Snow and Ice studs

[North Idaho Wolfman]

When I bought my L3450 I thought that the previous owner had sort of lost his marbles at some point and screwed in a bunch of hex head screws into the front tires for traction, The fact that the screws were in there didn't concern me because the front tires are foam filled so no chance of them going flat, but what had me wondering why would someone do that?

Then looking around low and behold hardened hex screws that are tire studs, what I thought was just a redneck way of doing wheel studs is actually a real product and from what I read people like them.
Well I need to redo the studs on the fronts for winter and will also need to use them on the rear wheels as I can't put chains on those till I can get wheel spacers to move them out from the fenders.
Kold Kutter

 

[WFM]

Wolfman do you have R1 tires ? And what length stud would one use without puncturing the tire ?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I have Firestone Power Implement (c) TLI3 Tires on the back and R4's on the front.

They have 23/32's of tread, so I'm going to use 3/8" studs on the center back and 3/4" on the outsides, and I'm going to use 1" studs on the front since I can't flatten them!
I still need to fill the back tires with magnesium chloride then that will help out too.

 

[Cstock5468]

When I bought my L3450 I thought that the previous owner had sort of lost his marbles at some point and screwed in a bunch of hex head screws into the front tires for traction, The fact that the screws were in there didn't concern me because the front tires are foam filled so no chance of them going flat, but what had me wondering why would someone do that?

Then looking around low and behold hardened hex screws that are tire studs, what I thought was just a redneck way of doing wheel studs is actually a real product and from what I read people like them.
Well I need to redo the studs on the fronts for winter and will also need to use them on the rear wheels as I can't put chains on those till I can get wheel spacers to move them out from the fenders.
Kold Kutter

I am thinking of getting studs for my front tires and here is a website that sells them specifically for studding all things gripping the road. https://www.gripstuds.com/Tire_Stud_Selection.php.
I included a pic of my front tire with potential stud placement. The website has recommended sizes and all specs for each size. I have big chains on the rear tires that grip well, but are a terrible ride on roads.

 

[mikester]

I'd like to stud my front tires but I don't want to destroy my concrete floors.

 

[je1279]

I belive you are talking about the studs that are popular in the ice racing community that thread directly into the tread blocks. I prefer the design of the ones that @Cstock5468 posted above but haven't tried either. Definitely report back as I would be interested in those over chains. My R14s are great in snow but my driveway has recently turned into a skating rink with the warm/cold temps...

 

[torch]

A buddy of mine blows out driveways in our waterfront community commercially. Many are steep, curving and icy. He swears by those studs, installs them every winter and removes them every spring. He has the industrial tires on his tractor (a Mahindra).

 

[NHSleddog]

We started using Kold Kutters years ago on the snowmobile tracks. I have a handful in my rear tires on the tractor during the winter. I have never had one break. They do wear out though.

 

[Tughill Tom]

I've been running them for 8 years, in that time replaced maybe 20 or 30 in just the rears. Due to being worn out and broken, zero pull out's in the R-4's

 

[mikester]

A buddy of mine blows out driveways in our waterfront community commercially. Many are steep, curving and icy. He swears by those studs, installs them every winter and removes them every spring. He has the industrial tires on his tractor (a Mahindra).

I was wondering about problems around removing the studs. I find on car tires you get little tiny rocks wedged into the holes and getting them out is difficult at best. Does your buddy have any problems?

 

[torch]

I was wondering about problems around removing the studs. I find on car tires you get little tiny rocks wedged into the holes and getting them out is difficult at best. Does your buddy have any problems?

Not that he mentioned.

Car tire studs are a bit different. There are cast-in pockets that the studs are pushed into. The studs are mushroom-shaped to engage the pocket. Once the tire is used, they do fill with crap that, as you say, is just about impossible to fully clean out. In Ontario, the law requires that only new, unused, tires can be studded for this reason. (And before someone jumps in to say studs are illegal in Ontario, they are only illegal if you live in Southern Ontario).

The ice-cutter screws make their own holes as they are driven in with a screw-gun. I assume the holes are somewhat self-sealing when the studs are removed, but in any event, dirt that is in there apparently does not prevent reinstalling the studs next season, presumably because they thread in rather than push in.

Again, none of this is my personal experience. But my buddy has been doing it for many years.

 

[Tim Horton]

My concern with using sheet metal screws or anything with a sharp installing point in tractor tires would be scrubbing them off in the driveway and re finding them in a car tire..

Every ones experience will be different..

 

[mikester]

Not that he mentioned.

If you can, ask him if he can re-use old stud holes and if he has to start new ones often. I don't want to make my tires swiss cheese.

I'm thinking of grooving my tires or studs as the next thing. I hate using my chains unless I have to.

 

[NHSleddog]

It only feels weird the first few times you drill screws into your tires, it gets easier after you have done a few.

 

[Thunder chicken]

I am thinking of getting studs for my front tires and here is a website that sells them specifically for studding all things gripping the road. https://www.gripstuds.com/Tire_Stud_Selection.php.
I included a pic of my front tire with potential stud placement. The website has recommended sizes and all specs for each size. I have big chains on the rear tires that grip well, but are a terrible ride on roads.

Ive been considering these studs as well, albeit in R1’s all the way around.

If you can, ask him if he can re-use old stud holes and if he has to start new ones often. I don't want to make my tires swiss cheese.

I'm thinking of grooving my tires or studs as the next thing. I hate using my chains unless I have to.

this was my thought as well.... fine the first year, likely fine in a new hole the second, but after a while will the tread be full of holes and want to wear that much faster?!
On this M, a new set of winter rubber is $7g.... gotta pay to play I guess so these studs could be an affordable option if they don’t wreck the R1’s after a few seasons.

 

[NHSleddog]

Ive been considering these studs as well, albeit in R1’s all the way around.



this was my thought as well.... fine the first year, likely fine in a new hole the second, but after a while will the tread be full of holes and want to wear that much faster?!
On this M, a new set of winter rubber is $7g.... gotta pay to play I guess so these studs could be an affordable option if they don’t wreck the R1’s after a few seasons.

Just leave them in. I have seen broken heads and wore out heads (not many), never a pull out.

 

[torch]

He says he reuses the same holes each year.

 

[Thunder chicken]

Just leave them in. I have seen broken heads and wore out heads (not many), never a pull out.

I run up to 8 miles on pavement, one way, many times a day some days during the summer months, highway and town streets. Not sure how leaving studs in would go over for that work!