8 Accessories You Need for Your Hopper Spreader This Season

Whether you already have a FISHER® hopper spreader or are in the market for one, you’re likely looking for ways to make the most out of it this coming season. For most snow and ice professionals, it usually comes down to ensuring safety, saving time, and of course—making money. Take your operation to the next level by accessorizing your hopper spreader to help benefit your performance and make your business more profitable.

Safety First Accessories to Protect Your Ice Control Crew

Snow and ice professionals are out in the elements, experiencing hazardous conditions where safety is always a top concern. These accessories ensure that you and your crew are operating in the safest conditions possible.

• Strobe Lights:
  Visibility is key, especially in the middle of the nastiest of weather conditions. With an LED strobe light kit, you’ll increase the visibility of your truck and make your presence known. By mounting them on the upper corners of your spreader, you’ll also show the profile of your truck so people can give you enough space. The FISHER LED strobe light kit works in temperatures as cold as -20°F so it can brave the cold just like you do.
  (Available for all FISHER hopper spreaders)

• Work Lights:
  While the strobe lights are for others to see you, an LED work light kit helps you to see what you’re doing in the rear of your spreader at night. If you’re checking on the spreader, adding material to the hopper, or if you’re parked and want to give more light to your shovel crew, this work light has an output of 1,000 lumens and can give you all the visibility you need.
  (Available for all FISHER hopper spreaders)

• Ratchet Straps & Chains:
  These ensure that your hopper is secure in the rear of your vehicle and stabilizes the load for vehicles with a short wheelbase. Our kit from FISHER features four high-strength woven straps that secure up to 4,000 pounds. You’ll want to be sure to bolt the hopper to the truck frame and use the straps to stabilize the load, providing optimal safety for you and the others on the road. For larger hoppers carrying the heaviest loads, chain kits are also available providing security and stability.
  (Available for all FISHER hopper spreaders)

 

Save Time & Get Efficient With Spreader Accessories

In many situations, deicing is a race against time. You may only have a few hours to get out before the storm hits or before rush hour. Even one or two minor setbacks can throw off your schedule. These accessories will help streamline your ice control operation and help you get more done in less time.

• Spill Guards:
  When it’s time to load up, you don’t want to waste material and have it spill all over the back of your vehicle. Spill guards make material loading quicker and easier, especially if you’re using a skid-steer and bucket to load a flatbed because they provide greater visibility to the dump zone.
  (Available for the STEEL-CASTER™ 1.5-6.0 & STEEL-CASTER 0.7)

• Side Extensions & Extension Collars:
  When you can load up more material each trip, that’s fewer fill-ups and more time out spreading material. That’s the premise behind adding side extensions to your spreader. This isn’t limited to a big hopper spreader; you can add side extensions to a drop spreader too. As always, be sure your vehicle can handle the extra weight.
  (Available for the STEEL-CASTER™ 1.5-6.0 cu yd, STEEL-CASTER 0.7 cu yd & TRAILCOMMANDER™ 250 & 600)

• Central Point Grease Kit:
  One of the best ways to save time is to keep up with your preventative maintenance. Our central point grease kit provides easy access to grease points, which simplifies the maintenance process and will save you time now, while also saving you from downtime later. Maintaining your grease points will also extend the life of the bearings in your spreader, saving you money.
  (Available for all FISHER hopper spreaders—excluding STEEL-CASTER 0.35 cu yd)

• Tarp or Lid Kit:
  Protect your material from the elements with a tarp or hopper lid. This can eliminate waste and reduce the chance of material bridging and clogging your spreader.
  (Available for all FISHER hopper and tailgate spreaders, standard on some models.)

Accessories That Can Make You More Profitable

In the end, as a commercial contractor, the hard work of snow and ice control is about making money. While the previously mentioned accessories indirectly help with the bottom line, this last one can be a game changer. It hits the target for all three areas of concern: safety, time, and profitability.

• Pre-Wet System & Liquid Application Kits:
  Adding a pre-wet system creates a ripple effect of benefits for your operation. First, it allows you to use less material by applying a liquid solution directly on the material activating it prior to it leaving the hopper. Activated material starts melting ice and snow immediately, improving results and even your reputation. Another benefit to pre-wet material is that it doesn’t bounce and scatter across the pavement, allowing you to be more precise with where you spread, saving material and money. Studies show that pre-wetting can reduce salt application rates by 20-30% to achieve the same results. That material savings goes straight to your bottom line.
  (Available for all FISHER hopper spreaders—excluding STEEL-CASTER 0.35 cu yd)

Even though the winter months can feel long, they’re limited, and you only have a few months to really take advantage of the money-making opportunities. These accessories become valuable investments in your ice control operation that help you get ahead of the competition and deliver excellent results.

Interested in more ways to boost your salting game? Check out this additional resource.