# Shoes on Plow



## lowrider57

Newbie here with what might sound like a stupid question but only way I am going to learn this business is to ask the brains here,,,what is the reason for the shoes on the plow,,do you really need the shoes? Please if someone could explain what the shoes are for I"d really appreciate an answer thanks....


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## Indy

Shoes can be set from zero to 5" or so..........the idea is if you are on uneven ground or soft ground or ground that can easily be damaged with the cutting edge of the plow .......you can set the shoes down instead of running with the cutting edge right on the ground............

With that said, most guys don't run'm......they put the plow right on the ground.

They do make great boat anchors and they are nice to tie balloons to and set in the yard for all types of occasions.......and they rust really nice.............but not much other than that.

Hope that helps


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## lowrider57

Thank you for fast response,,,,


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## mercer_me

Indyplower;646104 said:


> If you are on uneven ground or soft ground or ground that can easily be damaged with the cutting edge of the plow .......you can set the shoes down instead of running with the cutting edge right on the ground.
> 
> Most guys don't run'm......they put the plow right on the ground.
> 
> They do make great boat anchors.


So if you don't want the cutting edge to touch the ground use shoes, that's all there is to it.


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## hydro_37

Do any of the "newbies" know how to use the search feature or can they not read the other posts about shoes????


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## Grampa Plow

Hi Hydro...I am a relative newbie and I didn't know anything about the search feature until someone else mentioned it to me. Now I know! Thanks to you, now he knows!

Lowrider, probably 90% of the questions you may have have been a topic previously. If you use the search, you may save yourself some time!

They also make GREAT paperweights!


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## Bowtieguy

no shoes,no shoes. Just keep one in the cab so you can bonk a would be robber at 2am!  Seriously, they are good for stone driveways and thats pretty much it. Keeps the blade from diggin in. However if the driveway isnt frozen the shoes will dig in instead of the plow. Asphalt no shoes. Stone just keep adjusting the plow as you go.
Have fun!:salute:


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## MikeRi24

Mine came installed on my new plow. they are set above the cutting edge actually rides below the shoes, and everytime I have my plow on I forget to take them off !


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## GreenManEnvy

Bowtieguy;647700 said:


> However if the driveway isnt frozen the shoes will dig in instead of the plow.


Depends on the design of the shoes. I've seen some that look like they'd sink right in. The Boss ones do sink a little bit, but they float along enough so that it keeps the cutting edge up and out of it. Once everything freezes up, the shoes come off.



Bowtieguy;647700 said:


> Stone just keep adjusting the plow as you go.


For flat surfaces - or mostly flat - that's fine, but if there's a slope to the surface or if it is a properly constructed gravel road it's pretty easy to change the grading, especially the first few times through each season.


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## Matt Hart

Just purchased mine, they told me no one runs shoes and they would be $40.00 extra for each one.

I was like well, they are too much work anyway for another 120.00


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## bribrius

i like my shoes.
good for coming off almost any uneven surface (like the drop off on the edges of some drives) but i have also dropped them before on a gravel road that hadnt been plowed in a few storm. The bottom couple inches or so was ice from melt and re freeze so i ran the shoes low and blade high to scrape some off and see what was what. Helped keep the blade from tripping as much.


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## snowguys

hydro_37;646199 said:


> Do any of the "newbies" know how to use the search feature or can they not read the other posts about shoes????


 hahahahahah we have to start somewhere


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## bharry20

Matt Hart;648084 said:


> Just purchased mine, they told me no one runs shoes and they would be $40.00 extra for each one.
> 
> I was like well, they are too much work anyway for another 120.00


 $40 + $40 = $80 or $40 x 2 =$80. all the plows i have seen only have two places for shoes. i know i didn't graduate but the last time i checked the way I have it figured it was the way it was suposed to be. am i wrong?


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## lumps

bharry20;648140 said:


> $40 + $40 = $80 or $40 x 2 =$80. all the plows i have seen only have two places for shoes. i know i didn't graduate but the last time i checked the way I have it figured it was the way it was suposed to be. am i wrong?


