Snowblower skid shoes digging into gravel

[SPYDERLK]

Steuny, I will have to try to get you pics. I dont use my walk behind any more. Got one for the BX1500 so wife can do it just as easy as me. Wheels work great tho even when drive is not frozen. My drive is .9mi long and I could do it a foot deep in about an hour with the walker and throw very few rocks. Somethimes Id do parts of the yard, the horse ring etc. Im guessing a total of over 2 acres cleared - never had so much fun as in the first 1/4 acre. [If a little is good, more is better, and too much is just right.] The trick I learned is that the wheels must be kept clear of snow buildup so they will turn. I devised contrivances to scrape them clean as they turn. This prevents surface disturbance so you can bring the lip down to w/i an inch of the gravel safely. Sun goes thru and melts the remaining quickly. The thrower is buried. Ill dig it out soon and get wife to help with the posting.
Larry

 

[BUB549]

As promised, pictures of my lawn mower wheels on a snow blower. I also used the lawn mower wheel adjusters. Instead of digging into the gravel and ground they just roll over it. Also works great in my back yard to make a path to the garage. They just roll over the grass/lawn without digging in.

man...thats a good idea! easy to find parts! am going to try first on my new 60" meteor before spending bucks on buy and making petal shoes....thanks!

 

[Thumper & Buttercup]

Hey Steuny,

Even up here in the frozen North it takes a couple times pulling a blade backwards or using the loader to pack down the roads. Once you get a good freeze your shoes will slide real nice. The wet stuff is always a job but raising the blower to clear the ground works and then do a little scraping. Welcome to the joys of snowblowing.

 

[JJZ 109]

Over in the Attachments forum is a thread about using plastic (PVC, ABS, HDPE) on the cutting edge of front end loaders to prevent digging up soft ground during the first few snowfalls. A rip cut is made the length of the pipe just like herringchoker has done with steel pipe.
Not only did I apply some plastic pipe to my loader, I also did the same on a 60 inch Farm King blower. I have yet to take it out and try it yet (no snow), but it was a cheap enough trick to try.