# Plow shoes and diff edges ??



## SCAPEASAURUSREX (Aug 21, 2001)

Hey you know those round metal plow shoes I think they are called ? Where are they supposed to be set up at , ?? shoud the edge be contacting the ground or should the shoes keep it up a bit ?? what about with a u edge ?? I would think they would carry the weight of the plow with a softer edge or shoud I just take them off all together and bury them in the garden to add Iron content to the soil..LOL....


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Use them to hold your garage doors open. Unless you have overhead doors, then use them to throw at rats.


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## mdb landscaping (Sep 29, 2000)

its like a lawnmower, the first thing you take off when you get it is the safety chute. the first thing i take off the plow is the shoes.


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## BWhite (Sep 30, 2002)

*$$$*

Isnt it expensive to replace base angles??


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## chris k (Nov 5, 2002)

Lose the shoes. Put them in the back of the truck for added weight


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## SCAPEASAURUSREX (Aug 21, 2001)

OK so is there actually a reason they put these things on the plows or are they there just to add $100 bucks to the cost ?


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## kawdude (Nov 19, 2002)

i do mostly gravel residentials so i leave my shoes on but set them so the edge and the shoe are both on the ground evenly (or as close as possible) the plow seems to trip less and move less stone, if I were doing blacktop all the time i would use them for canoe anchors  why cant the put electric actuators on the shoes so you can have them up or down at a flick of the switch just an Idea. happy holidays folks


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## paul soccodato (Nov 9, 2002)

throw them at the a$$holes, who give our industry a bad name


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## chris k (Nov 5, 2002)

Actually I have used them before. A friend of mine has the new Gillete Stadium plow contract. Last year when we plowed there were a lot of lots that were just gravel. The shoes help on the gravel because it keeps the cutting edge off of the ground. They were paying us to plow the lots, not grade them like a bulldozer. On pavement we take them right off.


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## flakesmeangreen (Nov 19, 2001)

Ah, the good old shoe question. I used them my first year and a half cause I didn't know any better. I figured they must be there for a reason, so I'll use them. I'm now with the school of thought that they're useless, at least for plowing. I do all residential with mostly gravel drives and they dig in just as bad if nothing is frozen IMO. And that U-edge is coming this week so it's bye-bye shoes forever!

-Tim


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## plowking35 (Dec 21, 1999)

I have like 10 pair of plow shoes all look and are brand new.
Our u edges can be used with no shoes, on gravel and paved surfaces.
Back when we did use steel, I would just bump the lift arm up a touch, and plow gravel that way.
Dino


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## racer0175 (Mar 27, 2002)

i tried them once when i had my meyers...we have a couple of gravel lots....only thing they did was make me cold as heck when i adjusted them for the gravel....after that i would just tap my plow up about an inch or two and plow the gravel lots that way....
never even put them on my new western...





new western plow shoes for sale....invaluable for plowing....100 bucks...get 'em now...at these prices they won't last long....


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## Big Nate's Plowing (Nov 26, 2000)

if ya dont use them put them on e-bay, if they are new they fetch $50+ rusty ones go for atleast $25.

~Nate~


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## SIPLOWGUY (Mar 21, 2002)

I got brand new ones sitting on my garage floor for me to trip over. Is that the only prpose they serve? You bet!


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## JCurtis (May 14, 2001)

SHOES???? SHOES????? We don't need no stinkin shoes!!!!!


I call them boat anchors...., Take them off and toss them in the garage.


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## SDlawndawg (Oct 9, 2002)

I used to put them on anytime I had to plow a dirt drive or road. Now I just back-blade the drives so the edge doesn't dig in and I let the dirt roads get a base packed down. They sit in my garage now. I think I might try that boat anchor idea.


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## Rooster (Dec 13, 1999)

Use them for book ends or door stops.

Rick


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## MLB (Nov 3, 2002)

*I don't get it?*

I mean why would they put them on the plows if they aren't good for anything? (newbie here)


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## Alan (Mar 2, 2000)

*Re: I don't get it?*



> _Originally posted by MLB _
> *I mean why would they put them on the plows if they aren't good for anything? (newbie here) *


Not to offend ya,, but did you notice that almost everyone tried to use them when they were a "newbie"? They don't keep you from diggin in when it's soft and they prevent you from scraping clean on pavement. I don't know why they're standard equipment either, there's a couple sets around here somewhere. They will get used now, you have to run one shoe in the center of our Sno-Way vee plows.


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## MLB (Nov 3, 2002)

*Re: Re: I don't get it?*



> _Originally posted by Alan _
> *Not to offend ya,, but did you notice that almost everyone tried to use them when they were a "newbie"?
> 
> yeh, that's why I asked the question.*


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## Ohiosnow (Sep 20, 2001)

*As I've showed before*

part of them help make great plow dollies. How to make them is in the Weld & Fab. forum.


