# Skid choice



## Rob711 (Feb 5, 2015)

I have a 10000 series ariens that I cleaned up, but it needs new shoes. I have a relatively small asphalt driveway with a cobblestone apron, and a cement paver walk way. My neighbor has a concrete drive in bad shape with wood expansion joints that like to jam the skid plate, and finally moms got a pea gravel driveway. For hers I usually tip the bucket up so I don't shoot rocks onto the lawn. 
I planned on armor skids but now considering roller or just stock replacements. Looking for opinions 
Rob


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

If you don't mind what scrape marks you might get from metal the newer stock Ariens skids have plenty of meat, are reversible and I use them on gravel and have no problems. I bought a set of the stock Ariens at HomeDepot for my Troy, photo 1.

If you Google snow blower skids you'll see a slew of ideas and you'll get a lot of recommendations here too. Everything from lawnmower wheels with or without the adjusters but I think for concrete and asphalt especially if you seal coat yearly you might want to go with a plastic (poly, ...) skid either homemade out of a cutting board or "store bought" :icon_whistling:


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## Rob711 (Feb 5, 2015)

I do seal coat and I did mark it up! Mostly from the tire chains, got x tracks now. Was looking at the plastic ones, I once made a cup holder out of cutting boards for my boat. I'd rather just buy them now. I liked the length of the armor skids to deal with the concrete expansion joints, but read a few reports of plastic ones causing ride-up, and nobody likes ride up!


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I really like the lawnmower wheels but I do think they are a little wide and I'd want to cut them down to something like 1/2" or so for that very reason. Want them to walk on the drive and not ride up on the snow.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Rob711 said:


> I do seal coat and I did mark it up! Mostly from the tire chains, got x tracks now. Was looking at the plastic ones, I once made a cup holder out of cutting boards for my boat. I'd rather just buy them now. I liked the length of the armor skids to deal with the concrete expansion joints, but read a few reports of plastic ones causing ride-up, and nobody likes ride up!


How are plastic skids different that they would cause ride up as opposed to metal skids? I've made my own HDPE skids and no problems.:smiley-confused013:


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## Rob711 (Feb 5, 2015)

I have no idea Micah! I'm think I'll get these

http://www.amazon.com/Arnold-490-241-0010-Universal-Deluxe-Throwers/dp/B002MRM6KQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

for me at a little under 10 bucks a piece for the oem ariens part they work fine and are reversible. cant beat that


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## Biketrax (Jan 28, 2015)

micah68kj said:


> I've made my own HDPE skids and no problems.


Sounds like you used them last season?? No ride up for you?
How about posting a picture of them?:icon-wwp:


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

I used micah skids also last winter with no problems
I also used armor skids, been using them for a couple winters


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Biketrax said:


> Sounds like you used them last season?? No ride up for you?
> How about posting a picture of them?:icon-wwp:


Made these myself. Used 'em last winter and no problems. They're on my Toro 5/21. I'm going to make a set for my Ariens 7/24 as well.


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## ELaw (Feb 4, 2015)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> I really like the lawnmower wheels but I do think they are a little wide and I'd want to cut them down to something like 1/2" or so for that very reason. Want them to walk on the drive and not ride up on the snow.


It's funny, I've never seen these on a snowblower since, but when I was young we had a couple of Jacobsen Sno-Jet 'blowers that had metal wheels on the front.

Picture a disc about 4" diameter made from 1/4" sheet steel, with about a 1/2" length of 3/8" ID tube welded into the center as a hub/bearing. It attached to the auger housing with a carriage bolt through a slotted hole. It was strong, moved easily because it rolled rather than slid, and was pretty narrow.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I see them all the time. My craftsman came with them.
The photo isn't my machine but the same model. Those little white steel wheels won't ride up on anything that isn't solid.


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## N.D.Pedersen (Jan 23, 2016)

*Armor Skids*

I just installed ARMOR skids on my Toro 826. These skids look like they are going to be the perfect solution to the jarring stops I got with the original skids when I hit an uneven spot on cement.


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## Dpregs (Jul 22, 2013)

N.D.Pedersen said:


> I just installed ARMOR skids on my Toro 826. These skids look like they are going to be the perfect solution to the jarring stops I got with the original skids when I hit an uneven spot on cement.


UGH! that is what I need! I hit some spots in the side walk and I get a shot to the jewels! Where did you find them?


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Dpregs said:


> UGH! that is what I need! I hit some spots in the side walk and I get a shot to the jewels! Where did you find them?


Had to laugh but unfortunately I know the feeling. Snowblower stops and you don't !!


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

I purchased a pair of the Armor skids for a JD TRS-27 that gets used at a church building that has an old and uneven sidewalk. I'll be installing them soon and I am confident they will be a huge improvement over what is on them now. I look forward to equipping a few more of the various machines I work on with the Armor skids as well. Not too many complaints on the Ariens double end skids I use for a Deluxe-30, but there are a few spots that they catch on.


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## Biketrax (Jan 28, 2015)

Armour Skids at Home Depot!! Ships free to the store. 
Got mine shipped in three days!Just in time for the storm.
And has a full return policy in case you get the wrong size or any other reason not too shabby.

Search Results forÂ*armour skidsÂ*at The Home Depot


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

I usually just weld up stock on my existing skids, but just tried these on one of my Ariens. Seem to work fine so far.

Ariens Non-Abrasive Skid Shoes-72600300 - The Home Depot

Regardless of whatever skid you use, make sure to adjust properly. I choose a level surface (garage floor), place the scraper blade (which, btw, should also be checked for wear and replaced if necessary) attached to the bottom of the bucket on a yardstick ruler (1/8" roughly). Then place your side skids to the floor and tighten.


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