Scenario: one end of the cutting edge is down to the steel while the other end looks fine. Short answer: measure the shoes before you blame the edge. Shoes set how far the edge sits above the pavement, so uneven or worn shoes change where the edge works. This is shop practice, not a published test result.
Symptom, likely cause, first check
| What you see | Likely shoe-related cause | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Edge worn on a slant, one end lower | Left and right shoes worn to different heights, or set to different gaps | Measure the gap between edge and a flat floor at both shoes with the plow lowered onto them |
| Edge gouges or scrapes harder than usual | Shoes worn so far that the edge rides lower than intended | Compare shoe thickness with a new one |
| Snow left behind a strip, edge not worn there | Shoes set too high, lifting the edge off the surface | Check the gap setting against your own record |
| Edge fine, shoes gone in weeks | Gravel or rough surface, or shoes too soft for the job | Check surface type; see shoe-selection article |
| Wear changed right after an edge change | New edge is a different height from the old one, shoe gap was not reset | Reset the gap after every edge replacement |
Check order
Shoes are the cheapest thing to check and the most common cause.
- Park on flat ground and lower the plow onto the shoes. Do not use a slope.
- Measure the gap under the edge at both ends and in the middle with a steel rule or feeler stock.
- Measure each shoe’s remaining thickness. Replace as a pair, never one alone.
- Reset to the setting you recorded; if none exists, record today’s setting as the new baseline.
- Re-check after the first few hours of plowing, then weekly.
When it is not the shoes
If both shoes match, the gap is right and the edge still wears slanted, look at the plow frame, truck lean and mounting. Those checks have their own articles. Stop using any shoe that is cracked or bent at its mounting.
Boundary: this table is practical guidance from shop experience patterns, not manufacturer data. Follow your plow manual for gap settings and shoe wear limits.
