# Idea for Quick Skid Height Change



## Michael303 (Dec 3, 2015)

I've been brainstorming ways to quickly change the height of my snowblower skids. I'd like to go from a low clearance for clearing snow on the sidewalk and driveway in front of my house to a high clearance for clearing a space on the lawn in the back of my house for our dogs without digging into the grass.

What I'm thinking of trying is swapping out the nuts on the skids for a couple cam clamps like these.










Then I could quickly loosen the skid bolts and adjust the height with some preset height blocks. I'd be doing this on my new Toro Snowmaster but I don't see why this wouldn't work on my old Ariens too.

It seems pretty straight forward to me but I figured I'd throw out the idea for some feedback and see if anyone else has done something similar.


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## Mike C. (Jan 28, 2016)

I'm interested in your idea,but unfortunately your photo doesn't load for me,all I see is an "X".


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## ih8thepackers (Jan 4, 2014)

Mike C. said:


> I'm interested in your idea,but unfortunately your photo doesn't load for me,all I see is an "X".


Ditto


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

rob a set of wheel adjusters from a lawn mower, modify to bolt to the bucket and accept skids, or use wheels.


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## Michael303 (Dec 3, 2015)

Mike C. said:


> I'm interested in your idea,but unfortunately your photo doesn't load for me,all I see is an "X".



Not sure why it wouldn't show up. I'm on my phone at the moment so I'm limited in fixing it. I'll try later on the computer but I've attached the pic here. 



nwcove said:


> rob a set of wheel adjusters from a lawn mower, modify to bolt to the bucket and accept skids, or use wheels.


Appreciate the feedback. That doesn't sound as simple as the cam locks and I'm not sure it gets me anything more.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

the cam locks do look intersting......( couldnt see the pics when i posted).....if you try it, plz keep the forum posted !


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

those cam locks look like they are from a wheel. a cam lock for the seat post would be much shorter but you would need to check for clearance on the auger side of the bucket


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## Vermont007 (Mar 29, 2015)

I have my scraper blade set at about 3/16" and use it on both an asphalt driveway and a couple hundred feet of footpaths that I keep open on our farm.

As long as I wait until the frost is in the ground, I don't gouge the lawn. I've been doing this for over 10 years and never found the grass to have been disturbed in the spring.


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## Michael303 (Dec 3, 2015)

detdrbuzzard said:


> those cam locks look like they are from a wheel. a cam lock for the seat post would be much shorter but you would need to check for clearance on the auger side of the bucket


I think if I can find a female threaded cam that fit the carriage bolts on there already that would be ideal. I'm just not sure what size they are yet. 



Vermont007 said:


> I have my scraper blade set at about 3/16" and use it on both an asphalt driveway and a couple hundred feet of footpaths that I keep open on our farm.
> 
> As long as I wait until the frost is in the ground, I don't gouge the lawn. I've been doing this for over 10 years and never found the grass to have been disturbed in the spring.


Maybe my lawn is a little lumpy or I needed to lower my skids a bit but I gouged my lawn in a couple spots last season. Also, since the Snowmaster auger is moving really quick I'd be afraid it could do some damage fast if it contacted the turf.


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

I like the basic concept - lot of mowers that have a one handle height adjustment are desirable in my book..... blower skids wear fairly quickly and being able to change them quickly is a great idea.......


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

I see what you are trying to do but is it a real problem? I'm on crushed, sand and wooden boardwalks and wouldn't think twice about going on grass. the biggest variability is firmness of frost, not the actual surface. I can easily float the bucket on tender surfaces, the messes happen when there is a snag and the tires start to dig. I think technique aloe can solve the whole thing.

That being said if you want a hardware solution have at it. (There are plenty of modern features I simply see as failure points.)

1) The cam-locks, 2 or 3 per side need to fit in a smallish space so you may need to play with the orientation to make them play nice together. it will increase the cross section of dead steel you are pushing through the snow. 
2) Having a lever face forward may lead to inadvertent release.
3) Functionality may be questionable when ice encrusted.
4) By setup block do you mean adding stops to the machines so you go from full up tho full down then lock? Using blocks under the scraper bar in the snow for set-up won't be fun.

Other than all that there is probably enough holding force potential especially since you will be perpetually resetting anyhow.

Pete


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## DuffyJr (Oct 15, 2015)

Vermont007 said:


> I have my scraper blade set at about 3/16" and use it on both an asphalt driveway and a couple hundred feet of footpaths that I keep open on our farm.
> 
> As long as I wait until the frost is in the ground, I don't gouge the lawn. I've been doing this for over 10 years and never found the grass to have been disturbed in the spring.


Same here. I blow a small area for my dog to do his business. One thing that may help is keeping the grass shorter. I'm kind of allergic to rakes even more so than shovels so I always mulch the leaves which requires my mower to be set pretty low.

How ever the mower wheel adjuster doohickey sounds like a great idea. I'd like to have something like that on my SS so I wouldn't have to get out the two stage just to do the yard.


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## fIXaNYTHING (Dec 26, 2016)

They also make "Push Button Nuts". Nut & Bolt supply houses carry them as well as Gainger, McMaster-Carr, etc. They are being used more and more in industrial applications where quick adjustments need to be made, like on drill presses limit stops. Good idea. Think I'm going to give that a try too!
-Barrett in Tooele, UT


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

nwcove said:


> rob a set of wheel adjusters from a lawn mower, modify to bolt to the bucket and accept skids, or use wheels.


I really like this idea....I may try it this afternoon.


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## Marty013 (Mar 14, 2014)

i like the idea.. just mind the orientation of the cam lock... going into a snowbank could unlock i the handle points ahead... as could pulling away from a snowbank youve just cut into if it points straight back... ome trial an error might be at stakes.. but honestly.. youve got me wondering about that option


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

cranman said:


> I really like this idea....I may try it this afternoon.


Here is a link to an old thread showing the mower height adjusters installed.


http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/general-snowblower-discussion/25953-wheels-instead-skids.html


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## Michael303 (Dec 3, 2015)

I went ahead and ordered these: Cam Clamps - Rockler Woodworking Tools

I figured at 20 bucks plus shipping for four cam clamps I wasn't out much if it's a disaster. They should just replace the nuts on the outside of the bucket that hold the skids in place. They shouldn't add anything significant to the profile of the bucket over the original bolts and I should be able to orient them vertically so they don't catch and release going into heavy snow.

By setup block I was just referring to the user manual that suggests setting the skid height by inserting a 5mm (or whatever size you want) block under the scraper and adjusting the skids to meet the ground. I'll probably just drop the skids all the way down for the turf and set them using a block for pavement.

I'll post pics when I can.


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

I think those will work well, Similar have been holding bicycle seats in place for years and I've seen some real ummm "Tubby" people on those seats.


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## Michael303 (Dec 3, 2015)

Lol


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## Michael303 (Dec 3, 2015)

Here we go. I could use carriage bolts about a half inch longer than the stock ones. Might get a chance to see how they work Thursday morning.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

I've used similar cam-locks on some woodworking jigs and tools over the years. They will work just fine with one or two exceptions. Depending on how tight you have them, they can open due to vibration on occasion. 


If I was going to make a suggestion, assuming you arrange them so the handle is always up, make or get a hold-down loop, put the mount under the bearing bolts so they drop over the end of the cam lever to prevent them from popping due to vibrations.


I've got maybe a dozen or so of them on various tools in the shop. Other than the vibration issue, they do work. Just be sure to have them adjusted so they don't over compensate on the bolts, they can be broken too in the right conditions.


Let us know how they work out.


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