# How to adjust the skid shoes



## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Great video here, folks.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

Well, he misses the point about equalizing/setting tire pressure prior to this procedure. Also, if you don't push down on the top of the skid shoe when tightening, the skid shoe moves as you twist the bolt.


Topic drift: Is there any adjustment to the scraper bar itself on these two stage machines? I see it for the single stage, but never noticed any mention of it for the big machines.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

uberT said:


> Is there any adjustment to the scraper bar itself on these two stage machines?


I'm not familiar with other brands but Honda and Yamaha 2 stage snowblowers do have adjustable scraper bars.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

hsblowersfan said:


> I'm not familiar with other brands but Honda and Yamaha 2 stage snowblowers do have adjustable scraper bars.


Every 2 stage I have ever used or owned has had adjustable scraper bars. 
As for adjusting skids/shoes, for the ast 20+ years I have equalized tire pressures, favoring less than more air. Then I get a paint stir stick and place it under the scraper bar lengthwise, loosen the skids till they drop to the ground and tighten them making sure they are flat to the pavement.


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## Scuba_Steve (Oct 26, 2016)

Thanks for the video. Always good to have more info.


I just put poly shoes on mine, using somewhat of a different shimming strategy. I noticed my scraper blade seems to bow up toward the middle slightly - perhaps 1/32". Thus, I put two 1/8" spacers on either end of the blade when adjusting the shoe height - not in the middle. And of course, I adjusted the tire pressure first and held the shoes down as I tightened the bolts. 

Supporting it at both ends of the scraper blade is the same approach Ariens recommends in the video below. BTW, in that video, at 1:30, you can see the same middle portion of the scraper blade that seems to be a bit higher than the sides.


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## Scuba_Steve (Oct 26, 2016)

hsblowersfan said:


> I'm not familiar with other brands but Honda and Yamaha 2 stage snowblowers do have adjustable scraper bars.




I just checked the manual for my Ariens Deluxe and it states that the scraper blade is adjustable...and suggests supporting it at both ends when adjusting the skid shoes.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

Joe, I do the same as you....place the paint stick lengthwise plus a dime or quarter to raise it up a bit more. Placing the stick in the center seems to always yield a non-uniform adjustment.


I don't understand why the scraper would be adjusted if the shoes are periodically adjusted. It doesn't really receive any notable wear as it is not contacting the pavement.


Steve, thanks for looking that up. My Owner's Manual shows the same.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

This is a good video from a year or two ago done by Ariens. It's about getting the blower tractor and the bucket squared up to minimize a wandering Auto Turn system:








Good, basic info.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

OK, the guy in the above video speaks about getting things all squared up including the scraper bar, starts at 3:00.


This'll give me something to do this weekend. I've never checked that particular adjustment :icon_whistling:


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

uberT said:


> OK, the guy in the above video speaks about getting things all squared up including the scraper bar, starts at 3:00.
> 
> 
> This'll give me something to do this weekend. I've never checked that particular adjustment :icon_whistling:


Yeh. I do look at the scraper bar after I finish. There has been only one time I have had to adjust one and actually I wound up replacing it. Too badly worn. That was on a unit I bought last summer for a flip. MTD 824 or 26. I can't remember.


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## jbdesigns (Oct 21, 2016)

Related question. On my Honda HSs928 which comes factory with rear shoes, I also bought the heavy duty Honda side shoes. 
Use both or just the front shoes? 


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Anyone know?


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

jbdesigns said:


> Related question. On my Honda HSs928 which comes factory with rear shoes, I also bought the heavy duty Honda side shoes.
> Use both or just the front shoes?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


 This is what I would do:

1. Use just the side shoes and adjust them properly (for this the heavy duty commercial shoes are the best "~1/2" thick" vs ~1/8" on standard shoes).
2. Use both of them, adjust the rear shoes properly then adjust the side shoes about say 4-6mm higher (this would be just to protect the auger serrations in case of uneven terrain or when a track blower is on scrape mode):blowerhug:


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## jbdesigns (Oct 21, 2016)

I have the heavy 1/2" thick shoes. Your advice is one shoe touching. I get it


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## topher5150 (Nov 5, 2014)

how do you adjust them when you don't exactly have a hard level surface to do so?


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

well if the level isn't flat yet consistent on a slope, that will work too. Just chalk the wheels.


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