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fcarp


Joined: Dec 22, 2003
Points: 21

gravel drives and skid shoes
Original Message   Aug 8, 2005 9:47 am
Hi Everyone:

Just moved and the new house has a gravel drive. I know in the past there has been discussion about welding "skis" onto the standard skids shoes on a 2 stage machine and raising the height of the skids about 3/4" off the surface.

Please advise as to what material to use and any other tips .

Thanks in advance.

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mockswede


Joined: Jan 2, 2008
Points: 2

Re: gravel drives and skid shoes
Reply #11   Jan 5, 2008 5:28 pm
Have been running over 1 inch crushed stone drive 45 by 24 feet for 15 years here in Eastern Maine.

I pick up and toss the snowblown stones back onto the drive every spring.

We have 18 inches on the ground right now from five storms so far this winter.

I keep full bag of shear pins and socket set handy with first snow.

I've used the strategy mentioned by Chris S about adjusting height of skid shoes to ride over. 

Works well except for turns and doesn't help when tires are locked and you make a hard turn.

The tire piles up some rocks to be caught with the next pass.

Once a layer of snow is down I can be less cautious with skids and wheels but never blow toward anything I wouldn't want rocks flying toward and hitting.

I'm in the process of fabricating flatter and wider skid shoes now for my new(er) Ariens ST11528LE; patterned off the size and adjustability of the stock items.

I'm betting a 3 by 6 inch skid shoe, centered on the side of the auger barrel, with all four edges turned up a 1/4 or 1/8, except maybe for where scraper blade will line up over it, should allow straight runs and turns to run over stone and should only have to worry about the locked tire piles.

Currently have cardboard full size mockup for fabricator to copy.

Will upload pictures and opinion of results in future, if people contact with interest.

I'll be doing this drive for many more years, I hope; since my grandfather's Arien's lasted 40+ years and I don't want to move.

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