# Feet or no feet on the plow



## HDChevy.Farmer (Dec 24, 2013)

8 out of 10 plows I see have feet on them but then the few I see with out feet what's going on? A lot of guys by me plow gravel so we all run feet on our plows, so what's your guys opinions? BTW merry Christmas


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## 2006Sierra1500 (Dec 28, 2011)

Merry Christmas, and depends on what surface you plow mostly. With shoes you'll get less wear on the edge if you set the edge off the ground but you also get a terrible scrape on pavement. If your plowing gravel, by all means, use the shoes. I never use shoes and probably never will, I have 5 sets of Fisher plow shoes sitting in my garage, all brand new.


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## HDChevy.Farmer (Dec 24, 2013)

So no shoes will wear the edge lot quicker and leave scrapes on the pavement? Do your costumers not care about the scrape marks? Thanks for the input!


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## jim5x5 (Dec 9, 2007)

I used too when I first started out way back in the day when I was doing a lot of gravel driveways. But now I never use them doing all commercial lots.


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## HDChevy.Farmer (Dec 24, 2013)

What would you guys say a good length to set feet at for gravel would be?


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## jasonz (Nov 5, 2010)

HDChevy.Farmer;1696677 said:


> So no shoes will wear the edge lot quicker and leave scrapes on the pavement? Do your costumers not care about the scrape marks? Thanks for the input!


no he was saying with the feet the plow does not scrape the pavement as clean, not that it actually scrapes the pavement.


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## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

jasonz;1696689 said:


> no he was saying with the feet the plow does not scrape the pavement as clean, not that it actually scrapes the pavement.


Correct.

I plow two gravel driveways without feet. Once they are frozen you're fine.


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## STIHL GUY (Sep 22, 2009)

I personally have no use for shoes on my plow... It scrapes much better without them and if I plow a gravel drive I just raise the plow a bit so it's the same effect as having the shoes on the plow


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## hatchmastr (Oct 28, 2011)

This year. I baught new plow shoes for my western I am currently using them as a weight to hold down the tarp over the salt complete waste of money lol on gravel just float a half inch above grade and hope the driveway is level all my gravel driveways in the contract states I will leave a layer of snow and salt the heck out of it


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## HDChevy.Farmer (Dec 24, 2013)

Makes sense and since I am plowing more paved drive ways then I am gravel. I mise well not run shoes on my plow so I get a better scrap on the pavement thanks guys


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## jim5x5 (Dec 9, 2007)

The first time I started subbing for a co doing commercial lots, he called me and told me to take those damn shoes off my plow. Never used them since. Lol


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

Feet/shoes is a extra cost you have spend money on when its time replace the edge.

I even do some gravel lots and driveways and I have never used shoes on my Western


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## Mark13 (Dec 3, 2006)

I keep the shoes on my V plow, mostly because the pin holes are wollered out and I can't get them off without cutting them. 
My other blades have their shoes sitting in various places around the shop. I never use them, concrete,pavement,gravel,dirt,etc.


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## Glenn Lawn Care (Sep 28, 2009)

I never use the shoes, though I might if I plowed a gravel ddriveway.


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## scott3430 (Dec 28, 2010)

I don't bother with using the shoes. My plow installer said most people won't even get them when ordering a new plow.


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## Capt. Fred (Jan 19, 2013)

used to use them, they dont last anyway, break off or where out way to fast so dont mess with them anymore, comes to gravel i just pick the plow up a bit and skim across


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## RS69 (Jan 6, 2013)

I plow quite a few gravel driveways, and use the shoes on my boss.


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## BOSS LAWN (Nov 6, 2011)

no feet..!


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## scottydosnntkno (Jan 4, 2010)

I don't understand the hate on feet. 

We are by definition 'big league' plowers, we plow all the parking at the local major metro airport. 8000+ spaces on surface lots plus two decks, arrival/departures etc. my personal truck is f350 cc lb 6.0l with a 8' hiniker plow. My plows three years old and i have the original cutting edge at about 85% life with over 300 hours and 1000+ miles of on the ground plowing on it. 

I scrape the pavement just as good as anyone. The feet are just starting to get work as the beveled bottom contact patch is now flat. 

The key is proper adjustment. On a new cutting edge, on perfectly flat pavement adjust the shoes so the weight is resting on the square cutting edge and the feet simultaneously. Then take off two of the thin washers from under the feet. This way the edge will wear in to bevel against the pavement, and the weight will rest on the feet as well. 

We use feet on all 10 of our pickups, and scrape to black pavement everytime. Just because you use feet doesn't mean you need to set the edge 1/2" off the ground. Feet function the same as the wear bars on new vplows. The plow weight is still on the edge, the feet are just a longer lasting wear point.


