Use quarter inch bolts with washers & loctite the nuts, stainless steel...
if you have 1/2 inch space all the way around, you will see a huge improvement ... get a piece of belting used in a big round Baler. (Tractor Supply sells it by the foot) it's around 7 or 8 inches wide & 3 ply thick just under 1/4 inch...
The stuff is very rigid, and can be cut fairly easy, placed where you need it and bolted tight.... fire it up and it will self shape as it spins, if it is too tight you can (carefully) grind off the leading edge. You will likely Never have to adjust it out farther, that stuff will ware for decades moving snow & ice.... :smile:KennyV