Mail Boss 7147 Box Spreader Bar for Two-Mailbox Applications, Bronze

Let me start by saying I love Mail Boss products. This was the third set of their mailboxes I've purchased and installed. The overall MB quality has been superb. However, the spreader bar has changed in the last couple of years, and like others, I am upset that MB does not include the necessary installation hardware.The spreader bar mounts to the post fine with the bolts included. However, the mailboxes are designed to cover the bolts that mount the spreader bar to the post. Because the bolts that secure the spreader bar to the post sit above the surface of the spreader bar, the mailboxes cannot mount flush on the spreader bar. You have to buy some sort of spacers (I used two stacked stainless steel 1" washers under each hole in the mailboxes--8 washers per mailbox) to get the mailboxes to sit above the spreader bar and clear the bolts that hold the spreader bar to the post. I also bought low profile M10 bolts to secure the spreader bar to the post because the hex bolts that came with the spreader bar were super tall and would have required even more spacers to raise the mailbox high enough to clear the bolts.I went back to the previous MB spreader bar I installed two years ago to check the difference. The old spreader bar had a sunken spot and low profile allen-drive cap screws that sat perfectly in the sunken spot so the top of the spreader bar was completely flat after installation to the post. This allowed the mailboxes to sit securely and directly on the spreader bar without any spacers. The new spreader bar does not have the sunken spot nor does it come with the allen-drive cap screws.Why change the design that worked so well? Installation without the proper hardware took way longer than it should have. Great disappointment after spending so much on a product you liked ...

The Mailboss spreader is intended for use with the Mailboss 43 inch steel post or the Mailboss 27 inch surface mount post.The spreader is solid and well made but it lacks the METRIC bolts and spacers that you'll need to complete the installation.The spreader has 12 holes in it. The four center ones are unthreaded and bolt the spreader to the post. The outer holes (four on each side) have metric threads.The holes in the spreader are spaced so that the right side of the left mail box covers two of the bolts that attach the spreader to the post and the left side of the right mail box will cover the other two bolts. Without spacers you will not be able to tighten the mailbox to the spreader without damaging the mailboxes.You will need eight "M8 - 1.25 x 25MM bolts" (four for each mail box) and eight spacers that are at least as thick as the heads on the bolts that hold the spreader to the post (about 5/16" or more thick).I made my spacers by taking a stack of galvanized washers and running a strip of transparent tape around the parameter. You'll have to tape the washers together or you'll never be able keep them in place while attaching the mail box to the spreader.

Nice solid spreader bar. Matches mailboxes. The two mailboxes, when installed, each sit on top of the four spreader-bar bolts that attach the spreader-bar to the post. That's a nice safety feature, ensuring no access to those bolts, however, it means those bolts need to be an incredibly flat-headed bolt that is NOT INCLUDED. We could not find the right bolts locally, so instead used four nuts under each mailbox to raise it above the bump created by the center bolts.

This worked perfectly to hold two Mailboss mail boxes on one post. It’s made from heavy painted steel and should last for many years. Holes are predrilled to match the Mailboss mailboxes and their steel post. With the post set in 150 lbs of concrete, it’ll probably outlast the neighborhood.Absolutely no complaints

The bolts that come with the mailbox spreader do not attach to the metal post as well as you would think. They require your mailbox to partially be on top of the bolt which makes your mailbox unlevel. I would not recommend this product.

The construction of this - great. The ease in putting together? Not so great. We had to rig up some "spacers" to keep the "spreader" from collapsing on itself. If you have time (and a Home Depot) nearby you can get this thing together.

The welding was lacking on the T, the most important joint . Hmmm for the money I spent on 2 mailboxes & the connecting T. $350.I hope the correct metric hardware is there, we are installing as soon as possible .Quality and all the correct parts, is this difficult?

Bought an open box item. Come to find out it was returned because 1 side didn’t have the bolt holes tapped. Easy enough to fix but really? Otherwise nicely made and finished.Quality control might be an issue.