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## blueline38 (Dec 22, 2007)

*shoes*

My driveway is gravel and due to the amount of snow we get, I push the snow way back into my yard. Without shoes I end up raking the gravel out of my neighbors yard, my yard and fixing the scalped areas. Raising the plow works if the driveway is level and the transition to grass is also level. Shoes have their place!


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## M&M (Sep 8, 2008)

Thanks Scotty. It's interesting to hear the other point of view as to why shoes work. I think I need to revisit my no shoes policy and take a second look at it. Although I'm a solo operator and my cutting edge lasts 3-4 years doing driveways (it doesn't heat up) so the expense really isn't an issue.


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## KGI (Dec 21, 2013)

I'd agree with Scotty, it's all in the alignment of the shoes and cutting edge. The shoes act as an additional weight bearing surface to ease pressure from the cutting edge, and consequently slow the wearing of the edge down. But you don't want too much weight on the shoes, as the blade will not cut as nice. It takes a bit of work, but once you achieve that balance, the life of your cutting edge will be extended.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

No feet, shoes, or runner things.
They make great door stops.

The angle of the edge is set by the height of your mount.

My clients pay for snow removal, not leave a little snow behind to turn into a mess or ice, etc etc to be tracked in the home or business.
The use of "feet" shoes always results on the edge coming off of the ground.
Ive been plowing for over 34years, we have tried it all.
If you want it clean remove the shoes.

I have a gralel drive too.
in the fall or first snows I just lift the plow a little and plow,
the "feet" shoes would just dig in and leave ruts while the plow tripped...
Then once it's frozen plow as it was paved.

Edges are a consumable 
I get one to 2 years out of a set on my Vee.

Now if you doing roadways with the big stuff then that is a different animal.


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## upplowin (Aug 25, 2013)

I use a turf saver (bar) with no shoes, on my plow until everything is froze down good, then take off turf saver and put shoes on...adjust so on flat ground my blade is about a 1/4" off ground...works well for me.


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## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

My plow has never had shoes... but a cutting edge went on when new - no time for the plow edge to wear first... I've had an issue for a long time with the angle my plow seems contacts and after a lot of thought, investigation, and discussion (with Fisher, the dealer, and others) I believe it is possibly related to the cutting edge. See, my edge after plowing commercially (driveways) for over 10 years is 5 1/2 at the ends and 5 3/4 center. The extra surface did the same as the feet would when properly adjusted...the result is the remainder of the plow has worn out (pins and holes) and the spring mounts are scraping. 

Also important to keep in mind - plowing lots and plowing driveways are too different animals when it comes to shoes... lots are normally flatter and smoother than driveways which tend to get high and low spots and a center crown which negates the weight distribution of shoes.

All pros should have in their contract to their clients that superficial scrapes and scratches could occur to the plowed surface in the normal course of snow removal and plowing service is not liable for them. I run chains often (tires need replacing) and they leave marks... as long as I don't gouge out something (cresting a high spot with the blade angled causing the spring mount to take a bite) noone has ever had any issue with the possibility or existence of light scratches.


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## gasjr4wd (Feb 14, 2010)

Properly adjusted shoes/feet are a good thing. I understand if you don't run them and just count on replacing the cutting edge more often, that is fine, but for some of us we think - why not run the shoes and get twice as much life from the edge? But again, take the time to adjust them correctly. The hardest part is finding a good location. Flat & level is a must.
Oh, and I run poly and steel edges.
I have run with no shoes a few times. No feet makes for a nice noisy run with lots of sparks. I very seldom see a flat AND level spot to plow so in a way it doesn't matter. Every driveway and every road I do has a crown, dips, drops, everything else that would make shoes or not null and void anyway.


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## oarwhat (Nov 29, 2005)

scottydosnntkno;1714616 said:


> I don't understand the hate on feet.
> 
> We are by definition 'big league' plowers, we plow all the parking at the local major metro airport. 8000+ spaces on surface lots plus two decks, arrival/departures etc. my personal truck is f350 cc lb 6.0l with a 8' hiniker plow. My plows three years old and i have the original cutting edge at about 85% life with over 300 hours and 1000+ miles of on the ground plowing on it.
> 
> ...


I'm with Scotty on this one. I couldn't have said it better. I've been plowing since 1973 and doing large lots since 1978. I lost a shoe the other night and lost 1/2" of blade as well. I'd burn up 3 or 4 cutting edges per year without shoes. Instead I get over a year and some times two. Yea it cleans a touch better but it's not worth the extra cost.


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## yardguy28 (Jan 23, 2012)

HDChevy.Farmer;1696677 said:


> So no shoes will wear the edge lot quicker and leave scrapes on the pavement? Do your costumers not care about the scrape marks? Thanks for the input!


my edge doesn't seem to wear A LOT quicker and I have to scrape the pavement to where it's even ever noticeable by anyone.


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