would end up with only 50-60 pallets at the garage because most of my salt came from picking it up at the dealer. We would unload the pallet into the trucks and the dealer kept the pallets. I try to only keep 50 pallets on hand at the garage in case the dealers get low or run short. Last year I had a hard time even giving the pallets away.
i have basically the same truck and they will handle some weight. why not try a set of timbrens or air bags in the back to help with the weight. i believe the rear ends are the same between the 2500hd and the straight 3500(i'm not certain on this but i'm sure someone on here know more about this than i do)i have carried close to 3000lbs in my bed and it handled it fine and this was with P rated tires which is what was on the truck when i bought it and has since then been changed, just don't be in a hurry. as far as loading as i said before a grain auger or a small tractor with a bucket.
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2005 Chevy 2500HD/6.0/4:10 rears/plow prepped
7'6" meyers plow with wings
Western 1000 spreader with vibrator spreading bulk
Plenty of shovels
Licensed and Insured
IMO - springs and the bigger spreader. That spreader looks no nonsense, just designed to get the job done and that optional Snow Trax is a sweat deal.
I have never used timbrens or air bags - I think both of these products are designed to assist a truck that is "max" loaded while retaining ride quality when not loaded.
You want to ride in a Cadillac, get one. Our trucks are work trucks, not Cadillacs - the cheapest way to put more in the bed is a spring.
I'm in no way saying to overload a truck and buzz down the highway - you have to use common sense and understand the liability involved.
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