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## Ohiosnow (Sep 20, 2001)

*Another pic*


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## SCAPEASAURUSREX (Aug 21, 2001)

Now that is a great idea , Ohio..... But I dont have a welder that can handle stock that thick... But , COuld use a similar size tubing , ( hollow ) and weld a flat plate to one end to bolt the castor to or weld it I guess ? Great info , Thanks for that reply...


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## bgrover (Jan 29, 2002)

As a newbie myself I defer to the experts that have already posted about the value of the shoes.

In my personal case, now that I've plowed my first storm, I actually run them. I don't plow as a business, only my personal driveway. The driveway is made from ashphalt millings and when I have had it plowed in the past the top of the millings would get raked off. So i use the shoes and have them set so my plow is about 1/3" above the surface. I was very happy with the way my drive turned out.

Ohiosnow, I like the dollies. I actually sent an e-mail to Boss (my plow mfg) telling them they should sell a kickstand with a caster on it. I bought a set of Plow Dolly's and they work pretty well. Unfortunatly the first time I moved my plow on my drive the dolly holding up the rear shifted and bent the leveling system and one of the casters on the dolly. I'm waiting for the replacement now.

Once the replacement comes in I think I'm going to take the kickstand off my plow and bolt it to the dolly. Then when I'm ready to take the plow off I can reinsert the kickstand and put the other dollys under the blade. I can then roll the plow anywhere I want.

Boy was it fun to actually push some snow yesterday!!!


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## JNR (Sep 25, 2001)

*Plow Shoes*

I do not plow professionally. I just do my own 1,200' rural driveway which I also have covered with loose ashphalt millings. Unlike another experience noted in this thread, I found that the shoes caused more rutting and surface material disruption then without them. I removed them and plow with the blade up an inch or two. Leaves a tad bit of snow on the driveway, but still makes for a smooth, driveable surface without scrapping excessive amounts of the blacktop off. I didn't take the excellent advice offered to me by others here last year by getting a Urethane edge. I Will have one installed for next season - JNR.


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## fastjohnny (Nov 14, 2002)

*loose the shoes*

For gravel, "dirt", and other loose driveway material, I either lift the plow a touch or backblade. This is especially true if the ground is not frozen.


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## zsqure (Dec 7, 2002)

When I plowed with a Meyer (don't laugh) I never used the plow shoes, when I got a BOSS V plow I began using them and went through them in 3 nights of pushing. Welded old cutting edges on the bottom and kept going, now I need to weld more material to the shoe, what a joke. Tuesday I'll be in Dayton so I'll go see barger signs for a new U-edge. No more shoes!


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## Craftybigdog (Jul 24, 2002)

Im just a little confused so what you guys are saying is you plow with no skids on and doesnt that wear out the wear bar real fast and if this is true does it make a big difference because I would like to try it thanks alot and have a good christmas!


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## Alan (Mar 2, 2000)

So what if the "wear bar" (cutting edge wears out, that's why it's replacable. If you're wearing the edge that means you're scraping clean. I don't mind buying a new edge nearly as much as I hate leaving snow where I just plowed.


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## Craftybigdog (Jul 24, 2002)

How long can you expect an edge to last it wont wear out in one good day of plowing will it? Mainly I plow blacktop!


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## Alan (Mar 2, 2000)

> _Originally posted by SCAPEASAURUSREX _
> *Now that is a great idea , Ohio..... But I dont have a welder that can handle stock that thick... But , COuld use a similar size tubing , ( hollow ) and weld a flat plate to one end to bolt the castor to or weld it I guess ? Great info , Thanks for that reply... *


What's the concern with "stock that thick"? You're only looking to hold a caster to a shaft under a low speed, light load. Even a body shop MIG can run a bead adequate for that purpose.


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## bgrover (Jan 29, 2002)

JNR, your probably very correct about the ruts. I would guess the difference is that when I had my millings installed the company that put the drive in rolled my whole drive with an ashphalt roller and packed the millings. Almost, but not quite, as hard as the real stuff.

Anyhow, like you my goal is to get a U-edge next year so I can discard my shoes and drop the blade right on the drive.


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## rick barnes (Oct 15, 2001)

*shoes*

BIG THANKS !!! OHIO

thanks for the pix's, took about an hour, wondered what I was going to do with those shoes I hate to throw things away & don't have a boat. work really well on the Boss 7.6
Don't ya just love this site I'd most likely paid good $$$ for them, & now I won't be tripping on those "things" [the wife] on the floor anymore

THanks again OHIO

Rick


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## Ohiosnow (Sep 20, 2001)

*Rick*

Glad to help :waving:

They sure make hooking up even faster. I don't think any plow is faster at hooking up than a BOSS on dollies. I can hook-up it in under 15 sec. & no lifting ,pulling,shoving,cussing, 

As Alan stated it's not that heavy of stock the pins are welded to 1/4" flat plate stock & bolted to the casters.


