Pro-Tech wear shoes are designed specifically to work in conjunction with our pushers. The shoes add structural integrity to the sides of the pusher, which allows for optimal pushing. Using Pro-Tech shoes also maximizes the life of your cutting edge unlike using cheap shoes. As cheap shoes quickly wear out the rubber cutting edge will soon follow. Additionally, using Pro-Tech shoes eliminates the possibility of shearing the mounting hardware and experiencing downtime due to repairs. As always make sure that your manufacturer’s warranty stays valid by only using Pro-Tech wear shoes with your Pro-Tech pusher.
Pro-Tech wear shoes are manufactured using the highest quality material, which is designed with metallurgical properties conducive to our unique hardening process. This process guarantees the highest level of hardness of a standard shoe in the industry. Every batch of Pro-Tech wear shoes is Brinell* tested. This testing ensures consistency, while meeting the highest quality standards in the industry. Our abrasion resistant shoes are through hardened unlike competitors which are surface hardened leaving soft steel only after a small fraction of the steel is worn.
Brinell - Brinell Hardness Test-Method of measuring the hardness of a material by pressing a chromium-steel or tungsten-carbide ball (commonly one centimeter or 0.4 inch in diameter) against the smooth material surface under standard test conditions (generally between 300 to 3000 kilograms of force for 5 to 30 seconds.
Most people in the industry are concerned only with hardness of material. Pro-Tech’s wear shoes are designed for hardness and steel flexibility. Pro-Tech’s shoes are one of if not the only wear shoe in the industry that offers a flexibility component that minimizes shoe fracture and potential property damage. This manufacturing process incorporates optimal yield strength. This means that the measurement of strength as far as flexibility provides a stronger resistance to breakage against a force causing the steel to flex than standard abrasion resistant steel that competitors often use.
Stop scrounging for hardware or wasting time attempting to reuse worn out hardware. Pro-Tech’s hardware is manufactured to the highest quality standards and is designed to ensure optimal performance of your wear parts. Our shoe hardware is Grade 5 zinc plated corrosion resistance shoulder bolt and comes with high quality washers and a Nylock nut. Using Pro-Tech’s hardware also reduces the risk of shearing the mounting bolt and causing downtime. Protect your manufacturer warranty by always using certified Pro-Tech parts and hardware.
Pro-Tech’s rubber is a styrenebutarene rubber (SBR)* that is extruded and cured in a vulcanization* process which bonds the elements for strength and resiliency. This process is one of the reasons why Pro-Tech’s rubber has an extremely high tensile* strength. Snow contractors should care about the tensile strength of the rubber on their pushers because it’s the difference between rubber that tears easily and rubber that is tear resistant. Pro-Tech’s rubber is so strong that it has at least twice the amount of tensile strength of most competitors’ rubber.
There is also a relation between the tensile strength of rubber and abrasion resistance. Pro-Tech’s rubber is abrasion resistant and has been tested to wear up to 2 to 4 times slower than cheaper rubber, which in the end save the user money.
Pro-Tech uses extruded rubber, which is a rubber made of a very consistent and pure compound. With Pro-Tech’s rubber you know that you are getting the same quality and durability every single time. This is unlike many competitor’s or aftermarket rubbers that provide molded rubber; a process where imperfections can be hidden and can be made of recycled rubber pellets and other cheap fillers.
Styrenebutarene rubber (SBR) - A general-purpose synthetic rubber, produced from a copolymer of styrene and butadiene. Exceeding all other synthetic rubbers in consumption, SBR is used in great quantities in automobile and truck tires, generally as an abrasion-resistant replacement for natural rubber (produced from polyisoprene). Its particular advantages include excellent abrasion resistance, crack resistance, and generally better aging characteristics.
Vulcanization - A chemical reaction of sulfur (or other vulcanizing agent) with rubber or plastic to cause cross-linking of the polymer chains; it increases strength and resiliency of the polymer. Also known as cure.
Tensile - Maximum load that a material can support without fracture when being stretched, divided by the original cross-sectional area of the material.
