aa35>>If you go with side skids, you will loose ice scraper mode. When you use side skids with scraper mode, the scraper blade will go up, leaving a larger gap and more snow behind.
At least on my HS828 with side skids the difference between middle and low for the scrper height is minimal at best may be an 8th. There certainly is no "loss" of scraper mode. My scraper is quite worn so not much adjustment room left but with a full blade and all the adjustment lenth to play with the differnce could be lessened. There are no back skids on the 828 so not a factor in adjustment. The thing handles much easier at least to me with the side skids. I never ran it with back skids but have and 1132 and 624 with just back skids and don't like them.
The factory skids are $56 for the kit which includes the bolts, spacers and very meaty skids. The OP may be fine with adjustment and like the pickup and handling with back skids. No point on adding expense if your happy. I'm not saying skids are the way to go either. I just wanted to note that there is no big penalty for going with skids or introducing problems with side skids. Many factory models ship with side skids.
Scraper mode is when the auger makes contact with the pavement, or very small gap, less than 1/6". When you have the rear skids and put the pedal in the scraper position, the auger does come down about 3/16". This allows the auger to actually chip at the ice, not just glide over it. The teeth are sharpened and has kerf like a saw blade. Scraper mode is a misnomer since the scraper bar itself has no part in the scraping. The auger actually does the ice chipping/scraping action.
If you have side skids and put the pedal in the scraper position, the auger gap to the pavement stays the same. The scraper bar gap actually increases. This is what you are seeing. There isn't much difference between middle and low position.
Right now, I have the set the rear skids to support the bucket to make steering turning a little more nimble. The side skids on the 1132 makes the bucket more stable, but it requires more effort to turn. I have the side skids off the pavement by 5/16" and does not prevent the auger from making contact with ice or pavement. The side skids are currently used as bumpers to provide side protection to the bucket when I get too close to the curb.
This message was modified Jan 19, 2011 by aa335