# How well do composite skids hold up compared to stock metal ones?



## GustoGuy

I have only had to replace my skids a few times before in the 17 years I have owned my 1996 MTD 5/22. I love the new Predator 212cc engine for it starts in 1 pull and it tosses the snow better than the Tecumseh ever did but here is a strange new twist. This year I replaced my scraper plate and bought one new MTD steel slide skid off of Amazon.com and painted the other. I looked at my skid shoes and they are almost totally worn out now. I can bend the metal at the base of the skid now with my bare hand. I remember getting at least 2 to 3 years out of a set of skids before I had to replace them. *Do the composite skids hold up and last that much longer than the stock steel ones?* I have to admit that I sure enjoy using my snow blower more now that it runs great and I have used it a fair number of times this year and I even go out and blow the driveway with as little as an inch of snow now since it cleans it up real fast in 4th gear and it seems as fast as a single stage now when I put it in high gear and it can handle up to 2 to 3 inches or more at high speed real easy. I have kept the driveway for the most of this winter to bare cement condition because I get the snow off so quick now that it doesn't have time to freeze to the driveway So I may be wearing my skids out faster too since the Predator's makes lots of torque and pushes the blower along real hard while blowing all the little nuisance 1 to 2 inch snowfalls we have been getting over the last 3 to 4 weeks in high gear. The one thing I like about the Predator is that this tough little engine literally pulls you along compare to the Tecumseh which seemed so much weaker. If I do not keep up with the Predator 212cc it will spin the tires at times on the snow covered driveway and It pushes like a locomotive now compared to bogging down like it did with the Tecumseh.


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## detdrbuzzard

thats a good question gustoguy. it seems most have gone with the hd skids from snowblowerskids.com


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## GustoGuy

I looked at their website the skids really do look well made. Another problem with steel skids is they leave rust stains on the garage floor that is why I am interested in the composite skids. Has anyone used the composites Skids? And how well did they work Compared with the stock steel skids?


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## Toyboy

I put a 1x6 piece of wood under mine to dry out and prevent the rust stains. I even keep it under the snow blower in storage. I also wipe the skids with WD40 when I'm done for the season.


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## jtclays

Gusto, I got these Robalon skid shoes for the exact reason you mentioned.
I also noticed my JD original skid shoes "traced" a scratch in my cement.
It would go away from rain and sun the following spring/summer/fall, but I didn't like it. Only ran the blower a few times this year and they never made a scratch. They also don't appear to wear as fast as metal ones. They are pricey IMO, and I'm not affiliated with them at all, just FYI.
I like the ones I got better than the OEM steel.
Robalon - Salt, Age and Wear Resistant Skid Shoes and Scraper Bars - SEPW.com
The 1989 JD 826 I have weighs in at 260 pounds with a stock Tecumseh 8hp engine.


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## Simplicity Solid 22

I just adjusted the skids on mine yesterday to raise it a little as not to rip the grass up from the scraper bar...well in doing so the original size skids are now ripping up lawn. JT Clays do the Robalons take any lawn on your walkways if you have em??
Or the monster size ones on snowblower skids whomever has them???


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## GustoGuy

jtclays said:


> Gusto, I got these Robalon skid shoes for the exact reason you mentioned.
> I also noticed my JD original skid shoes "traced" a scratch in my cement.
> It would go away from rain and sun the following spring/summer/fall, but I didn't like it. Only ran the blower a few times this year and they never made a scratch. They also don't appear to wear as fast as metal ones. They are pricey IMO, and I'm not affiliated with them at all, just FYI.
> I like the ones I got better than the OEM steel.
> Robalon - Salt, Age and Wear Resistant Skid Shoes and Scraper Bars - SEPW.com
> The 1989 JD 826 I have weighs in at 260 pounds with a stock Tecumseh 8hp engine.


I will upgrade to these new skids for next year. I will let everyone know how well they work. Thanks jyclys for the link to the website. I like maintenance free and I hate having rust stains on the floor of my heated garage


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## detdrbuzzard

some clr will eleminate the rust stains on the floor


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## jtclays

Simplicity, Sorry, been away from the computer for awhile. The new ones don't grab anymore grass than the old ones, as far as I can tell. If I pick my line wrong doing the walks, my scraper bar seems to do the most damage to the grass. I keep my grass edges pretty tidy along the walkways and as a result they are pretty high compared to the cement, so kinda hard to make an error and get into the grass. Starting at the corners is a different story, I've trimmed a few corners and threw them into the street No fault of the skids though.


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## Simplicity Solid 22

hahaha...Thanks JT... I gotcha!


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## GustoGuy

I just ordered a set of Robalon skids. They are only $19.99 which is similar to the price of the stock MTD ones. I could get cheap generic ones a bit cheaper but what good are they when they are worn out and leave rust stains on the floor in my garage. I will let everyone know how they work when I start using my blower this coming winter.