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## SCAPEASAURUSREX (Aug 21, 2001)

The ones on the westerns are 1" diameter rod all cast iron.. So the little 115V welder I have access to wont even stick to that ?? At least I dont think it would , It can only do up to like 1/16th " stock.... 
I got a price on the dolly wheels from western and they are $165 .oo that s nuts... if I had two plow s it would be worth it to go buy a bigger welder..LOL...


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## mxz600 (Nov 26, 2002)

Hey guys, since your on the subject of dollies, I use my snowmobile dollies to move my plow around.
They two for the skis have a channel that the blad fits right into and the one for the track is just flat. I bolted a 2x4 onto the track dollie and it fits nicely on the frame of the plow. 

Best thing about it is i paid 40 bucks for all three and can use them on the sled or the plow.

Just my .02


Jay


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## racer0175 (Mar 27, 2002)

scape, i think you need special rod to weld cast iron....,

you can cheat though, if your welder(wire) will do it by using a torch and heating the cast iron cherry red, and then welding it....friend of mine welded cast iron heads and ran them on his racecar for years...


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## Alan (Mar 2, 2000)

The mushroom might be cast iron, but there is no way the shaft is. Cast would snap the first time you hit anything with the shoe. It could be composite construction, an iron head cast around a steel shaft, but i doubt it, it's mostly likely cast steel. 

As far as welding it, the welder doesn't know it's welding heavy stock. Other than the really small MIGs, any of the 110 volt machines I've seen could run 1/8" beads, so you run a couple of them around the joint. All the machines are rated at the theoretical thickness of material they can weld in one pass. Run multiple passes and you can go heavier.


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## Big Nate's Plowing (Nov 26, 2000)

*Re: $$$*



> _Originally posted by BWhite _
> *Isnt it expensive to replace base angles?? *


most normal people use a cutting edge of some kind, urethane or steel

~Nate~


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## BRL (Dec 21, 1999)

Big Nate, 
Great picture to explain that. I was trying to explain that to someone before & the picture would have come in handy.

Crafty,
"How long can you expect an edge to last it wont wear out in one good day of plowing will it? Mainly I plow blacktop!"

Being in Delaware it will probably take you a few seasons to wear down your cutting edge, so don't panic about it. Actually I'm not sure about the cheaper steel edges because I've always bought the hardest steel edges when I bought them, and they seem to last a few seasons here with our 24" average.


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## BWhite (Sep 30, 2002)

*NATE !!*

I do have a cutting edge on my 8ft fisher Both ends of the cutting edge wear to the base angle way to quickly , maybe all my drives are bowed in the middle, I surmised the shoes would slow down the wear of that $ 80 cutting edge


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## Big Nate's Plowing (Nov 26, 2000)

$80??? jeesh, I have never payed more then $20 for a 8' piece of 1/2" x 8" x 8 foot flat bar steel, once I scored one for free...just find a local small time machine shop & see if u can buy a piece of 1/2" stock...never hurts to ask how much lift are you running on your truck? it has to be more then add a leafs to make it smile that fast (see diagram  )


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## Ohiosnow (Sep 20, 2001)

*BWhite*

"I do have a cutting edge on my 8ft fisher Both ends of the cutting edge wear to the base angle way to quickly , maybe all my drives are bowed in the middle"

I don't think so

If the attack angle is OK on your plow then I would guess you drop your plow on the edges as you start to plow  If you drop your plow striaght & then angle the blade as you start plowing will not wear on the ends 

I have also added 12" pcs. of cutting blade to the ends as to double the thickness so they don't wear out on V-plows as they really wear the ends out. :waving:


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## Ohiosnow (Sep 20, 2001)

*Scapeasaurasrex*

I have never seen a pin for a shoe made out of cast-iron. I don't think they would hold up but I guess anything is possible. 

As for not a big enough welder just run a couple of bead passes


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## plowking35 (Dec 21, 1999)

All steel edges will smile if it were from plowing snow. The a frame being leven or not really doesnt make a difference.
Since we switched to u edges, smiling is a thing of the past.
Our v plow edges also last alot longer. Double steel, and carbide this and that are all things of the past.
Dino


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## SCAPEASAURUSREX (Aug 21, 2001)

Well guys I made the dolly wheels, without hacking up my brandy new boat anchors.. I just got some 4" x4" squares 1/16th thick and a 1" diameter tubing of 1/16" thick wall and welded it into the center , drilled some holes and walla.. got me some castor wheels.. Works great... Thanks for all the info ... I guess maybe I was using the wrong terms ?? cast iron vs. cast steel ?? Dont have a clue what the differance is or how to tell.. But I got the job done anyway... Only thing I noticed is that the castors I used are quite off centered so unless the plow sits evenly there is a bit of a problem with the wheels pivoting, But I'll find some better suited castors to solve that .. Thanks again guys.. I did not know you could go thicker by doing more passes ?? I guess you mean your making a much thicker bead ?? Thanks again...


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