# Armor skids came yesterday.



## Skydog (Nov 12, 2014)

Guess what I'll be doing today!


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## liftoff1967 (Jan 15, 2014)

What's with the little pieces? 

You have a honda where the skids are to the rear of the bucket also?


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## Skydog (Nov 12, 2014)

liftoff1967 said:


> What's with the little pieces?
> 
> You have a honda where the skids are to the rear of the bucket also?


No, an Ariens 11528, but the spacers were recommended.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

I have them on my toro 521 and 826. 99% of the time they work great on the 521 but there is one very bad spot that I clear snow from that the skids don't make much difference cause the snowblower is soo short length wise. but the armor skids on the 826 glides right over the same area


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## liftoff1967 (Jan 15, 2014)

Interesting. Wish that would have been offered when I got my shoes for my Ariens last fall. Right now I have used nuts as spacers, and that does cause the side wall of the bucket to flex a little. Not happy with that.

Is there a part number for the "spacers" that I can order? I looked at the Armor skid web site, saw where they recommend spacers, but not seeing how I could order just the spacers.

Thanks in advance.


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## Skydog (Nov 12, 2014)

Scroll almost all the way down to the bottom of their page:
SPC0300 1/8" thick Spacer to fit asc0300 skids
This spacer is a 1/8" thick plate designed to help those who have clearance issues. Note that these are sold in pairs, and that they are 1/8" thick. Note that this size spacer fits the 3" bolt spacing.

IF YOU NEED SPACERS, Consider buying two sets. Most clearance issues need more than one spacer on each side!

Item Number: SPC0300	Price per set: $5.00 + $6.75 Shipping
Snowblower Make/Model nbr:

PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online! 
Color:Black


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## Dedeno (Dec 29, 2013)

Just to share to the group, I received and installed this summer a set of ArmorSkids for my HS724. I did everything to avoid using spacers. I didn't like the constraint transfered to the bucket casing walls with spacers (I needed to clear 3/8 in for the scaper bar bolt).

Look at the photos attached, I did an hole in the ArmorSkids to let me mount them flush to the wall...


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## liftoff1967 (Jan 15, 2014)

Skydog said:


> Scroll almost all the way down to the bottom of their page:
> SPC0300 1/8" thick Spacer to fit asc0300 skids
> This spacer is a 1/8" thick plate designed to help those who have clearance issues. Note that these are sold in pairs, and that they are 1/8" thick. Note that this size spacer fits the 3" bolt spacing.
> 
> ...


Perfect.

THANK YOU!!!


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## wdb (Dec 15, 2013)

Dedeno said:


> Just to share to the group, I received and installed this summer a set of ArmorSkids for my HS724. I did everything to avoid using spacers. I didn't like the constraint transfered to the bucket casing walls with spacers (I needed to clear 3/8 in for the scaper bar bolt).
> 
> Look at the photos attached, I did an hole in the ArmorSkids to let me mount them flush to the wall...


I like the idea, but don't you lose the ability to adjust the scraper bar? The hole is slotted.


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## Dedeno (Dec 29, 2013)

Good point. I will see how fast the scraper wear compare to the ArmorSkids pad (they should wear together). I will probably have to adjust the hole in the ArmorSkid wall. 

To be continued, stay tuned!


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## Skydog (Nov 12, 2014)

Out with the old:








In with the new:









I set mine at 1-1/4" due to a large gravel area, and the condition of my concrete drive.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Skydog said:


> Out with the old:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


YOU should get some stainless steel bolt and nylocks for that setup. even with the anti sneeze their is still a chance of them rotting up in there. just my 2 cents on it.


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## Skydog (Nov 12, 2014)

That might be hard to find. The bolt has a square shoulder and a low profile, round headn(like a carriage bolt). I'll keep an eye out, and in the mean time keep them "buttered up"!


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

You mean like these.Stainless Steel Carriage Bolt 5 16 18 X 1" 10 Pack | eBay
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Stainless-St...058?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ece20d9f2


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

Easy fix just sawsall the width of your hole to the top as you will have to adjust lowering the skids but no rush it could be years before you need to do that.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Skydog said:


> That might be hard to find. The bolt has a square shoulder and a low profile, round headn(like a carriage bolt). I'll keep an eye out, and in the mean time keep them "buttered up"!


they are ss carriage bolts you can get at your friendly neighbor hood hardware store


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## liftoff1967 (Jan 15, 2014)

Skydog said:


> Out with the old:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Did ya get by with one shim, or did ya need two on each side?


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## Skydog (Nov 12, 2014)

Like the above carriage bolts, but 3/8". I needed both shims to clear the body bumps.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Dedeno said:


> Good point. I will see how fast the scraper wear compare to the ArmorSkids pad (they should wear together).


. I keep my scraper bar off the ground by the thickness of a paint stir stick. I've never had to replace one of them.
And what is that cool, varnished, double thick plywood surface your blower is sitting on?


