# HS828W Skid rotted off blower housing.



## pjw73nh (Jan 29, 2015)

Greetings,

Yesterday, finishing up after the nor' easter that came through, I lost one of my skids. This is a 1999 Honda HS828W. Many years ago I replaced the worn ones and put a backing plate on the inside of the auger housing for added support. You can see the left one is still intact in the pics.

The right one has rotted/rusted through and took the piece of the housing with it. I looked up the price of a new housing. Even if one is available, that isn't going to happen.

I have (so I thought) taken very good care of this machine and kept up on maintenance and repairs. I am not sure how this slipped through the cracks. I REALLY like this machine and have no real desire to get rid of it. I am fairly intimate with the disassembly and assembly of it as I have done auger and impeller bearings, belts and some other parts to it.

Any suggestions from the braintrust here? Thanks in advance.


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

tibora isn't that far from you maybe he has something that can help you fix it? or knows where you can get more help


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

p/s orangputha just fixed one like it a short time back, lots of welding but it sure looked like new when done


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

Yeah, look at orangputha's fix.

Once rust starts it grows quick, like a cavity in your tooth.
Fix that cavity when it is small and you can save the tooth.
From what I see you need to repaint the whole machine, I see other areas that will fester and rot.


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## Rooskie (Feb 12, 2015)

pjw73nh said:


> Greetings,
> 
> Yesterday, finishing up after the nor' easter that came through, I lost one of my skids. This is a 1999 Honda HS828W. Many years ago I replaced the worn ones and put a backing plate on the inside of the auger housing for added support. You can see the left one is still intact in the pics.
> 
> ...


Who fixed the first one for you? That looks to be an adequate repair. Really helps that the runner bolts in to a depression on the bucket.
Do you operate in the 'nose down' position? You are putting a huge load on those runners the harder you press them into the ground. My 622 has no bucket height adjustment and man, do those things grind against the sidewalk. I'm contemplating side skids to alleviate what has happened to your skids, but honestly, what good will they do? The back ones are holding the bucket off the ground OK. 
HERE is a case where those roller-skids championed by Oneacer might be the best answer. As the Honda skids are behind the bucket, they won't be exposed to half the amount of snow that the ones mounted to the sides of the bucket has to face. You'd have to do a custom job, but the idea seems much sounder on a Honda back skid than an Ariens side. My buckets are off the 622 as I type. I did find a replacement bucket for the 622 thanks to sidegrinder, I didn't know I would have to replace it mid-season. I'll post some real 'wear' pictures once I've got it back together. Due to your timely post, I will devote some time to the issue this morning and report back if I've had a 'Eureka'.


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## JnC (Feb 21, 2014)

Clean the area.
Get to clean sheet metal.
Cut out a template for that void.
Use at least 1/8" or 1/4" piece of metal to create a plug for that void using the template.
Weld it all around.
Drill two holes.
Use Pan-head bolts to install the skids.
While you are at it, add side mounted skid shoes as well.

Being that you'd be drilling holes on the side I'd advise on using skids for Ariens or Toro as they are very heavy and will last for ever. I have never been a fan of just having rear mounted skids.

Here is a machine with the ariens side skids.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

side skids perhaps would be better than rear.

your machine is very repairable. weld it back up. here is the before and after of a bucket i repaired














recently


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

The bucket does not have to be removed. In this case there was auger and other work I had to do. Replaced the auger belt and serviced augers. replaced impeller bearing and more.

warning; when welding cover the fuel tank and as much of the machine as possible with proper cover. I used to use a moving blanket but had one catch on fire !! almost no more Orangputeh and Darwin Award recipient.


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## Rooskie (Feb 12, 2015)

orangputeh said:


> side skids perhaps would be better than rear.
> 
> your machine is very repairable. weld it back up. here is the before and after of a bucket i repaired
> View attachment 174978
> recently


PHEW! Is that lower bucket edge worn out or what!?


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

just like JnC mentioned you can just plug the hole with metal stock , drill new holes a


Rooskie said:


> PHEW! Is that lower bucket edge worn out or what!?


see this all the time. a real shame people dont keep their skids adjusted. this is not as bad as most I see. I have 10-12 buckets in back yard that need major major refurbishing. I mean the slots are completely gone or trashed. will have to cut out 3-4 inches and weld in new entire plate and sides.

never have the time. maybe summer .


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## Rooskie (Feb 12, 2015)

orangputeh said:


> just like JnC mentioned you can just plug the hole with metal stock , drill new holes a
> 
> see this all the time. a real shame people dont keep their skids adjusted. this is not as bad as most I see. I have 10-12 buckets in back yard that need major major refurbishing. I mean the slots are completely gone or trashed. will have to cut out 3-4 inches and weld in new entire plate and sides.
> 
> never have the time. maybe summer .


It seems repairing those buckets would be a big money-maker for you, considering the scarcity of a unworn bucket on these Honda's. Re-fitting the worn-down sides would be a bigger chore than the whole back edge!
I would drill the replacement holes before welding the replacement piece into the bucket. That way you won't have to wrassle the bucket around on your drill press.
FWIW.


