BOSS Spreader Maintenance Tips: Keep Your Equipment Ready for Winter

Regular maintenance is one of the easiest ways to keep a BOSS spreader reliable throughout the winter season and ready for storage during the offseason. Following the recommended maintenance schedule helps reduce premature wear, prevent avoidable downtime, and extend the life of critical components.

This guide covers the most important BOSS spreader maintenance tasks, including lubrication, chain tension, electrical connections, ratchet straps, and gearbox inspection.

BOSS Spreader Maintenance Schedule

The easiest way to stay ahead of spreader maintenance is to organize inspections by frequency.

What Is Preventive Spreader Maintenance?

Because deicing materials can be corrosive, regular maintenance is especially important for components such as chains, bearings, electrical connectors and drive systems.

1. Grease the Spreader Bearings

On applicable BOSS hopper spreaders, bearings should be greased every 50 hours of use. Use multipurpose lithium-based grease.

Pintle-Drive Spreaders

Pintle-drive spreaders have three bearings that require lubrication:

• Two bearings are located on the front of the unit near the chain-tension adjustment area.

• One bearing is located on the opposite side of the spreader from the drive gearbox.
  

The large black plastic cover will need to be removed on the rear of the spreader to access the grease fitting of the rear bearing. The grease fittings on the front bearings can be accessed by removing the small black plastic coverings just forward of the chain tension adjustment bolts.

Auger-Drive Spreaders

Auger-driven spreaders have one bearing that should be greased every 50 hours.

The bearing is located on the front side of the drive assembly. Remove the cover secured by push clips to access the grease fitting.

2. Lubricate the Conveyor Chain (Pintle-Chain Models Only)

On pintle-drive spreaders, the conveyor chain should also be lubricated every 50 hours of operation.

To lubricate the chain:

1. Empty the spreader before performing maintenance.

2. Pivot the spinner assembly out of the way.

3. Operate the spreader drive so the conveyor chain moves around the sprockets.

4. Apply chain and cable lubricant to the drive links on both sides of the chain as it passes around the sprockets.

Regular lubrication helps reduce wear and extend conveyor-chain life.

Safety reminder: Follow the maintenance and safety procedures in your specific BOSS owner's manual when working around moving components.

3. Check Conveyor Chain Tension

Check pintle conveyor chain tension daily or before every use.

The chain should have enough tension to prevent it from dragging across the bottom of the cleanout tray while still allowing approximately 1 to 2 inches of sag.

4. Inspect the Spreader Ratchet Straps (If Applicable)

Check the ratchet straps daily or before every use.

The straps should be tight enough to prevent the spreader from moving, but they should not be excessively tight. Over-tightening can pull down on and distort the mounting points molded into the hopper.

The goal is secure—not over-tightened.

5. Inspect and Protect Electrical Connections

Electrical connections are easy to overlook during routine spreader maintenance, but they are critical to reliable operation.

Inspect both the vehicle-side and spreader-side connectors for:

• Water or moisture

• Ice

• Dirt and debris

• Corrosion

• Damaged connectors or wiring

What Is Dielectric Grease?

Apply only a light film of dielectric grease to connector pins. Packing the connector with grease can interfere with low-voltage communication circuits and may contribute to communication problems between the truck controller and spreader control module.

6. Use Weather Caps During Storage

When the spreader is disconnected from the vehicle, use the weather caps on the vehicle and spreader connector ends.

Weather caps help protect exposed connectors from:

• Dirt and dust

• Debris

• Moisture

• Corrosion

For offseason storage, combine the weather cap with a light film of dielectric grease on the spreader-side connector to provide additional protection.

7. Check the Gearbox Oil at the End of the Season

Inspect the drive-system gearbox oil as part of your end-of-season maintenance.

BOSS hopper spreaders use synthetic 75W-90 gear oil in the applicable gearbox. The oil generally does not need to be changed unless moisture has entered the gearbox.

What Should You Look For?

Normal gear oil should not appear white or milky. A white or milky appearance can indicate that moisture has entered the gearbox.

BOSS Spreader Maintenance Checklist

Before putting your spreader to work—or putting it away for the season—use this quick checklist:

For model-specific maintenance procedures, always refer to your BOSS owner's manual.

Keep Your BOSS Spreader Ready for the Next Storm

Regular maintenance doesn't have to be complicated. A few minutes spent checking lubrication, chain tension, electrical connections and other critical components can help prevent unnecessary downtime and extend the life of your spreader.

Whether you're maintaining equipment during the season or preparing for offseason storage, follow the maintenance schedule for your specific BOSS spreader and address wear before it becomes a problem.

If you have questions about maintaining your BOSS equipment, contact your local BOSS Dealer or BOSS Technical Service for model-specific assistance.

Related BOSS Spreader Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prepare my BOSS spreader for offseason storage?

Before storing your BOSS spreader, clean out remaining material, inspect the conveyor and drive components, check the gearbox oil, protect electrical connections with weather caps, and complete any required lubrication. Always follow the storage procedures in your specific BOSS owner's manual.