Meteor

Meteor Info

  • The Meteor skid has an off-set slot pattern, to center the skid on the existing skid. This allows the skid to be mounted either flange-out or flange-in if desired. Note that flange-in will require you to have the skid further extended to sit under the existing skid.
  • Important: The lower bolt that mounts the auger might need to be modified. The extra threads need to be cut off and ground flush with the nut.  This allows the skid to mount over the nut if needed.
  • Bolt pattern is: 6 inches Note: offset pattern to correctly position skid.
  • To order a set of skids for your Meteor visit our SHOP link.

Engineering the Meteor Skid:

  • Meteor blowers have some features that keep a standard skid from mounting easily:
  • The existing skid is welded on and can’t be removed. It also sticks out from the side of the auger housing significantly.
  • There are bolt holes to mount a replacement skid but they aren’t located optimally. Bolts that mount the auger itself may cause issues.

Working with Meteor owners, I got a pile of dimensions and measurements of various points.  During this process several significant problems arose:

  • Existing skid has virtually no ability to handle bumps and cracks. It’s got almost no tip to the skid.
  • Replacement skid can’t mount up easily due to the existing skid which sticks out from the auger housing at the bottom.
  • Existing bolt holes are up high on the housing. Mounting a skid will have to be taller to have adjustability.
  • Bolt holes aren’t placed in the best spot.
  • Skid needed to be able to be reversed if possible.

Step 1:  Identification of mounting bolt pattern. Mounting bolt holes were spaced 6” apart, located higher up on the machine.  Ideally I’d want them lower down, but they are workable. During this step two challenges were identified:

Challenge 1:  The welded on stock skid protrudes from side of machine and can’t be removed.
Challenge 2: The leading tip of the welded-on skid (left side of photo) is totally flat.  Direction of travel during snow-blowing is from right to left, in photo.  It has zero ability to handle ANY crack.  Trailing tip of skid has a very slight rise.
Challenge 3:  Mounting bolt locations are high up, and near the lower auger shaft bolt.  This significance was initially under-estimated, figuring a simple notch would fit around this bolt.  That solution was not to be, but didn’t become evident until the solution to challenge 4 (not yet identified) was solved.

Engineering the Meteor Skid Step 2: (continued)

  • Step 2: Position bottom skid: forward/aft.

Comparing the stock welded-on skid to the CUT 24 dimensions showed that the cut 24 would be a really good size. The CUT 24 is both longer and wider than the stock skid.

Much of the stock skid is on the inside of the machine. Owners may be interested in mounting Armorskids with the flange inward.

Note that if the skid is mounted inward, it will by default be lower than the stock skid, and proper fitment around the scraper bar and the actual tines of the auger will need to be to be checked.

Challenge 4:  The Armorskid when mounted will not be centered on the bolt holes.

Engineering the Meteor Skid Step 3 (continued) –
CAD Drawings/Template Mockup:

With solutions identified, I made the first draft of the CAD drawings. I started by doing a rough drawing of the auger housing itself, and then drew the skid on top of it.

I decided to create a template mock-up to test fit, using 16 gauge steel.

The rough template needed to confirm several things:

  1. Test bolt pattern both sides properly positions skid forward/aft. If turned inward, curves of tip would not hit stock skid ends on either side.
  2. Skid with spacers would be able to be mounted firmly to auger housing without the stock skid forcing it at an angle, etc.
  3. No issues with auger shaft bolt at top, since I didn’t use a notch.

Template Mock-up Results:

  1. Bolt pattern was spot-on.  Cutouts I put in the template showed the ends of the welded-on skid.  Front and back fit exactly as anticipated.  This should allow the skid to be reversed with outer flange sitting underneath the stock welded-on skid.

meteor-template-mockup-results

2. 1/4 spacer fills gap well.  Skid should be able to be bolted on firmly without issue (left).

3. No issue with auger bolt just above the skid, however the skid is not quite level with original welded-on skid at full drop. because the bolt holes aren’t the same height off the ground.  When the template is straightened out in line with the existing welded-on skid, it gets much closer to the auger bolt. (below). Also note that it’s not complely in line with the the 2nd slot.

Engineering the Meteor: 
Solving the Challenges:

Quick Summary:

Challenge 1:  :  The welded on stock skid protrudes from side of machine and can’t be removed.

Solution:   Spacers can be used to move the mounting plane outward.  Measurements show a ¼” spacer will be enough.  Spacer needs to be wide to give a large surface area.

Challenge 2: The leading tip of the welded-on skid (left side of photo) is totally flat.

Solution:  The Armorskid in the right position would provide a good tip to handle bumps both forward and reverse.

Challenge 3:  The Armorskid when mounted will not be centered on the bolt holes.

Solution:  Create slots that are off-center in both directions.  Regardless of which tip is forward, there are slots that positively locate the skid.

Challenge 4:  To solve challenge 2, I planned on using two sets of vertical slots.  They’d be spaced far enough apart to allow enough steel for a strong mount point.  The second set of slots hit almost right in line with the lower bolt of the auger shaft.  This meant that there could not be a notch to clear that bolt.  There would be little ability to lower the skid to get additional height due to this interference.

I tried to raise the height of the rib a little and extended the slot to give more vertical adjustment, right up to that bolt, but it just wouldn’t give enough adjustment.  I really wanted this skid to be able to be mounted flush with the original skid (flange out) if desired, or extended to give a bit more height than stock if desired.  To raise the rib further, I needed to somehow remove the auger bolt, or space the skid out to clear the bolt.

  • Use two spacers: First two spacers were tried. It moved the skid out a full ½” and it still wasn’t enough to clear the bolt. However what was needed in that spot was the nut, the end of the bolt beyond the nut was useless, and wasn’t needed. By cutting the bolt off flush with the nut, we could go over the bolt with just an 1/8” thicker spacer.

This did the trick. Using both the 1/4 and 1/8 “ spacers together with the cut and ground-smooth bolt, the taller skid now could go over the bolt, and provides about 1 inch of total additional drop vs the stock welded on skid.  Pictures below.

Meteor – Final note: This skid has bolts very high up, which gets a lot of leverage as a result.  I highly recommend drilling a hole and putting in a third bolt in further down.  The spacers have two horizontal slots to allow a bolt further down, just for this purpose.  Do this after using the skids, to make sure it’s positioned where you want it.