BX snowblower and gravel

[air1force1]

Hi, I have a BX2680 with a front mount snow blower. I have a long driveway with crushed gravel. At different times of the winter, when not frozen solid, the shoes would dig in tearing up the drive, and throw gravel in the yard.
I saw a good idea on you tube, to cover cutting edge with a 54" piece of black pipe. It worked really good, I could even go on the yard and keep paths open for my wife. This spring, noted the pipe was almost worn completely thru?
Has anyone came up with, or seen anything else.
Thanks

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I am not sure what your unit has for shoes but simply set the shoes to lift leading edge higher. If shoes have a very small bearing surface (or worse yet if the blower is a budget blower w/o shoes) there are tonnes of wide/large bearing surface shoes available to buy. If you are good with a welder and a little fab work easy t make shoes as well.

Me I simply back blade the first snow fall to make a frozen flat surface. My drive is very uneven and gravel. But here once the frost sets up the ground the snow stays for 4+ months frozen rock hard. YMMV

 

[Bee-Positive]

Schedule 80 PVC pipe is thicker than schedule 40 PVC pipe. Usually runs about $5/foot. I get a couple of years out of a piece I use on my SSQA plow blade depending on early and late freeze / thaws and amount of snow per season. I look at it as a disposable item that needs to be replaced when worn out.