New spreader

[Alan]

Well,, bit the bullet and acquired a new Sno-Way "Spreadator" Vee box. Figured that I had absolutely NO time to mess with a used oen that might need work to get into dependable condition. This one is 1.4 yd, a little bigger than I wanted but the dealer didn't have the 1 yd model. It's sitting in the K2500 tonight, ready to go, IF we get any snow overnight. Forecast is for snow showers after midnight into morning. Now we have three spreaders in varying capabilities. The undertailgate spreader on the 5500, perfect for heavy applications or the times we need to use mix. The new vee box which will give us capability to carry enough salt so that we can plow and salt the whole "southern end" of our route without reloading. The SnowEx that was on the 2500 will be going on one of the S-10s for now. That will let us carry material and do the touch up applicationsif needed, without having to go back with another truck, which is what we have had to do in the past.

 

[landscaper3]

We too just bought a Fisher 1.7yard sander new, we looked at used but needed sprockets or chains or both and by the time you paid for parts and installation that used spreader cost would be 3/4 or more of a new one. There is also that "DEAL" out there but we cant afford to wait. We leased ours through our leasing company we lease our Walker mowers from, 100%tax deductable or 100% write off no deprectiation value to mess with like on commercial loans or personal loans they dont have anywhere near the return our leasing company gives us. We have been leasing all our equipment and it is the most profitable way to purchase equipment.

 

[GeoffD]

Congrats on the New Spreader.

Sounds like you will be able to improve your spreading speed. Any suspension upgrades in the works? Or will the truck be fine stock?

Geoff

 

[John DiMartino]

The sno-way is a light unit,Alan is using Salt(light),so I doubt any mods would be needed to carry it.In my 3/4 LD,I can heap a yd in my .85 yd spreader and it sits a tad lower in the rear,but as soon as you mount the plow it levels it out.A yd of sand is as heavy as 1.5 of salt.

 

[Alan]

Suspension mods in the works

Geoff, I think we'll go with Timbrens front and rear, the Vee plow drops the front quite a bit and the spreader is going to take the rear down a lot as well.

John, the salt we've been getting has a lot of fines, so it's pretty dense stuff. When we get lucky and get good coarse salt it is noticeably lighter than the stuff I've got in the bin right now.

The K2500 is the HD version, 8600 GVW as I recall. But it's nowhere near the truck that a heavy 3/4 would have been in the past. Sometimes I miss my old 72 IH, it was only a 6200 (I think, got CRS pretty bad)but it had springs like none of these new ones even think about. I once dropped 3200 lbs of channel iron in the back and it dropped the hitch only 3 inches, nice stout old truck.

 

[Alan]

Hopefully the experience of this morning will NOT be typical of this new spreader. Went out at 4:30 to go load up and could smell gasoline BAD! Checked the tank it was down, I had filled it the other night when we brought the unit home. No major wet spots externally, so I tried pulling the engine over with the rope starter. Got a half turn and it was liquid locked, pulled the plug and turned it over and just PUKED gas out the plug hole. Never gave a thought to gas in the oil at that point. It started right up and I ran off about a load and a half and it just stopped spreading. Setscrew in the crankshaft sprocket had come loose and the key had fallen out. By then it was 7:30, off to the dealer! He did his usual "drop everything to fix it" and got me going again. Locktite on the setscrews this time and plenty of torque on the wrench. Not a real encouraging start for a new machine but crap happens. Sucker does work good though, I found it is hard to cut it down enough to avoid wasting material. With the door closed as far as it will go and the engine idling I'm still laying down enough salt to give me almsot instant results about 12' wide. Cranked up it has gotta cover 40', fantastic in a big lot!

 

[Finecut]

Alan,

I see in a post above you were going to install Timbrens. I just purchased Monroe LSE Load Supports from NAPA for 70.00 per pair (front) compared to 116.00 for Timbrens. I can't imagine the difference in cost is anything other than dealer profit. These may even be made by Timbren for Monroe but that's just a guess on my part. One of the people that works for me P/T is second in command in the parts department at our local Ford dealer and got this information for me...hope this helps you too.

 

[GeoffD]

Sounds like you got good results with the spreader. I hope it stays in tip top shape from now on.

Do you leave the motor running when you are driving from job to job, or start it for each job. I tell guys to turn it off, unless they are going to an account next door. We got electric start in the cab, so it makes life easier.

Geoff

 

[Alan]

I shut the engine down between stops, unless they are side by side. No point in listening to it run for the fun of it. I got in the habit with an old Torwell we had a few years back. That thing was constantly vibrating some part or the other loose, so you didn't dare let it run a second longer than necessary. After that machine the Tarco I used last winter and this Sno-Way are straight from heaven, they start, work good, and (except for this morning) don't shed parts everywhere you go.

Interesting thing this morning, I salted one of my accounts at the same time that a competitor was sanding one of his right across the street. Within a half hour MY lot was showing black, HIS lot never got beyond the muddy slush stage all day, by 4 PM it had frozen over. It's a bank branch, I'm amazed they put up with that kind of mess, but apparently he works cheap. Someday I'm tempted to talk to the manager and have her look across the street to see what REAl deicing looks like.

 

[John DiMartino]

My Bradford is the twin to your spreader Alan,it spread like mad too,and when i was doing my pre-season check i noticed that my set screws were very loose too.it was clancking real bad ,locktited them and so far ,so good.Mine is the smaller,97 model and only has a 5hp briggs,but I noticed that if you park on a steep uphill or when i store the spreader with the rear low,the oil will eventually run past the rings and itll smoke for a few minutes when you start it,so now i do not park like that and store it flat.It has to sit fot weeks to do that,but it'll hydro lock if it does.I hope all the bugs are worked out now.Keep an eye on the mounting tabs,mine are starting to bend where they attach to the top of the V,I think I over ranked the straps a little(oops),so I might need to get them braced soon,since its stainless I cant do itmyself.

 

[landscaper3]

We just purchased a new Fisher 1.7 Yard V-Box spreader with the 10hp Tecumsem motor with all controls in cab. Now I cant wait to try it, where the snow????? I hope it works well.

 

[John DiMartino]

Keep an extra spark plug in the truck for the tecumseh engine,they foul plugs real easy.i have a friend with a new one and it eats plugs fast.Good luck with it.

 

[landscaper3]

Thanks John probly at napa stores for plug?

 

[Chuck Smith]

Why can't you do it yourself John? IF ya got a MIG, just get stainless wire, and the right gas mixture. I welded stainless with stainless wire, and CO2 sheilding gas, only a little rust. I'm sure they make an electrode for stainless for an ARC welder too. If all you have is a torch, forget what I just said.......

~Chuck

 

[John DiMartino]

I do not have a MIG yet,there is one at the shop I work PT at,but Boss doesnt want me to mess with it.Muy buddy has a Steel shop,so ill just drive it over to him,he is a profesional welder,does superstrucutres,tankers etc..,I hook him up with Golf-he hooks me up with little things like this.

 

[Chuck Smith]

Sounds like a good deal to me!

~Chuck