BX Snowblower skid shoe height

[ve9aa]

Not new to snowblowers---have had 40yrs+ experience with them, but not on a tractor.

BX2380 with BX2830 48" front commercial blower. 200' gravel driveway + 40x60 parking area +/- + some walkways/paths. I generally snowblow at aprox 3000rpm and in 4wd low range.

So I started out the winter with the shoes all the way down (blower highest off the ground). Worked but messy job. Needed to be here though (still chucked rocks when turning (skids dug in to loose driveway)

Once the ground froze and I got a good base I put them (skids) on the middle setting. Much better. Getting a cleaner cut but still not quite perfect.

Yesterday I raised them all the way up (last setting, blower closest to ground) and went over my already perfectly snowblowed driveway and I surprised myself n that I still chucked a lot of snow on an already-done-the-other-day driveway. I estimate I have 4" of hardpacked snow/ice I am driving on. Hard snow on top.

My question is....the tractor seemed to be working hard to "drag/scrape" the blower along. Like not to the point I was stalling, but I could tell I wasn't just floating along on 2 skids anymore....it was 2 skids and now I was pushing the 4' cutting edge too for much increased resistance.

Anything you guys would do differently?

I am tempted to put it back to the middle setting, but then, maybe I'll just see what it's like during the next snowstorm 2 days from now and perhaps once I get everything shaved down close to level it won't push so hard the next time?

Am I making sense?

 

[ctfjr]

I just did the same thing with my rear blower. My 500' driveway is all gravel and I had set the shoes on the middle setting at the start of the season. Now that the gravel is frozen solid I moved the shoes up to their highest setting to lower the blower. I really don't notice any difference in 'drag' on the tractor.

 

[RCW]

I've had it do that, especially if the base is hard granular and not solid ice...the blower scrapes/peels the top off the base.

Not sure I would change anything, expect maybe raise the shoes (lower blower) in smaller increments, if possible.

I've had years with 4"+ of solid base. Takes a while to thaw off in spring.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I lower the cutting bar onto 1/4" steel plates at the side, then adjust the shoes to touch the ground. Works real good for paved driveway. Did the same but 1/2" for gravel,well FROZEN gravel.

 

[ve9aa]

for ref: this blower only has 3 holes on the skid shoes....very close together. The top hole might be (I'm guessing here a little) locating the edge 1/2" off the ground,
the middle ~1/4" off the ground, and
the bottom must be "just" touching the ground....but I can actually slip 4 pcs of paper in there but only in spots. Seems like the bolt heads for the cutting edge are blocking the paper wherever they are located.

Big storm for next 3 days (slow moving system) so I'll try it and if works too hard, it's pretty easy to slip them back up a notch.

I'd like to fab up a couple trailer hitch jacks with big aired tires so in the spring and fall when the ground is still mushy, I can raise and lower it in fine increments and not have the 2 skid shoes dig up the dirt when I turn. When I was going straight, things mostly were OK, but as soon as I turned, the skids dug up dirt like a 7yr old with a shovel on a Saturday in Summer...waht got dug up, got spat out in a hurry.

I fought with rocks and whatnot for weeks until the ground froze. Chucked them 3 ways from Sunday. What a mess.

 

[bearskinner]

I have a front mounted blower and a rear blade. I keep the blower all the way up (skis all the way down) once the ground is frozen hard, I’ll blow off the snow the same, then run the rear blade at an angle and shave the snow/ice into rows. One down one up ( I have 1400’ of driveway) on each side of the 20’ wide road, then one pass with the blower on each pile of snow rows, blows it all away.
By being able to shave it, you can regulate how thick the ice gets, and keep it thin

 

[RCW]

Bear skinner - that’s what I’ve been doing this season. Just got the back blade this fall. Works well.

Man - - - what I could do with a lift in my garage.....

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Might have been struggling because you were working packed snow and ice, where it might have handled it fine if it had been fresh snow.

One way to find out: Now that you have cleared at that setting, keep it there for the next snow and see how it does.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

You really need to make PROPER shoes ! Use 1/2 thk x 2wide bar stock, 8" long(on ground,) 2" front 'lip' ,welded to SLOTTED 1/4" thick mtg plates.
yeah, I know, too late today, big,bad storm on the way....but a GREAT mid Summer project.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

You really need to make PROPER shoes ! Use 1/2 thk x 2wide bar stock, 8" long(on ground,) 2" front 'lip' ,welded to SLOTTED 1/4" thick mtg plates.
yeah, I know, too late today, big,bad storm on the way....but a GREAT mid Summer project.

Are you thinking of something like this?

Edge Tamer - Move Snow With Your Tractor Loader Bucket

Control your tractor bucket’s edge with the Edge Tamer bucket protector. Protect your grass, turf, driveway, and other surfaces when plowing snow, clearing leaves and debris, and more.

r2manufacturing.com

 

[RCW]

You really need to make PROPER shoes ! Use 1/2 thk x 2wide bar stock, 8" long(on ground,) 2" front 'lip' ,welded to SLOTTED 1/4" thick mtg plates.
yeah, I know, too late today, big,bad storm on the way....but a GREAT mid Summer project.

Jay - if I were to do that, I would avoid the slots, and make a plate for the outboard sides of the blower. Make the mounting plate with multiple holes to adjust height.

Everything else is perfect.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

'tamers' work best on buckets, as the 'shell' is thicker steel, snowblower shells seem to be very thin tin, at least walkbehinds are. They get there strength from the sidewalls.
Slots allow for 'just right' setting... Holes,according to Murphy, would be not enough or too much....
I use 2 fender washers then a nylock nut,easy to adjust.

 

[RCW]

Slots allow for 'just right' setting... Holes,according to Murphy, would be not enough or too much....
I use 2 fender washers then a nylock nut,easy to adjust.

True - - I use washers and nylocks too. The shoes on my older BX2750D blower are inboard and at the back of the housing.

Never been happy with them, but made 'em work. Made mine wider/longer with steel, and lined them with UHMWP.

My JD blower had 4 holes; 2 narrow and 2 wide. Only used 2 to mount shoe, with option outside or inside the housing by flipping them side-to side.

I think the newer blowers have the shoes outboard. It would be good to replicate the JD system on a Kubota blowers.

Doubt JD, and I know Kubota don't make their blowers.