Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Gentlemen,
I haven't posted here since last winter but I would like to thank Borat and the other regulars for their guidance and excellent advice. After much research I purchased a new Simplicity 24" 9 HP (B&S) snowblower. We had quite a lot of snow here in the Chicago area last winter and the Simplicity handled it flawlessly. I have an 80' concrete driveway with a mild slope. But, I live on a relatively busy street so when the city plow passes by I am left with a small mountain of snow at the end of my driveway. I learned NOT to plow the two feet or so closest to the street because small concrete chips and pebbles are dug up by the city plow and hidden in the plowed snow at the end of the driveway, and as a result my impeller and chute interior became very scratched. So I shovel the remainder of snow by hand.

Two things...a headlight was optional for my snowblower but none were in stock at the time I bought it. Sears has a universal kit for $59 which I though was rather expensive. So I purchased a "tractor auxiliary light" at Wal-Mart for about $15 and easily connected it to the snowblower's alternator lead. It works perfectly and looks factory original.

Here's my question...my Simplicity is equipped with Skid Shoes. I removed the shoes in the spring and sanded and repainted them. But after another season of use I will have to repeat the process as the shoes take a beating on the concrete. Wouldn't it make sense to install small, thin wheels instead of skid shoes? The wheels would roll smoothly along the surface as opposed to the friction and grinding of the skid shoes. Does anyone know if Simplicity makes wheels for this blower or could something be fabricated? Your suggestions?

The wheel idea sounds attractive but I doubt very much that it will work any better than the skids. Take a look at how the skids are mounted. There's two 3/8" diameter carriage bolts holding them on. There's a reason for that. Handling the side loads that occur. I guess one could build an axle mount that would be just as robust and use a thick, short bolt for the axle. If the wheel bushing and axle are stainless steel, they should resist corrosion. However, I suspect that the wheels would soon go out of round from turning/dragging sideways while repositioning the machine. I debated the wheel conversion a while back and concluded, in my own mind that there would likely be no real benefit. What I have done though is taken a piece of 1-1/2 inch wide by 1/2 thick hardened flat bar steel and bent it to the shape of the skid. Then I had it welded onto the skid. I'd say the skids should last easily fifteen years or more now. I only got two seasons on one side of the original skids. So, considering the skids can be turned over, that means, I'd get four years out of them. So, for the convenience of not having to replace the skids for fifteen to twenty years, the $30.00 for welding is well worth it. Not to mention the $20.00 for each set of skids I'd have to pay for.

Anything can be fabricated. If you're willing to pay for it, someone is willing to sell it. That said, the money you would spend on wheels vs the maintenance involved with keeping your skids looking new might be better spent elsewhere. Think about their role in the whole snowblowing process, and think about how appearances matter.

I like the way that you think though; maintenance matters. I am running a snowblower older than I am. I am 35, and my snowblower was made in the 1960's. It's on its third engine (that I know of). I oil/grease/adjust ONCE every year. Some guys on here deem to havr to do this every hour of use. I live in Atlantic Canada where a "storm" represents a national emergency elsewhere.

It's a machine. When the skids wear out, replace them.

Wheel Horse used cast iron wheels on some of their garden tractor snowblowers.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/wheel%20horse%20snow%20thrower/vwovw/wheelhorse/wheelhorse003.jpg

Wow, You blow the driveway, yet shovel the plow crap due to a few scratches? Couple cans of rustoleum in the spring would save

a lot of backaches I would think

Inline skates may be something to consider. But..

The wheeled skids idea is great on paper. I think it real life they would freeze up.

there are space age plastic skid shoe replacements. HD started selling Ariens for 39$ and universal ones for 29.

BTW, HD watertown mass started carrying Ariens belts and shear bolts.

AND....... it marked a lot of spark lugs, uncluding N4C,  to .50$

When I was a teenager in the 1970's our family had a Jacobsen snowblower. I remember that the frame was white and the auger was painted red. It had a crank-rotated chute, a manual choke and around 8 horsepower. But, instead of skid shoes, the scoop had 3" or 4" round by about 1/2" thick flat steel wheels mounted on either side. The drive wheels were traditional steel with rubber tires. This is where I got the idea for replacing the skid shoes with wheels. I remember that snowblower worked very well, so I was curious why modern snowblowers are not equipped with wheels. It seems to me that skid shoes create a lot of grinding and friction on a concrete surface where the wheels would roll right along.

Speaking of Jacobsen, are they still in business?

If it's worth the work and expense and parts can be found to do the job, give it a shot. Take some pics to show us how it turns out.

A co-worker of mine did that with a blower mounted on the front of his Ariens tractor.  He used some thin, heavy steel wheels.  I wish I knew more, but I do know they lasted quite some time.

http://www.samsbolens.com/images/726_parts_list_5.jpg

I just picked up an old Bolens 726 to restore. Take a look at the Optional Roller Set in the photo. You could always do something like that.