6 Best Snow Plow Skid Shoes For ATV On Uneven Ground That Prevent Gouging
Prevent your ATV plow from gouging uneven surfaces. Our guide covers the 6 best skid shoes designed for smooth clearing and maximum ground protection.
The first time you drop your brand new ATV plow onto a gravel driveway, you learn a hard lesson. That satisfying scrape of steel on snow is quickly replaced by the sickening crunch of your blade digging in, sending a rooster tail of expensive gravel flying into the yard. This simple mistake can turn a quick plowing job into a weekend of springtime raking and re-grading. The right set of plow skid shoes is the small, inexpensive part that prevents this exact headache.
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Why Skid Shoes Matter on Gravel and Dirt Drives
Plow skid shoes are your blade’s best friend on any surface that isn’t perfectly smooth pavement. Think of them as adjustable feet that bolt onto the sides of your plow blade. Their entire job is to lift the cutting edge just slightly off the ground—maybe a half-inch or so. This tiny gap is the difference between scraping away snow and gouging out your driveway.
On a paved surface, you want the blade to make direct contact to get a clean scrape. But on gravel, dirt, or even a bumpy lawn you’re trying to clear, that direct contact is destructive. The blade will catch on high spots, dig into soft patches, and scalp the surface. You end up plowing as much of your driveway material as you do snow.
Properly adjusted skid shoes allow the plow to "float" over the surface. The shoes, not the blade’s sharp edge, carry the weight and glide over the contours of the ground. This not only saves your driveway but also reduces the jarring impacts on your ATV and your body, making the whole job smoother and less damaging. It’s a small investment that protects a much larger one.
KFI Heavy-Duty Plow Skid Kit: The Top Choice
When you need something that will simply not fail, the KFI Heavy-Duty kit is where you should look. These aren’t just skid shoes; they’re beefy, oversized plates of steel designed to take a beating. Their wide, curved footprint is their biggest advantage, as it helps the plow float over soft ground and loose gravel instead of sinking in.
This is the set you buy if you have a long, heavily used driveway and you plow frequently. The robust construction means they wear down incredibly slowly, even on abrasive surfaces. While they might be overkill for someone with a short, smooth path, their durability provides peace of mind. You install them, set the height, and forget about them for seasons to come.
The only real tradeoff is their weight and bulk. They are noticeably heavier than standard skids, but on an ATV plow, that difference is negligible. For pure function and longevity, especially on challenging, uneven terrain, the KFI kit is the benchmark.
Moose Plow Roller Kit: For Smoother Gliding
The Moose Plow Roller Kit takes a different approach to the problem. Instead of a static piece of steel sliding along the ground, this kit uses heavy-duty rollers. This design significantly reduces friction, allowing your plow to glide over frozen, lumpy ground with much less effort and fewer jarring snags.
Think about pushing a heavy box versus rolling it on a dolly—that’s the principle here. This is especially useful if you’re plowing over uneven pasture or a bumpy dirt lane where a standard skid might catch. The rolling action helps the plow move forward more easily, putting less strain on your ATV’s winch and drivetrain when lifting and angling the blade.
The main consideration is that rollers have moving parts. A solid steel skid has nothing to break or seize up. With rollers, you’ll want to check them for debris and ensure they spin freely before each season. For those prioritizing a smoother, less jarring plowing experience, the small amount of extra maintenance is a worthy trade.
Warn ProVantage Plow Skids: Non-Marring Choice
If your plowing duties include a mix of surfaces, like a gravel drive that leads to a decorative paver walkway, the Warn ProVantage skids are an excellent choice. Their key feature is a non-marring composite material. Unlike steel shoes that can leave rust marks or scratches on concrete and pavers, these glide cleanly.
This makes them incredibly versatile. You can clear your main drive without worrying about gouging the gravel, then move on to clear a path to your front door without damaging the stonework. This saves you the hassle of either shoveling those delicate areas by hand or accepting the cosmetic damage from steel skids.
