Gauge Wheels for JD 54 Inch Snowblower

   / Gauge Wheels for JD 54 Inch Snowblower #1  

Runner

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Joined
May 12, 2007
Messages
1,700
Location
Missouri
Tractor
John Deere 2520, 1989 John Deere 185, 1960 Panzer T70B
As everyone knows, snowblowers tend to dig into gravel drives. So, I tried enlarging the skids on my 54 blower, but it didn't help. Then, I decided to add wheels to the skid plates.

To do this, I cut some pieces of 3x5 angle and 5/8 round stock. Welded onto the skid shoes as shown and added some 8 inch wheels from HF. Did a test run on the drive today and it looks like they're going to do the job. Now, we probably won't get any more snow this year....
 

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   / Gauge Wheels for JD 54 Inch Snowblower #2  
Nice job. I guess they are narrow enougth to not get you caught up in snow on the sides.

You'd think they'd make such a thing as an OEM option. Maybe a roller on the backside, like the lawn striper things.

Also wonder about a piece of pipe (rolling or fixed) from skid shoe to skid shoe. Like is done with blades for stone.
 
   / Gauge Wheels for JD 54 Inch Snowblower
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I'm sure they're going to push a little snow. Hoping that won't be too big of an issue. If so, then, back to the drawing board.

Someone recently posted a full-width roller setup for a rear blower on here. I believe they used some wide boat trailer rollers and it looked great.

I wish there was a way to set the loader to act like the three-point hitch for snow operations, i.e., be able to maintain a certain amount of lift to hold blades and blowers off the surface, but still have no down force.

As it is, your choice is either "float" which forces the blade/blower to ride on the surface or "non-float" which locks it in place. In my opinion, neither one works best for snow clearing. I guess mabye I'm making the case for a rear blower, but I don't want to admit it.... It would still need gauge wheels to work on gravel though...
 
   / Gauge Wheels for JD 54 Inch Snowblower #4  
.................
I wish there was a way to set the loader to act like the three-point hitch for snow operations, i.e., be able to maintain a certain amount of lift to hold blades and blowers off the surface, but still have no down force.

As it is, your choice is either "float" which forces the blade/blower to ride on the surface or "non-float" which locks it in place. In my opinion, neither one works best for snow clearing. I guess mabye I'm making the case for a rear blower, but I don't want to admit it.... It would still need gauge wheels to work on gravel though...

Seems the front hydraulics is no different from the 3 ph, once the blower height is "locked" in place as you put it. The effect of the rolling movement of the tractor over slight hills and through slight valleys on the front vs the rear might be slightly different only because of the distance from the rear or front wheels. So am not following how the 3 ph is able to hold a certain amount of lift off the surface, as it doesn't maintain that distance either when moving. Enlighten me, as to what I am missing here. :)
 
   / Gauge Wheels for JD 54 Inch Snowblower
  • Thread Starter
#5  
"Seems the front hydraulics is no different from the 3 ph, once the blower height is "locked" in place as you put it. The effect of the rolling movement of the tractor over slight hills and through slight valleys on the front vs the rear might be slightly different only because of the distance from the rear or front wheels. So am not following how the 3 ph is able to hold a certain amount of lift off the surface, as it doesn't maintain that distance either when moving. Enlighten me, as to what I am missing here."

Maybe I didn't say it very well, but here is an example:

If I set my rear blade 1 inch off the gravel, the three point will hold it there, but if I hit a high spot, there is no down pressure (other than the weight of the blade) so it can ride up from the 1 inch setting if necessary.

With the loader, if I set, say, the loader bucket, 1 inch off the gravel, it will hold it there, nomatter what, so it will dig in. The way around that is to put it in "float", but then, it is not being held the 1 inch off the gravel, but resting on its own weight all the time.

I realize, there is probably no easy/economical way to accomplish what I'm asking for, but just think it would help for snowplowing. It's just the nature of the beast....
 
   / Gauge Wheels for JD 54 Inch Snowblower #6  
Thats so cool how did you do that it's so cool I've been trying to find something like that for years.
 
   / Gauge Wheels for JD 54 Inch Snowblower #7  
I know this is going to sound crazy, but what about simply cutting the front 18" off of a pair of downhill skis and mounting them to the factory skid shoes? I'm thinking in terms of making a set of skid shoes that are simply "proportionally" larger than what comes with the blower. I know my factory skid shoes just cut into the gravel, so the cutting edge ends up scooping up the rocks - I'm thinking that a pair of rigid skis won't break down with use, won't dig into the gravel, but WILL allow the cutting edge to be much closer to the driveway crown than the gauge wheels. You could secure the skis with carriage bolts.

I might just give it a try!
 
   / Gauge Wheels for JD 54 Inch Snowblower #8  
I like the idea of the guage wheels, my input is to wish they'd pivot rather than be rigid.
 
   / Gauge Wheels for JD 54 Inch Snowblower #9  
Yeah I think I will put them on my John Deere x520 snowblower since I blow a road in front of my house it would save me money because I dont not have to buy new skids every year for $20 each.
 
   / Gauge Wheels for JD 54 Inch Snowblower
  • Thread Starter
#10  
I'm thinking something like this might work:
 

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