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## pjw73nh (Jan 29, 2015)

Thanks for all the replies. That was fast.

Rooksie, I did the repairs the last time. Not a lot to it. But apparently with time it failed.

Here's where I'm at. I am a VERY beginner welder. I have gas, stick and mig available to me. I just finished a short welding class last fall, and before I had a chance to do any practicing the weather got colder. Further, having an attached garage (that is very full of "stuff") there's not a lot of room and the smoke and fumes would find their way into the house. So where this really can't wait for good weather when I can weld outside, I would like to get it at least "usable" before the next storm. I've got a little time.

Jnc, That's a great write up for removing the bucket. Thanks.

So is the consensus to BOTH weld up the holes and reinstall the rear skids AND side skids? I would think it would be difficult to adjust all 4 and keep them in adjustment on a regular basis.

Or is the recommendation to plug the rear skid mounting holes, leave the rear skids off and add some durable side skids and leave it at that?

Thanks again for all the great advice. When I saw the skid lying on the ground yesterday, I thought for sure, I was going to be the only person that this had ever happened to.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

pjw73nh said:


> Here's where I'm at.


That's where I was at about 15 years ago when the same thing happened with my HS80 rear skids. I didn't really want to deal with welding at that time, so I quickly made backing plates out of 1" x 1/4" x 6" steel bars, curved them on an anvil with a baby sledge to match the housing, and just bolted through the auger housing above and below the rectangular holes where the old mounts tore off (drilled and tapped the bars). And also added side skids.


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## RAOUL225 (Jan 24, 2020)

Use an epoxy patch like FiberFix because It will be stronger than metal when cured and you can drill through it.It will never rust!


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## pjw73nh (Jan 29, 2015)

Thanks for all the help folks. I wanted to report back with what my solution was/is. I needed to get it usable for the storm we had Sunday. Shortening a wordy story, I ended up with a set of consumer grade, reversible Ariens skids. Drilling holes, adding shims to even out the stamped steel of the auger housing, and stainless hardware. I also temporarily patched the rotted hole by screwing a piece of steel over it until I can properly repair it in the spring. Thanks again for all the help.


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## Rooskie (Feb 12, 2015)

pjw73nh said:


> Thanks for all the help folks. I wanted to report back with what my solution was/is. I needed to get it usable for the storm we had Sunday. Shortening a wordy story, I ended up with a set of consumer grade, reversible Ariens skids. Drilling holes, adding shims to even out the stamped steel of the auger housing, and stainless hardware. I also temporarily patched the rotted hole by screwing a piece of steel over it until I can properly repair it in the spring. Thanks again for all the help.
> 
> View attachment 175445
> View attachment 175446
> ...


You're missing a bolt on the end of your bucket, aren't you?


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## pjw73nh (Jan 29, 2015)

Rooksie, nice catch. Ya know, I (sort of) saw that when I was working on it. It was dark and I just thought to myself, "Oh, it's there and it's just rusty and I don't see it..." and I asked myself the same question. Yes it's gone. I'll pull the other one and get a match at the hardware store. 

I did all the bearings and belts a few years ago. I guess I didn't sock that one down. I'll have to check the other. When I was dealing with the skids and I had the blower up in the air, I found one of the housing to body bolts missing, and a couple more were loose. I guess these things just shake themselves apart.


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## CalgaryPT (Dec 7, 2016)

pjw73nh said:


> Greetings,
> 
> Yesterday, finishing up after the nor' easter that came through, I lost one of my skids. This is a 1999 Honda HS828W. Many years ago I replaced the worn ones and put a backing plate on the inside of the auger housing for added support. You can see the left one is still intact in the pics.
> 
> ...


Easily repairable...you need to find a decent fabricator though.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

pjw73nh said:


> Rooksie, nice catch. Ya know, I (sort of) saw that when I was working on it. It was dark and I just thought to myself, "Oh, it's there and it's just rusty and I don't see it..." and I asked myself the same question. Yes it's gone. I'll pull the other one and get a match at the hardware store.
> 
> I did all the bearings and belts a few years ago. I guess I didn't sock that one down. I'll have to check the other. When I was dealing with the skids and I had the blower up in the air, I found one of the housing to body bolts missing, and a couple more were loose. I guess these things just shake themselves apart.


you talking about the end bolt for scraper bar? nice to have to help with adjustments but can go without. There are 5 other nuts that hold that sucker on. Have had people break the bolt off into threads and freak out and I've told them more trouble than it's worth to try and remove.


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## pjw73nh (Jan 29, 2015)

Orangputah, No we're talkin' 'bout the left side (from the operators perspective) auger end bolt in the middle of the bearing. GONE !!!


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

pjw73nh said:


> I'll pull the other one and get a match at the hardware store.


BOLT, FLANGE (M8X16) 95701-08016-00


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