Is there a reason for shoes on a snowblade or is this just a prefference?

[Thomas]

Less driveway and plow damage depend on height set.
No shoes smooth clear job.

 

[ampa]

I doubt vey much if I'll ever use this new blade for grading dirt or gravel...but thanks for the pic...."wow" very heavy duty....did you build it ? Ampa :thumbsup:

 

[workinprogress]

Early winter and late spring plowing I use the shoes but once things are frozen up I raise them up and allow the cutting edge to dig down. I am plowing a gravel driveway so when things are soft I would plow more dirt than snow.

 

[jimmysisson]

My blade is on the loader, on the Ford quick-attach. It's an old Fisher pickup blade with the frame and p.a. cylinders. It uses the Fisher frame, pinned to the QA. Because the blade can rise and fall to the limit of the chain (the old lift cylinder is still there but frozen in place), I can regulate the cut a bit. I have shoes where the old Fisher ones go, just behind the cutting edge about 6". On a Fisher just the cutting edge trips. If I raise the loader, the blade pivots on the shoes and the cutting edge digs more. Lowering the loader raises the cutting edge a bit when the gravel driveway isn't frozen. Works well when I remember that's how it works.
Jim

 

[srs]

I can clean right down to the bare pavement bein' ....
<>

When I used to plow commercially using my pickup truck the owner of the company did not want us to use the shoes. He wanted to clean right down to the asphalt. For home use with my tractor (I sold the truck plow) I have a rubber edge so I do not gouge the asphalt, especially when doing the neighbor's driveways. It does not clean as good as steel to asphalt but it doesn't cut up the asphalt surface.

 

[ampa]

This new 48" ATV snowblade is made out of 1/8" gauge metal..this is one of the reasons I had to use a double acting cylinder/ram for lowerin' and raisin' it as the blade it'self didn't have the weight to bleed down the cylinder...

I do thank you for bringing up the subject of damage though.. as it brings back memories when my heavy duty rear graderblade tore a very small chunk of a neighbours driveway last winter....

I know for sure he wasn't too happy.... but then again I wasn't charging him anything to plough his driveway...the small 42" blade I had mounted on the front never caused any damage anytime I used it.... and I removed the skid shoes from it soon after I bought it used....

still have them yet and they're just like brand new..I think it be best for me to leave mine off...and be able to clear right down to the pavement because of the incline of these driveways...I know I'll still
have to buy a few bags of salt to throw down afterwards cause my Areostar is rearwheel drive......take care Ampa <>

 

[DaveOmak]

Ampa, Mornin'.
The heavy shoes you see on my blade were formed at the local machine shop. I can't remember but I think they are 5/8" x3" flat bar.
My first set were formed from 1/4" by me in a vise. Prototype you know. I didn't know exactly what would work. I used them for 2 yrs continually rewelding and design changing. When I got to the design that was adjustable with the top link and worked well on snow, gravel, dirt etc. the original shoes were worn out.
I used the plasma to fabricte a slot in the channel for up and down adjustment of the shoes.
You probably noticed there is no paint etc.
Pretty much, everything I build is a work in progress. I may change the design again tomorrow if I think I can improve it.
Have fun. Dave

 

[rjmack]

i've had a plow for quite a few years... no shoes.

one thing to watch for though, if it snows (and it does) before the ground is fully frozen, then you will be plowing up sand and gravel too.

if you use shoes all the time, then snow will be left, turn into ice and buildup. once it does that, you are pretty well stuck with it until spring. the buildup occurs where you drive so you end up with ridges.

 

[ampa]

I was just thinking...perhaps I could install these skid shoes..and keep them adjusted slightly above or just at the same level as the replaceable cutting bar edge .....this way it be like having a warning device...somewhat like disk brakes on a vehical when the pads wear down to where you need to replace them but no damage has been done up to that point.... maybe the sound would change to let me know it's time to move the shoes a notch up....or just keep a very close watch on them... buyin' new shoes be a lot cheaper....I'm not really certain if everyones following what I'm tryin' to say here.... but if you are then lets hear some comments.....thanks Ampa <>

 

[rjmack]

this way it be like having a warning device...somewhat like disk brakes on a vehical when the pads wear down to where you need to replace them but no damage has been done up to that poin

guess i didn't read the thread closely enough for it to sink in that this is small machine. i don't know if there are any sawmills around you, but some worn out planer blades might be just what the doctor ordered for that small plow. i welded a grader blade on my truck plow over 20 years ago and its still on there... just use 7018, preheat weld it in shop, cover with insulation and let it cool slowly.:thumbsup:

btw, my blade was a throw away item, as you can see, i had to put it on upside down to get a straight edge. it has gone through **** a hundred times over, and it's still there.

far as building up the pads, hard surfacing rod works good. i used to have an atv with a plow about that size, the only problem i ran into was plowing sidewalks where the blade would sink in the crossways joints.