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## GustoGuy

I removed my old skids in anticipation of my new Robalon non abrasive composite skids which I ordered yesterday. Here is a couple of pictures of the old stock metal skids. This is just after one season. Normally I get 2 to 3 years use out of them. I think I smoked them this past winter because I would use my snow blower for even the littlest 1 to 2 inch snowfalls. Also March was the snowiest on record in 17 years with 25 inches of snow in just the month of March


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## GustoGuy

I received my Robalon Skid shoes today. They look really nice on my snow blower. I adjusted them with 2 steel washers under the scrapper plate so they should keep the wear to a minimum on the scrapper plate. I hope they last a long time like 3 to 5 times longer then the stock ones. Plus they are reversible so you can flip them over and get even more use out of them. Here are some pictures.


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## 90trunk

GustoGuy said:


> I received my Robalon Skid shoes today. They look really nice on my snow blower. I adjusted them with 2 steel washers under the scrapper plate so they should keep the wear to a minimum on the scrapper plate. I hope they last a long time like 3 to 5 times longer then the stock ones. Plus they are reversible so you can flip them over and get even more use out of them. Here are some pictures.


Any chance of an update on the Robalon Skids? I went with the snowblowerskids.com units, as I have some uneven areas on my driveway. They will leave rust stains though...


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## GustoGuy

90trunk said:


> Any chance of an update on the Robalon Skids? I went with the snowblowerskids.com units, as I have some uneven areas on my driveway. They will leave rust stains though...


I like them. I don't have to worry about them scratching my epoxied floor in my garage and they slide over the snow covered pavement effortlessly. No more rust stains to clean up either Some here on the forum have made their own non marring skids out of HDPE cutting boards. I put it on the bottom of my skids on my old Gilson made Montgomery Ward snowblower too


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## 90trunk

Thanks for the update!


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## micah68kj

GustoGuy said:


> I like them. I don't have to worry about them scratching my epoxied floor in my garage and they slide over the snow covered pavement effortlessly. No more rust stains to clean up either Some here on the forum have made their own non marring skids out of HDPE cutting boards. I put it on the bottom of my skids on my old Gilson made Montgomery Ward snowblower too


I made mine out of HDPE cutting board but have not had much snow to give a report. I'm sure they will be fine and last a very long time. Made them to be reversible too. Couple of pics.


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## Buttchet

micah68kj said:


> I made mine out of HDPE cutting board but have not had much snow to give a report. I'm sure they will be fine and last a very long time. Made them to be reversible too. Couple of pics.


Micah, it looks like you have two "layers" of the cutting board or doubled up on the thickness. What holds them together besides the attachment bolts? I would think the two layers would slip around, or am I just over thinking this? I have the cutting boards myself but I haven't started yet.


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## micah68kj

Buttchet said:


> Micah, it looks like you have two "layers" of the cutting board or doubled up on the thickness. What holds them together besides the attachment bolts? I would think the two layers would slip around, or am I just over thinking this? I have the cutting boards myself but I haven't started yet.


I have them screwed together from either side with wood screws. Good eye. This stuff is a dream to work with. Only took me about an hour from start to finish. Revesible too.


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## Buttchet

micah68kj said:


> I have them screwed together from either side with wood screws. Good eye. This stuff is a dream to work with. Only took me about an hour from start to finish. Revesible too.


THanks Joe! I am going to start mine today.


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## micah68kj

Buttchet said:


> THanks Joe! I am going to start mine today.


Post pics when you're done.


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## Buttchet

micah68kj said:


> Post pics when you're done.


Not my finest work but they work great! Thanks again for the help Joe.


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## micah68kj

Hey, they look fine. Do I see screw heads where you doubled them?
Remember. They'don't have to be pretty. All they have to do is *work.*


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## Buttchet

micah68kj said:


> Hey, they look fine. Do I see screw heads where you doubled them?
> Remember. They'don't have to be pretty. All they have to do is *work.*


Yup, i did three on each holding together. Had to grind off the tips on them as i only had 5/8" screws.


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## micah68kj

Buttchet said:


> Yup, i did three on each holding together. Had to grind off the tips on them as i only had 5/8" screws.


Whatever works! It ain't gotta be purty!


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## GustoGuy

Buttchet said:


> Not my finest work but they work great! Thanks again for the help Joe.


What I like a about making my own is that you can go a bit bigger than stock. With an increased surface area you get less wear because the weight of the front of the snow blower is distributed better on them. I just used my Blower tonight and I like that I can drive it in the garage with my epoxied floor and not have to worry about the floor being scratched up. I like that they do not leave rust marks either. They also seem to be wearing very well too with no discernible wear despite the fact that I have used my blower about 5 times this year.


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## Toro-8-2-4

I made some out of a piece of composite decking I had laying around. It is thick enough to not have to double. It can be a bit brittle compared to PE. I don't think it is the ideal material but it does not rust, leave unsightly scratches on pavement and has held up for about a year and still going. UHMW PE or HDE would be my first choice. But if it is free go for it. Make them longer than OEM and use the furthest apart mounting holes (protects more of the bottom of the housing).


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## sr71

that's a great idea - well executed !


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