Our team of municipal experts has worked with community leaders across the country to find solutions to their specific challenges, considering their terrain, budget and labor challenges.
When it comes to investing in snow and ice equipment, we want to make sure our customers have the tools they need to protect their communities– from large rural expanses to tight urban alleyways.
Tailgate spreaders are an option we often recommend for more densely populated communities that have a lot of small spaces to de-ice. Tailgate spreaders offer users increased visibility, more efficient placement and also more control over material usage. Do you think a tailgate spreader is the right solution for your community? Take a look through some questions we gathered to ask yourself when investing in tailgate solutions.
Why Tailgate Spreaders?
Tailgate Spreaders are a great option for cities because they can easily deploy salt, sand, or any other type of snow melting chemical (or even a mixture of multiple materials) in smaller specific areas like turning lanes, tight alleys, walkways in parks or cemeteries and other compact areas.
The spreader is easily refilled. The user can load extra material into the dump body, the dump body is then raised to move material toward the spreader.
Common Considerations
Community Needs
What is the size and layout of the areas you need to clear? Do you need a spreader that allows you to tackle the most area at once, or do you need a spreader that allows you to distribute product in narrow and tight spaces?
GVWR and GAWR
Ensure your spreader system and any extra material you haul will remain within your GVWR and GAWR weight compliances at all times. Those numbers, and the front and rear axle curb weights, will determine the size of your spreader.
Available Options
Drive Options
Chain Drive
Chain drives are a one-piece chain that can be easily removed to check for repairs or replace.
Direct Drive
Direct drives are coupled to your auger. They are a high performance drive option that doesn’t require a ton of annual maintenance. 
Gearbox Drive
Gearbox drives give users better control over the distribution of material at low speed rates.
Discharge Location
Another consideration to think through is where you want your material to be discharged when spreading deicing material. Common options include:
- Left Discharge
- Right Discharge
- Center Discharge
- Dual Discharge
Auger Size
4″ Augers
Dual 4” augers are used to prevent product “bridging and tunneling” and to maintain a constant flow of material to the spinner. These augers can have flighting as follows: One-Way, Dual Discharge, Reverse Flight and Center. They are good for salt, salt/sand mix or salt/sand/chip mix.
6″ Augers
6” augers are used when you only want to spread salt, as a salt/sand mix tends to bridge in this application. This auger size can have flighting as follows: One-Way, Dual Discharge, Reverse Flight and Center. Good for salt only or an 80/20 salt/sand mix maximum.
9″ Augers
This auger is the most versatile. These are used when you want to spread salt, salt/sand mix, chips or even gravel/chips. This auger size can have flighting as follows: One-Way, Dual Discharge, Reverse Flight and Center.
Spinners
Single
Single spinners are mostly used in cities and townships. Single spinners prevent the product from being mainly distributed in the “middle” and can give pretty precise applications along tight municipal roads.
Dual
Dual Spinners are more common on Highway/Multi-Lane Roads. Dual spinners allow you to dispense material from the right side or the left side of the tailgate spreader. This is handy when there are turn lanes or if they want to spread material to the right side when plowing the left lane.
Partner With Monroe Truck Equipment
Monroe Truck Equipment a leading municipal snow and ice control and truck equipment manufacturer and upfitter. Since 1958, we have partnered with municipal leaders across the country to provide high-performance solutions that tackle the specific and changing needs of their communities. Backed by the expertise of our team and the durability of our equipment, our municipal customers have the tools they need to improve and safely maintain their community. Learn more at www.monroetruck.com