Back Blade Skids

[JimBinMI]

Has anyone attached skids/runners to their backblade to have it act more like a snow blade? I think that I would like to do this and have some ideas, but it would be great if someone already has done it and can attach photos, plans, etc.

I currently use the blade in reverse with the blade cupped toward me. Works OK.

Thanks, JimBinMI

 

[msocko3]

That would be interesting to see, the only thing that I've ever seen was a truck mounted snow plow adapted to the back of a tractor. I had the fun of checking out my neighbors B2710 with back blade the other day, he had 22" of the white stuff in his drive way, decided to get a 60" landpride back blade since his plow truck was out of commision. I was surprised how well the snow pushed consdering he doesn't have his turf tires loaded and has no chains, just went at it with the tractor in 4x4. The snow was a mix of powder on the top with wet stuff and ice down below. He managed to scrape his drive way down to bare concrete and push the snow several feet back into the yard, only bummer is this coming spring will be yard repair time.

 

[JimBinMI]

msocko3,

That's why I want skids! I have a gravel driveway and lawn that I push the snow onto, I want less gravel on the lawn and less lawn torn up. I think that I'll show a picture of some skids that I got off the internet to our Welding teacher at school and see if he can come up with something.

You're right, it is amazing what 4x4 will do in pushing snow, I too have turfs but I just got the rears filled with rim guard.

JimBinMI

 

[gerard]

I just bought a 7ft woods back blade for plowing and I ordered the skid shoe package along with it. Price was a little steep ($135) but the skids are heavy duty and are shaped just like the ones you see on a truck plow. (Picture an upside down mushroom) I have them adjusted so the blade is held about 3/4 inches above the surface. They adjust with collars and large washers so you have a pretty good control over the height. My driveway is paved but I have some gravel area down to the barn which is why I opted for the shoes. If your gravel is really loose (like mine) the shoes won't work great because they still sink into the gravel but if you have a good packed bed made from running crush they would work well. (I have to keep my gravel loose because I need water to be able to run through it from a swale I put in front of the barn. Thats why I used #2 stone as opposed to running crush. Makes blading snow a little tricky but all I have to do is keep the blade raised a little) I considered having a set made but I don't have any welding/metal working tools myself and don't think I would have saved all that much to have them done.
Sorry no picture - no digital camera yet. Maybe Santa will be good this year!!

 

[art]

A little different way to deal with this problem is if the tractor has draft control to set it light. As soon as the load increases ie: getting in the dirt it will lift the blade for you.

 

[Corm]

I put some pickup truck snow plow skids plate (they look like an upside down mushroom) on my 7' 3 point hitch back blade last year. Used 'em once, and haven't used 'em since. They didn't work well for me on my crowned gravel driveway. I found that in order to minimze the amount of gravel I was plowing up I had to set the skid plates down so low that on flat ground it hardly looked like I was plowing any snow at all! I have much better luck by simply controling the height of the blade by using the 3 point lift lever.

 

[JimBinMI]

corm,

The ones that I think I'm going to try look more like little skiis. The upside down mushroom ones just look like they would work on a hard surface.

JimBinMI

 

[Corm]

JimBinMi - A buddy of mine tried those last year and said they worked well on his gravel driveway. I've thought about trying them myself, but I think my biggest problem is the crown in my driveway. Having the crown makes it tough to plow, but grading my driveway flat to ease the plowing problem would allow the spring run-off to take away a bunch of my gravel.... no easy answer. Oh the challenges of living on the side of a mountain....

 

[jyoutz]

Jim, I have some factory skidshoes for my Landpride backblade. They cost an extra $100/pair (inc. blade brackets) and are worth every penny. Easy to put on and off. They let me plow snow on my gravel drive without scraping off the gravel. They can also come in handy for grading gravel, but not quite as good as using guide wheels.

 

[jobguy]

I went on line at LandPride to look at your skid shoes. What diameter are they?
I could use a pair not only for snow but dirt. Do you think they are strong enough for dirt?
Thanks

 

[MtnViewRanch]

The ones on my blade are 6" in dia and the vertical post is 2" solid steel. I am glade that I have mine. If they don't do any good, then the ground is to soft. No you don't have to have them, but they make things easier IMO. Oh, and mine were $200 a pair.

 

[jobguy]

MtnViewRanch; Any chance of a closeup of the skid and mounting? Is there a web site selling the skids?
Thanks

 

[MtnViewRanch]

MtnViewRanch; Any chance of a closeup of the skid and mounting? Is there a web site selling the skids
Thanks

Couldn't get a close up until Sunday. Don't know of any website that sells them. They need to be purchased from an implement dealer as far as I know. I do know that they are not the same price from all the manufacturers, but then again they are not all built the same either.

 

[EMB5530]

I have read about people using steel sch40 pipe cutting a slot in it and putting bolts through where your bit attaches

Dont know how well it works but it would not sink if the ground is soft and a stick of 3" sch 40 ought to be around $100 for 10'(brand new price) and you could also use w/ crowned driveways.

 

[Solo]

Here is a close up on my Woods blade. Woods RB72 skid shoe - TractorByNet.com Photo Gallery

Woods RB72 Skid shoe - TractorByNet.com Photo Gallery
Solo

 

[GregbkH]

This is what I've done to my back blade for snow removal. The skid shoes are very heavy. The posts are 3" solid steel. The cost me $200 from the shop I bought the blade and tractor from. I haven't had a chance to try them out yet. Maybe today. I do know that on soft, not frozen gravel, the shoes will dig in. That is why I installed the pipe over the cutting edge of the blade.

 

[JoeL4330]

gregbkh: did you look at the hydraulic tail wheel for your blade; that's what I use to keep from digging when using it to clear snow on my gravel drive

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

I built a pair of skid shoes that bolt through the cutting blade bolts on each end of the blade. Quick, cheap, and a little green paint. Nothing fancy.

I put a piece of 1/4" stock on the bottom of the shoes. This is below the cutting edge of the blade by that much. And is a replaceable, sacrificial foot.

Tried it out the first time today with about 6" of new fluffy snow.
Ground isn't frozen , or frozen very deep yet.
Worked well.

Good luck

 

[MtnViewRanch]

jobguy, here are some close ups of my skid shoes. I was wrong about the 2" solid stock, they are 2 1/2" solid stock with the outside of the sleeve being 3" dia and the shoe is 1/2" stock 6" dia.

 

[Brushhill dave]

What I use on my blade is a couple of 2" heavy wall pipe caps with a stud welded into them and a nut welded to my blade. I double nut the stud on the blade. It gives me independent adjustment for each side.