Thought the same thing. I'm assuming he runs a v-blade (some of which have a center shoe, if I recall correctly).

Anyway, I only run shoes on dirt/gravel drives and lots. As others mentioned, they keep the blade from digging in too bad. As for pavement and concrete, take 'em off, it'll allow the blade to scrape everything off and leave a nice clean surface.


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## GreenManEnvy

lumps;648166 said:


> Thought the same thing. I'm assuming he runs a v-blade (some of which have a center shoe, if I recall correctly).


It's 3 for the Boss V, so those mathematicals make sense to me!


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## redman6565

lowrider57;646085 said:


> Newbie here with what might sound like a stupid question but only way I am going to learn this business is to ask the brains here,,,what is the reason for the shoes on the plow,,do you really need the shoes? Please if someone could explain what the shoes are for I"d really appreciate an answer thanks....


you really dont need shoes so if you're on a tight budget or just dont want to waste the funds, i'd suggest not to invest in them. i have 6 plows and dont run shoes on any of them.


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## F250 Boss v

As you can read from most of the replies most do not use them, as they are intended to keep the blade from digging in especially on soft ground or on stone driveways. I happen to use mine, as I have a very long stone/gravel driveway -and they do help me in my application. As has been said if you opt to not use them, -or don't have them, you can simply feather your plow blade up a bit. Hope this helps you!


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## Matt Hart

Yes, sorry it is a V I run.

As for the Feathering of the plow blade up, this takes some practice. I ran shoes when I plowed before but ended up taking them off half way through the season. This year obveously I do not have them. So I sat in my driveway for a bit practicing the feathering thing to try to get it right.

I am sure wont take too long, but since it had been a couple years for me, and I wanted to play with my new toy I did not mind


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## eshskis

I got shoes but the main issue I have with them is I have no Idea what size laces to get for them, The manual is useless laces are not even listed in the parts layout


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## Kenyou

lowrider57;646085 said:


> Newbie here with what might sound like a stupid question but only way I am going to learn this business is to ask the brains here,,,what is the reason for the shoes on the plow,,do you really need the shoes? Please if someone could explain what the shoes are for I"d really appreciate an answer thanks....


If you have to back drag any thing on soft gravel, you better take them off before doing it.
My Meyers shoes really dig in going backwards tearing up the ground and it leaves the snow where it was. Taking them off and on gets old real fast.


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## snow tender

I also use shoes on the gravel. But you still have to feather.


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## 7thInfantryDiv.

*shoes*

I am new also, so this may sound funny, but what kind of shoes should he use if he decides to use shoes? Snow shoes for snow? Ice Skates for ice? Climbing shoes for rock? Then comes which brand of shoe? Converse..... Nike......Skeeters...... Now you all have me really confused!!!!xysport


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## mtnzone

bharry20;648140 said:


> $40 + $40 = $80 or $40 x 2 =$80. all the plows i have seen only have two places for shoes. i know i didn't graduate but the last time i checked the way I have it figured it was the way it was suposed to be. am i wrong?


Some fisher take 4.....pushplates

Also there is a guy in my neck of the woods that has design a very unique "shoe" we call it a ski....... made the same but in the shape the front of a ski...You dont get the digging associated with a shoe at all....... they just ride over uneven ground.... very ingenius..........


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## In2toys

I use the ones that came with mine to hold walk through garage doors open...


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## GreenManEnvy

Just did the first plow run of the season on my gravel drive, and the shoes never left the garage. The amount of gravel I picked up was maybe slightly more than I got on the first time last season with the shoes, so looks like I'll have some anchors if I ever get a boat...


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## tuney443

I happen to be different than most of you guys.I always have plowed with shoes,both asphalt and gravel.Once you get the right adjustment on them and you're careful,to me ,that's the only way to go.I scrape right down to pavement and my 7 year old cutting edge on my 9-2 Boss V-plow almost still looks new.Not to mention,it will trip less often and just overall be easier on all components,including me.


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