What Size Magnetic Sweeper Do You Need?
Four quick questions. You get the size, the price, and the why.
How magnetic-sweeper sizing works
The rule: a magnetic sweeper should be wider than your vehicle's front wheel track — outside edge of the front tires to outside edge — so the tires always roll on ground that's already been swept. A full-size pickup runs about 80″ across, so it takes an 84-inch sweeper. Measure across the front tires with a tape measure; that number beats any estimate.
Hang height and speed
- Hang the magnet 2–3″ off smooth pavement, 3–4″ off gravel. Magnetic pull fades fast with height — lower is stronger.
- Keep it under 5–10 mph. Debris needs a second to jump to the magnet.
Pass math, worked once
A 300′ × 200′ gravel lot with an 84″ sweeper and 6″ of overlap: each pass clears 6.5′, so 31 passes ≈ 9,300 lineal feet ≈ 21 minutes a lap at 5 mph, plus turnaround time.
Rolling magnetic sweepers: push, wheeled, and tow-behind compared
"Rolling" sweepers are the wheeled units: the Multi-Surface Magnetic Broom and Terminator you push, and the 3-in-1 or MKS series you tow. Hanging (vehicle-mounted) sweepers have no wheels — they ride on your truck or forklift. The comparison below shows both.
The Shields sweeper line at a glance
Hangs from your truck or forklift
Push it by hand
Tow it behind
Sizing questions, answered straight
What size magnetic sweeper do I need for a full-size pickup?
An 84-inch unit. A full-size pickup's front tires run about 80″ outside-to-outside, and the magnet must be wider than the tires so they roll on swept ground. On mixed or gravel yards that's the RL-84 ($1,125).
Does the sweeper really need to be wider than my truck?
Yes. Size it narrower and you leave a strip of tire track unswept on every pass — the calculator shows you exactly how many inches. Buy down only if you've measured and accepted that strip.
What works on grass vs. gravel?
Gravel, dirt, and broken concrete call for the all-terrain build (RL, Terminator, MKS5000, 3-in-1). The Auto Release rides on smooth, even pavement only. Grass takes the Nail Sweep, Terminator, or a tow-behind.
Load release vs. auto release vs. wiping it clean?
It's a volume question. A coffee can a week — wiping the bar by hand is fine (Type ALT). Buckets — you want a release: pull the bar over the scrap bin and everything drops (RL), or let the hinged plate do it on smooth floors (AR).
How high do I hang it, and how fast can I drive?
2–3″ over smooth pavement, 3–4″ over gravel, under 5–10 mph. "Max lift height 4 inches" is a performance figure — how far up it can grab a bolt — not a mounting instruction.
Will it work in winter or deep snow?
Depends on conditions, and we won't guess at it. Call (800) 799-4408 — we've been hanging magnets on trucks since the 1970s.
I have a pickup and a forklift — one sweeper or two?
Most yards run two: an 84″ on the pickup for the lot, a 48″ on the forklift for the docks — both on the same order. The calculator sizes a second vehicle in about 30 seconds.
Do you take POs and net terms?
Yes — call (800) 799-4408 for multi-unit orders, purchase orders, or net terms.
