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.
