# new HS928TAS - questions



## pcsfan (Oct 6, 2014)

First time poster from Connecticut. Purchased my first house last year with a paved driveway up a hill and hand shoveled all last winter. This almost killed me, so I decided that this winter will be different! Last week I ordered my dream machine but I have a few questions. First is that it comes with metal skid shoes and there are other machines out there using composite skids. Can someone who has used both tell me about how much marking metal versus composite skid shoes make on a paved (and sealed) driveway? Has anyone changed their Honda over from metal to composite? How practical is this and any other tips for doing this, and where to get them. I think I read on here that there were opinions on where the skid shoes on the track model should be positioned. There are drill holes to place it toward the front but it comes with the shoes placed in the back of the auger. I am appreciative of any opinions regarding which position makes a track machine easier to use as well as which might be more gentle on the driveway. Also I would like to get some sort of rubber mat to place it on in the garage after using. Does anyone have a recommendation for a suitable mat that would fit this snowblower to catch / contain melting snow. Another question is that I see there is a kind of silicone spray available to coat the chute with to keep the snow from sticking. Again does anyone have any opinions regarding the practicality or usefulness of using a snow release spray. Again thank you for any advice you may have to offer.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

METAL skids are fine. the ground is frozen they will slide over that tiny amount of snow and ice that is always there no matter how hard to try to get rid of it. coating the chute is really not needed because the paint gets wet and everything is slippery. I have never done that to the chute. up here in the frozen tundra of MINNESOTA. never ever had a problem with that. look on amazon for those rubber mats. or you can get one from ARIENS. I just stick a board under the skids in the garage. ALOHA to the forms..


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Also, brushing the snow off before putting it away will go a long way towards keeping the water out of your garage. I usually throttle mine down and let it cool down while I hit it with a broom.


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

Some of the more powerful electric leaf blowers are pretty handy at the loose snow. 

Here is one place, with some options( I am not advocating this site, please look around you may find it cheaper else where) They also carry mats. 

Snow Blower Skid Shoes @ Snow Blowers Direct


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## FLSTN (Sep 19, 2014)

I use the ariens composite shoes, they will not mark any driveway the way metal ones do.
I am leary of using a rubber mat under my blowers, as i don't want to hold water under the machine... Moisture, then rust starts.
Rust is the enemy of any blower.
Do wipe/brush off excess snow outside before putting your blower back in the garage.
I like the remaining snow to melt and drain away from the machine... You will need to figure out how to get melting snow to drain away from snowblower(my garage concrete floor slab is pitched down to the overhead door, so it's easy for me. 

Good luck, thats an expensive machine you bought. Take care of it.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

Just asking, aren't the skids on this Honda have the ones installed behind the bucket?


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

They are, but there are also holes for the traditional side mounted shoes.


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