How to adjust snowblower skid shoes video
Skid shoes attach to the side of the auger housing. The hard plastic skid shoes elevate the auger housing and scraper blade so they clear the ground, protecting the shave plate and auger housing from wear and damage. The skid shoes slide along the ground so the snowblower moves smoothly.
When to adjust the skid shoes
The snowblower skid shoes are installed in the raised position at the factory shipping purposes. When you unpack the snowblower and prepare to use it for the first time, you’ll need to adjust the skid shoes to the proper height.
By design, the plastic skid shoes wear down as you drive the snowblower across concrete and pavement surfaces. You’ll need to monitor and adjust the skid shoes as you use the snowblower. Adjust the skid shoes when they wear down and the shave plate or sides of the auger housing are only 1/8-inch above the ground.
How to adjust skid shoe height
Follow the steps in the video to properly adjust skid shoe height.
To properly adjust skid shoe height to ¼-inch above the ground:
Position a sheet of cardboard on the ground in front of the snowblower. The sheet of cardboard should fit under the blower housing and shave plate but not under the skid shoes.
Push the snow blower on top of the cardboard sheet so the shave plate rests on the cardboard but the sides of the auger housing and skid shoes straddle the cardboard sheet.
Loosen but don’t remove the skid shoe mounting nuts.
Push the skid shoes down so that they sit flat on the ground.
Tighten the skid shoe mounting nuts securely.
When to replace the skid shoes
Skid shoes will eventually wear down to the point where you need to replace them. Many skid shoes are reversible so you can flip the skid shoes over when one side wears down and use the other side of the skid shoes until they completely wear out.
When the skid surfaces of one or both skid shoes can no longer raise and keep the shave plate and auger housing at the right height, replace both skid shoes. Follow the steps in our How to replace snowblower skid shoes video/repair guide to complete that repair.
Keeping good skid shoes properly adjusted on your snowblower will prevent excessive wear on the shave plate and auger housing. Check skid shoe height often and adjust their height as needed so your snowblower works efficiently and lasts longer.
This skid shoe adjustment procedure works for many common snowblower and snow thrower brands such as Craftsman, MTD, Yard-Man, Husqvarna, Ariens and Cub Cadet.
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