Mastering Winter Maintenance: Choosing the Right Salt Spreader for Your Needs.When winter weather hits, be ready to battle that snow and ice with one of our salt spreaders. We have hitch-mounted salt spreaders, tailgate and truck bed salt spreaders, UTV salt spreaders, and walk-behind salt spreaders. Whatever the job at hand, we have a salt spreader for you. Or grab a spare part for your salt spreader to keep it working as you expect it to. Get prepared for the next big storm with a snow plow, tire chains, engine heaters, battery chargers, ice scrapers, shoe chains, and windshield covers. Keep your car equipped for any emergency with jumper cables, portable shovels, flashlights, flares, traction plates, winches, and recovery straps.With over 75 years of assisting our neighbors and customers, over 1 million photos and videos taken to make sure you’re getting exactly what you need, and over 35 thousand installations completed, we’ve got the product know-how and experience to help you make the right choices for the job at hand.How does a salt spreader actually work?A salt spreader saves you a ton of time compared to tossing salt by hand. It feeds the salt from a hopper down onto a spinning disc that throws it out evenly across the ground. If you’ve ever ended up with clumps of salt in one spot and bare pavement in another, you’ll appreciate how much better a spreader does the job. Some let you adjust how much salt is being spread, which helps when dealing with ice versus just keeping fresh snow from sticking.Should I get a walk-behind or a vehicle-mounted spreader?If you’re just covering a driveway or some sidewalks, a walk-behind spreader works fine. You push it along like a lawn spreader, and it throws the salt in front of you. But if you’re covering a big lot or a long driveway, pushing a spreader through heavy snow isn’t just slow—it’s exhausting. That’s when a hitch-mounted or truck bed spreader makes sense. It lets you salt as you drive, which is a game-changer if you’ve got a lot of ground to cover, especially after plowing.Can I use the same spreader for salt and fertilizer?Technically, yes, but if you don’t clean it out well, you’re going to run into problems. Salt is corrosive, and leftover fertilizer can clog things up. If you’re switching between materials, rinse everything out completely after each use and make sure the mechanism isn’t sticking. Some spreaders handle both better than others, but if you’re mainly using it for winter, stick with one built for salt—it’ll last longer and give you fewer headaches.How do I keep my salt spreader from rusting out?If you let salt sit in your spreader after you’re done, it’s going to eat through the metal fast. After every use, rinse it off completely, especially the spinner and hopper, and let it dry. Lubricating the moving parts keeps them from seizing up, and storing it somewhere dry instead of leaving it out in the elements will make a huge difference. I’ve seen guys leave their spreaders sitting outside full of leftover salt, and by the next season, they’re wondering why nothing works. Take five minutes to clean it out, and it’ll last you years longer.Do I actually need a salt spreader, or can I just throw salt by hand?If you’re only doing a few steps or a short walkway, tossing salt by hand is fine. But if you’ve got a long driveway, a business parking lot, or a farm road, you’ll wear yourself out fast. Plus, when you throw salt by hand, it’s almost impossible to get even coverage—you end up wasting a ton of salt and still have icy patches. A spreader lays it down evenly and saves you time, salt, and frustration. If you find yourself dreading salting every time it snows, it’s probably time to get one.
