Quick change snowblower skids?

[Mowbizz]

Anyone ever devise a “quick change” snowblower skid shoe?
I know 2wrenches and 4 nuts n bolts but there must be an inventor out there that has done something? Seems like there should be a “kit” to convert bolt-on skids to “quick change” like on our deck mower wheels or our plow blades that can be raised or lowered in seconds…
I will have to stop and change my skid shoe height mid-event while blowing because of my recycled asphalt…the other half is paved.

 

[ve9aa]

I could've used some kind of large swivel wheel last week (instead of skids)........4-5" of heavy wet sticky snow and ground NOT frozen.
I blew enough gravel to make a small driveway.

I am a newbie at the whole tractor snowblower thing (been pushing a blower 40 yrs though) and wasn't initially aware I was digging up gravel every time I turned. If I had kept in a straight line I would've been mostly good.

 

[NvRudder]

Anyone ever devise a “quick change” snowblower skid shoe?
I know 2wrenches and 4 nuts n bolts but there must be an inventor out there that has done something? Seems like there should be a “kit” to convert bolt-on skids to “quick change” like on our deck mower wheels or our plow blades that can be raised or lowered in seconds…
I will have to stop and change my skid shoe height mid-event while blowing because of my recycled asphalt…the other half is paved.

Have yet to use my new to me but used Allied 60" snowblower...so we'll see how my skid shoes work after I bolted UHMW plastic runners on the bottom of them to help slide along vs digging into soft snow/dirt.

For the "Quick Change" conversion of your skid shoes, I would use these T-Handle Quick Release Pins and weldable shaft collars from McMaster-Carr.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Weld the shaft collars on the sides of the Skid Shoes and on the inside of the snowblower housing at the height adjustment holes (just use a standard bolt of the same diameter to hold both collars in alignment while welding)
When you need to adjust, you just pull the pin, move/adjust the skid shoe and push the pin back in place...easy-peasy!

 

[Mowbizz]

Have yet to use my new to me but used Allied 60" snowblower...so we'll see how my skid shoes work after I bolted UHMW plastic runners on the bottom of them to help slide along vs digging into soft snow/dirt.

For the "Quick Change" conversion of your skid shoes, I would use these T-Handle Quick Release Pins and weldable shaft collars from McMaster-Carr.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Weld the shaft collars on the sides of the Skid Shoes and on the inside of the snowblower housing at the height adjustment holes (just use a standard bolt of the same diameter to hold both collars in alignment while welding)
When you need to adjust, you just pull the pin, move/adjust the skid shoe and push the pin back in place...easy-peasy!

Looks like a solution…I’ll have to learn how to weld!

 

[Mowbizz]

Have yet to use my new to me but used Allied 60" snowblower...so we'll see how my skid shoes work after I bolted UHMW plastic runners on the bottom of them to help slide along vs digging into soft snow/dirt.

For the "Quick Change" conversion of your skid shoes, I would use these T-Handle Quick Release Pins and weldable shaft collars from McMaster-Carr.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Weld the shaft collars on the sides of the Skid Shoes and on the inside of the snowblower housing at the height adjustment holes (just use a standard bolt of the same diameter to hold both collars in alignment while welding)
When you need to adjust, you just pull the pin, move/adjust the skid shoe and push the pin back in place...easy-peasy!

Seems like a good solution…I don’t weld but

Have yet to use my new to me but used Allied 60" snowblower...so we'll see how my skid shoes work after I bolted UHMW plastic runners on the bottom of them to help slide along vs digging into soft snow/dirt.

For the "Quick Change" conversion of your skid shoes, I would use these T-Handle Quick Release Pins and weldable shaft collars from McMaster-Carr.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Weld the shaft collars on the sides of the Skid Shoes and on the inside of the snowblower housing at the height adjustment holes (just use a standard bolt of the same diameter to hold both collars in alignment while welding)
When you need to adjust, you just pull the pin, move/adjust the skid shoe and push the pin back in place...easy-peasy!

Looks like a solution…I’ll have to learn how to weld!

So you would need 6 sets of collars on each side to accommodate the 3 height settings? Seems like a lot of hardware…I think a simpler way would be to make it like plow shoes…pull a pin and add or remove washers to set height. Still would need to weld a shaft onto the shoe and a bushing/ring to the side of the blower.

 

[NvRudder]

Looks like a solution…I’ll have to learn how to weld!

Sorry about the links not working...

Maybe you have a friend/neighbor/family member that can weld...amazing how much work you can get out of somebody for a case of good beer!

 

[Mowbizz]

Sorry about the links not working...

Maybe you have a friend/neighbor/family member that can weld...amazing how much work you can get out of somebody for a case of good beer!

I can’t visualize the setup your talking about with the collars and pins. I understand the concept but my thinking of it uses too much hardware. I’ll have to draw something out on paper to figure it out.

 

[RCW]

Not sure if any help, but this is the second mod I did to my shoes. I'm sure yours has a much different style skid shoe.

They've been through a lot of snow last few years, and are holding up just fine. Honestly, much better than I expected.....

Snowblower Shoe Mod./UHMWP

Long while back I tinkered with my BX2750D snowblower shoes. They're damned butt-ugly, but have been great. They also don't match - tried 2 different designs and never figured both would last this long..... www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26494&highlight=shoe+modification...

www.orangetractortalks.com

I got a backblade this year. Intention is I'll blow off all but the 1.0"+ the blower leaves, then scrape rest off with blade into windrow. Blow windrow away...

Since my driveway is all stone, I don't want it bare. Lowest I go is ~1/2" when it has a good frozen base.

 

[Mowbizz]

Not sure if any help, but this is the second mod I did to my shoes. I'm sure yours has a much different style skid shoe.

They've been through a lot of snow last few years, and are holding up just fine. Honestly, much better than I expected.....

Snowblower Shoe Mod./UHMWP

Long while back I tinkered with my BX2750D snowblower shoes. They're damned butt-ugly, but have been great. They also don't match - tried 2 different designs and never figured both would last this long..... www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26494&highlight=shoe+modification...

www.orangetractortalks.com

I got a backblade this year. Intention is I'll blow off all but the 1.0"+ the blower leaves, then scrape rest off with blade into windrow. Blow windrow away...

Since my driveway is all stone, I don't want it bare. Lowest I go is ~1/2" when it has a good frozen base.

Some good ideas in that old thread!
Love the gauge wheels! Also the trailer tongue jacks sounded interesting!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re:
I blew enough gravel to make a small driveway.

sounds like you've got next summer's project already on the books !!

 

[Mowbizz]

Decided the easiest and cheapest solution is to by a Harbor Freight electric 3/8” ratchet and carry a box wrench with me…blow the pavement, hop off, then adjust the skids down for the recycled asphalt part. Easy peasy.
Have been looking at adjustable shoes like on a plow but still the same amount of time to do a couple bolts on each side. Harbor a freight, here I come!