The hardness of rubber is measured by durometer*. The higher the durometer the harder the rubber. Rubber that has a high durometer tends to be too hard, which means it is less resilient and less likely to absorb shock. If the rubber is too soft, or has a low durometer, it is more likely to run and pull underneath the pusher causing poor performance and wear. Pro-Tech’s rubber has been formulated to have a mid range hardness durometer.
There is a close relationship between the hardness and flexibility of rubber. Flexibility decreases with hardness, so rubber that is very hard will have low flexibility. Flexibility is important because this causes the edge to flex into proper plowing position, which is optimal for Sno Pusher use. Pro-Tech keeps the flexibility of its rubber in mind when designing pushers.
Durometer Hardness - Used to describe both the hardness of a material and the tool used to measure it. Typically used for rubber, plastics, and other polymers, durometer test results apply a specific value to the hardness of a material.
Memory is another very important characteristic of rubber. Snow contractors should use rubber with minimal memory as it allows for optimal surface cleaning. Memory retention in rubber is a negative aspect because it does not allow the rubber to spring back to its original position which is needed to provide consistent down pressure on the surface. Pro-Tech utilizes a balance of characteristics in their rubber to ensure optimal performance and extended cutting edge life.
Pro-Tech rubber edge snow pushers are engineered to leverage the characteristics of our proprietary rubber. There is a perfect relationship between a pusher and the rubber of a Pro-Tech that allows for the best pushing experience. The rubber setting set by Pro-Tech on our pusher with Pro-Tech branded shoes increases the durability, performance, and life of our replacement parts.
Much like Pro-Tech’s standard wear shoes, the super duty shoe is also Brinell* tested but with hardness results significantly higher. In fact Pro-Tech’s super duty shoe is made of the same material used in armored vehicles and high end automobiles. The web of the shoe which is used for mounting is significantly thicker than the web of most competitor’s wear shoes and is fully welded. The Super Duty Shoe can have a life 4 times longer than other wear shoes and is the ideal choice for any contractor that demands a lot from their pusher.
Brinell - Brinell Hardness Test-Method of measuring the hardness of a material by pressing a chromium-steel or tungsten-carbide ball (commonly one centimeter or 0.4 inch in diameter) against the smooth material surface under standard test conditions (generally between 300 to 3000 kilograms of force for 5 to 30 seconds.
Every contractor has or will come across a situation where they will plow delicate surfaces. Surfaces such as pavers, stamped concrete, tops of parking garages, airport runways require special attention. Pro-Tech’s Ultra High Molecular Weight or UHMW* Shoe is the perfect shoe for those sensitive surfaces. The polycarbonate* pad is bolted on to the bottom of the shoe and perfect for applications where a steel bottomed shoe will damage the plowing surface. The slippery surface of the shoe is designed to minimize friction and is just as strong as a standard shoe, but eliminates the chance of having to pay for a damaged surface. In addition the chemical resistant material on the bottom of the shoe can withstand damage done by salt to most shoes over time.
(UHMW) Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight - Polyethylene is a subset of the thermoplastic polyethylene. It is a very tough material, with the highest impact strength of any thermoplastic presently made. It is highly resistant to corrosive chemicals with exception of oxidizing acids ; has extremely low moisture absorption and a very low coefficient of friction; is self-lubricating; and is highly resistant to abrasion, in some forms being 15 times more resistant to abrasion than carbon steel.
Polycarbonate - PC is a special type of polyester used as an engineering plastic owing to its exceptional impact resistance, tensile strength, ductility, dimensional stability, and optical clarity.
Mistakes can happen when plowing and it can be difficult for even the best snow fighter to keep their pusher level at all times. Pro-Tech’s self leveling shoe minimizes the damage done to a pusher from human error and ensures a level pusher, which will result in less passes and a cleaner surface. The shoe style extends off the back end of the pusher by 16”, which keeps the pusher level and balanced, creating an even amount of pressure throughout the whole length of the shoe. This eliminates excess down pressure on the back of the shoe. Another value of the self leveling shoe is that by increasing the surface size of the shoe you can also increase its lifespan.