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.
The easiest way to stay ahead of spreader maintenance is to organize inspections by frequency.
| Maintenance Item | When to Check | What to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Ratchet straps | Daily / every use | Tighten as necessary |
| Chain tension | Daily / every use | Proper chain sag and condition |
| Hardware | Every 20 hours | Tighten the hardware |
| Bearings | Every 50 hours | Grease applicable bearings |
| Pintle conveyor chain | Every 50 hours | Lubricate pintle chain |
| Electrical connections | Regularly | Dirt, moisture, corrosion and connection condition |
| Weather caps | Whenever spreader is disconnected | Protect exposed connectors |
| Gearbox oil | End of season | Check for moisture or milky fluid |
| Full cleaning | End of season | Remove remaining material and buildup |
Definition
Preventive spreader maintenance: The routine inspection, cleaning, lubrication and servicing performed before components fail. The goal is to identify wear or contamination early and keep the spreader operating reliably throughout the season.
Because deicing materials can be corrosive, regular maintenance is especially important for components such as chains, bearings, electrical connectors and drive systems.
On applicable BOSS hopper spreaders, bearings should be greased every 50 hours of use. Use multipurpose lithium-based grease.
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-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.
On pintle-drive spreaders, the conveyor chain should also be lubricated every 50 hours of operation.
To lubricate the chain:
Empty the spreader before performing maintenance.
Pivot the spinner assembly out of the way.
Operate the spreader drive so the conveyor chain moves around the sprockets.
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.
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.
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.
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
Definition
Dielectric Grease: An insulating grease used to help seal electrical connectors from moisture, dirt, dust and corrosion. It is not intended to improve electrical conductivity.
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.
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.
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.
Normal gear oil should not appear white or milky. A white or milky appearance can indicate that moisture has entered the gearbox.
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.
Maintenance procedures and specifications can vary by BOSS spreader model. For the most accurate information, look up the owner's manual for your specific spreader before performing maintenance or repairs.
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.
Explore BOSS spreaders designed to deliver reliable material application through demanding snow and ice conditions.
EXPLORE BOSS SPREADERSIf you have questions about maintaining your BOSS equipment, contact your local BOSS Dealer or BOSS Technical Service for model-specific assistance.
On applicable BOSS hopper spreaders, grease the bearings every 20 hours of operation. Use the grease type and lubrication points specified in your specific BOSS owner's manual.
Check conveyor chain tension daily or before every use. On applicable pintle-drive spreaders, lubricate the conveyor chain every 20 hours of operation and maintain approximately 1 inch of chain sag.
Dielectric grease helps protect electrical connectors from moisture, dirt, dust and corrosion. Apply only a light film to connector pins. Using too much grease can interfere with low-voltage communication circuits.
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.