Salt and Sand Spreaders-ASkid Steer Attchment Review
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by: Robert Leib
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Word Count: 608
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2012 Time: 11:28 AM
Copyright (c) 2012 Robert Leib
In the skid steer world, the only thing better than an attachment that does its job well is an attachment that does many jobs all year round. There are more than a few skid loader attachments that are used for multiple purposes, but the material spreaders available on the market today are some of the best examples of multi-purpose attachments. Front-discharge spreaders and side-shooter spreaders do a lot of jobs well.
These salt, sand, seed, and fertilizer-ready material spreaders are ideal for new housing developments and other commercial landscaping applications where grass seed and fertilizer is needed throughout the year. And they can be used for large spaces or small.
But as it is, the cold winter weather is starting to wreak havoc on many parts of the U. S. So it is a good thing that these skid steer spreaders can broadcast more than just fertilizer and seed. They are also perfect for spreading ice melter, sand and salt. Having a skid steer for a snow removal job is one thing, but with the skid steer material spreader, the skid loader operator could offer an extra service and apply ice melt and a layer of sand or salt for safety. A complete job well done, all year round, with one machine.
It is certainly a good idea, when shopping for one of these material spreader attachments, to take a look at both the front-discharge and the side-discharge units. The typical material spreader comes in two sizes, 60-inch width, and 72-inch width. The side-shooter is great if the skid loader owner needs to spread seed or broadcast sand or salt (or some other material), but may want to avoid driving on the treated surface with the skid steer machine. The larger of each skid steer material spreader holds just a little bit more than a cubic yard of granulate, while the smaller unit's capacity can hold just a hair under a yard. The best spreaders are all made with sturdy, high-quality steel, and each spreader unit has been engineered and built to withstand years and years of hard labor.
All of these hydraulically driven sand, salt, seed and fertilizer skid steer mounted spreader attachments come complete with a universal quick-attach coupler that works for almost all skid loaders. A basic attachment uses a manually adjustable valve-type gate, a hydraulically operated auger and particulate spreader that gets its torque directly from the auxiliary flow of the skid steer machine. Be sure that all of the necessary hoses are included as part of the package. If necessary, the only optional items should be the hydraulic couplers for each particular machine. That way, if the owner wishes, he or she can request that the manual gate valve be upgraded to incorporate hydraulic control. Some materials, like calcium chloride, flow quickly enough out the chute that a more delicate control mechanism is required.
One of the most useful features about a multi-material spreader is that it is constructed of materials that are tough enough to allow the skid loader driver to actually scoop the granulated salt, sand, seed or feed right up with the attachment. There is no need to use a shovel and the arms of a laborer to load this spreader. An especially useful feature for those skid steer owners that use the spreader frequently, the scooping spreader does cost a bit more money than some other salt, sand, seed and fertilizer spreaders for the skid steer.
But this skid steer spreader attachment, with its myriad standard features and convenient options saves a skid steer owner a lot of time and can be used all year round.
About the Author
Skid steer solution loaders and attachments for your bobcat, and skid steer attachments for use in winter weather,construction, landscaping, and can be found at http://www.skidsteersolutions.com This family owned business is exclusively online to keep prices down.
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