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## lclement (Jun 23, 2014)

Dedeno said:


> Just to share to the group, I received and installed this summer a set of ArmorSkids for my HS724. I did everything to avoid using spacers. I didn't like the constraint transfered to the bucket casing walls with spacers (I needed to clear 3/8 in for the scaper bar bolt).
> 
> Look at the photos attached, I did an hole in the ArmorSkids to let me mount them flush to the wall...


What if you made a “U shaped” (area in blue cut out) channel instead of drilling one hole. If you had a U channel you could raise and lower the skids and that lateral scraper bolt head/washer could simply slide up and down that U channel as needed. Should be easy to do with a drill press just drill holes next to each other. Sand and paint.

I have a Honda 1132 my Armor skids just came and I did get the spacers just in case. Now that I have seen this method I may be able to eliminate the spacers.


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## wdb (Dec 15, 2013)

I'd be tempted to cut off everything behind the rearmost slot.


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## Dedeno (Dec 29, 2013)

Joe, same gap for my scraper bar, but I noticed wear after first winter... too many bumps on my driveway probably (surface in block). 

The "cool varnished double thick plywood" is in fact a full Platform, custom made, for the snowblower that I did this summer. I attached photos taken just before varnish operation. You can see and guess the structure (top ply is 3/4" thk, intermediate is pine wood pieces 2-1/2" thk and bottom ply is 5/8" thk). Everything is glue and screw together. Roller are HD stuf that cost me too much money but I liked the idea of having a really solid platform (250 lbs capacity per wheels!). The varnish was done to avoid oïl and grease spill to be absorb in the wood.

I think for a tracked snowblower that kind of platform is a must.


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## Dedeno (Dec 29, 2013)

Iclement, interesting proposal. The only thing that bothered me about an U shape is that my scraper bar bolt slot has an angle (not parallel to the height adjustment of the skid). So the U shape calculation became for me a lot more complicated and imply to remove much more sidewall skid metal. I finally ended up choosing the lazy path and make a minimal round hole and see after few years what would be needed to adjust (both skid and scraper bar height).


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## dwblue00 (Nov 6, 2014)

wdb said:


> I like the idea, but don't you lose the ability to adjust the scraper bar? The hole is slotted.


The shims won't move vertically, the skids will. So you still can adjust the skids up and down.


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## lclement (Jun 23, 2014)

Dedeno said:


> Iclement, interesting proposal. The only thing that bothered me about an U shape is that my scraper bar bolt slot has an angle (not parallel to the height adjustment of the skid). So the U shape calculation became for me a lot more complicated and imply to remove much more sidewall skid metal. I finally ended up choosing the lazy path and make a minimal round hole and see after few years what would be needed to adjust (both skid and scraper bar height).


I see what your saying, it looks like im in the same boat and also would have to remove a lot more metal. Sounds like a single drilled hole would be quicker like you mentioned. 

Some things sound better on paper then in the real world! 

I may just do the same thing and not use the shims


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## lclement (Jun 23, 2014)

Got my Armour skids on. didn't cut or drill them. Thought I would try the spacers and see how they worked beforee I start moding to much. Will post a few pics later.


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## lclement (Jun 23, 2014)

Here are the pics for the armor skids I put on today. What I did was use two spacers per side and to be honest I think I could have used three per side but two will work.

I wasn’t sure what bolts I needed so I called Honda and they said they sell 8 x 25 (8mm diameter, 25mm length) for this application. 

(Note: 8 x 35 bolts were too long) 

I also put on 2 washers just to shorten the 8 x 25 bolts up so not as much thread was sticking out near the auger.

Grease was applied to bolt threads and to the spacers to help combat road salt and prevent rust and corrosion. That road salt is nasty stuff and it doesn't take long to start rusting metal as well all know.

I think the installation looks fairly clean (except the double washer stack but I think I can look past it) I’ll see how things go for the first snow. What I like about it is the skids stick out farther past the auger housing so I don’t have to worry about ramming into an offset piece of concrete as much. Tracked models seems to hit these raised areas harder than wheeled units which can cause more damage.

If these work well on the Honda I will look at getting some for my Ariens 7524


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## grizzlycountry (Apr 11, 2014)

*Armor Skids*

Just put Armor Skids on yesterday. I used extra washers for spacers to shim the skids out from the auger housing. EASY install and better protection for front edge of auger housing.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

lclement said:


> I see what your saying, it looks like im in the same boat and also would have to remove a lot more metal. Sounds like a single drilled hole would be quicker like you mentioned.
> 
> Some things sound better on paper then in the real world!
> 
> I may just do the same thing and not use the shims


 Normally with skids you use carriage bolts with the bolt head on the auger side but its no biggie as long it does the work.


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## lclement (Jun 23, 2014)

I wondered that... But with mine I didn't see how carriage bolts would work. The holes i used were factory drilled and threaded so I could screw right into them.


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