54 " Blower fan observation?

Runner · Jan 20, 2013

"BTW, does anyone know why JD put the two holes in the original skids?"

No, I don't, but I used them to accept the bolts that hold my oversized shoes/wheels.

I have used them to mount extra sacrificial wear plates in the past. Replacing the shoes gets expensive, but you can bolt a piece of 1/2 inch plate under there, and it will last a long time.

jgayman · Jan 20, 2013

Runner said:
Replacing the shoes gets expensive, but you can bolt a piece of 1/2 inch plate under there, and it will last a long time.

I know what you mean. JD wants $50+ for each shoe. But the shoes are super easy to make. If you are able to cut off the old skid a new chunk of 2 1/4 x 1/2 x 8" steel is only like $5.00 and it would last a long time. The hardest part for me was bending the ends. I can't imagine it costing more than $15.00 to make a whole shoe from scratch - that's materials cost of course assuming you are doing the cutting and welding yourself.

PILOON · Jan 20, 2013

Runner said:
"BTW, does anyone know why JD put the two holes in the original skids?"

No, I don't, but I used them to accept the bolts that hold my oversized shoes/wheels.View attachment 298731

I have used them to mount extra sacrificial wear plates in the past. Replacing the shoes gets expensive, but you can bolt a piece of 1/2 inch plate under there, and it will last a long time.

My guess,
To bolt on wider and or longer optional shoes, might have been an option.

Falcon900Pilot · Nov 30, 2015

Mercmaniac said:
Another thing I did was remove the cutting edges on both blowers. I replaced them with a length of 1 1/4" schedule 40 steel pipe. The pipe has 3 tabs welded to it. A tab at each end with 2 holes and a tab in the center with 3 holes. It bolts right up using the bolts from the cutting edge. I only used the blowers a couple of times last season and 3 times this winter so far but I really love them pipes!! Here is a pic of the liner. EricView attachment 295943

Just curious, do you have any pictures of how you welded the tabs to the 1 1/4" pipe as well as pictures of how you attached it to the snowblower?

Thanks! :flag-airforce::airplane:

Drtumolo · Jan 22, 2019

I know this is a very old thread but has anyone tried the stainless steel liner that was mentioned in this thread. Seems like it would be an excellent addition to a blower.