The tradeoff for this surface protection is wear life. On highly abrasive gravel, these composite shoes will wear faster than their hardened steel counterparts. However, for a hobby farm with mixed surfaces, their ability to prevent damage to expensive hardscaping often makes them the most practical and cost-effective option in the long run.
Kolpin Heavy-Duty Steel Skids: Built to Last
Kolpin is a name that stands for straightforward, reliable equipment, and their heavy-duty steel skids are no exception. There are no fancy gimmicks here—just thick, hardened steel, quality welds, and a simple, effective design. They are built to do one job and do it for a very long time.
These are a fantastic "set it and forget it" option for anyone whose primary concern is durability. They are highly resistant to wear and can handle the abuse of rocky, uneven ground season after season. Their rounded bottom provides a good balance of float and maneuverability, preventing the plow from digging in without being as bulky as some oversized options.
If you don’t need the specialized features of rollers or non-marring materials, you can’t go wrong with a classic, robust design like this. It’s a workhorse part for a workhorse tool, perfect for the hobby farmer who values reliability above all else.
Black Boar Reversible Skids: Double the Lifespan
The Black Boar reversible skids are designed around a brilliantly simple and practical idea. The bottom of any skid shoe is a wear item; it’s meant to be ground away over time. Black Boar’s design allows you to unbolt the shoe, flip it 180 degrees, and bolt it back on, giving you a brand new wear surface.
This effectively doubles the life of the product for the same initial cost, which is a huge win for anyone managing a tight budget. You get two seasons of wear for the price of one. This is smart, frugal engineering that aligns perfectly with the hobby farm mindset of getting the most out of every tool.
Beyond the reversible feature, they are well-made steel skids that perform their core function perfectly. They provide the necessary lift to protect your driveway surface and are tough enough for typical use. For the farmer who tracks every dollar and appreciates clever design, these are a top contender.
MotoAlliance Universal Skids: Great Value Pick
Sometimes, you just need a solid, affordable solution that gets the job done without breaking the bank. The MotoAlliance Universal Skids are exactly that. They are a no-frills, dependable option that often comes in at a lower price point than the big-name brands.
Their "universal" design, with multiple mounting holes or slots, makes them a great choice for older plows or off-brand models where finding a direct-fit part can be a challenge. While they may not have the extreme thickness of a KFI or the unique features of a Moose roller, they are more than adequate for most hobby farm applications.
Don’t mistake "value" for "cheap." These are still properly hardened steel shoes that will protect your driveway and last for several seasons of typical use. For someone plowing a relatively short driveway a dozen times a winter, this is often all the skid shoe you’ll ever need.
How to Properly Adjust Your New Skid Shoes
Getting your new skid shoes installed is only half the battle; proper adjustment is what makes them work. Get this wrong, and you’ll either be scraping up your driveway or leaving too much snow behind. The process is simple and only takes a few minutes.
First, park your ATV and plow on a hard, level surface like your garage floor. This gives you a consistent reference point. Next, find a spacer to create the gap you want between the blade and the ground. A couple of hockey pucks stacked together or a short piece of 1×4 lumber works perfectly, giving you a gap of about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Place your spacer on the floor directly under the plow’s cutting edge.
With the spacer in place, lower the plow until the cutting edge rests on it. Now, loosen the nuts on your skid shoes and slide them down until they make firm contact with the garage floor. Once they are touching the floor, tighten the nuts securely. Remove the spacer, and you’re done.
Always do a test pass on a small section of your driveway and check the result. If you’re still kicking up too much gravel, you may need to add a slightly thicker spacer and readjust. Fine-tuning is key, as the perfect height will save your blade, your driveway, and your back.
Ultimately, choosing the right skid shoe is about matching the tool to your specific property. Whether you need the brute strength of heavy-duty steel, the smooth glide of a roller, or the surface protection of a composite material, this small upgrade is one of the smartest investments you can make for your winter workload. It transforms your plow from a potentially destructive tool into a precise and efficient one, saving you time, money, and a whole lot of springtime repair work.
