Studdable Tires
Studdable tires are basically automobile tires that can be studded. The reason these tires are studded is to make them perform better while driving in harsh conditions. This is most effective for winter driving as the roads are rough to drive on during the winter months.
If you have studdable tires then you should not worry too much about studding them. It is not a difficult task and just about anyone can do it. However, you will need to understand that you should not ever re-stud the tires. It does not matter how much tread is remaining on the tires as re-studding the tires can be a dangerous thing to do, so avoid doing so.
Are All Tires Studdable?
No. Only some tires will be capable of being studded. If you want to find out if your tires are studdable then just take a look at the label. There will be a sticker or information on the sidewall that notifies you that the tires are studdable. The vast majority of these tires will have either a sticker or details on the sidewall. This information mostly just tells you the size of studs to use. You will want to make sure that you use the proper size of studs for the tires so installation is clean and you do not have any future issues with them.
Installing the Studs
First off, you should know that this is not a complicated task but you may not enjoy it. The end result of this process will be your hands and arms being sore for a few days. If you can find someone else that is willing to beat themselves up to do the job for you then it may be worthwhile. However, even though it can be a painful task it is worth it as you will have studded tires that are ready for winter driving. Look below for a brief guide of how to install the studs to your studdable tires.
Step 1 – Gathering the Materials
First off, you will want to grab all the materials needed to perform this task. To stud your tires you will need the following items: tire stand, spray lubricant, stud gun (pneumatic), studs (correct size for your tires), and a set of dikes.
Step 2 – Preparing for the Job
The very first thing you should do is prepare the stud gun. There should be instructions with the gun that will help you with this but it should not be a difficult task. It is fairly difficult to explain and would not be understandable without the stud gun in front of you. Just read the instructions included with the product to do this.
The next part of preparing for this job would be to set up the tire to be studded. To do this you will have to use the tire stand to hold one of your tires in place. An alternative to using a tire stand would be mounting the tires (while inflated). If the tire is unmounted (or not inflated) it can be extremely difficult to stud it.
Step 3 – Studding the Tire
Apply a bit of pressure to the head of the gun while lined up with the hole for the stud in your studdable tire. Once you have everything aligned and set up you can simply pull the trigger. Make sure that the gun injects the stud into the tire and is flush with the tire tread. If you make a mistake and do not angle the stud properly (non-flush) then just use the set of dikes to remove the stud and do it over again.
Step 4 – Finishing Up
You will want to continue with Step 4 until the whole tire is studded. Once you are done you will want to go over the tire a second time to make sure that you did not miss any holes. If you forgot to stud any of them then make sure you do so this time.
The whole process of installing the studs to your studdable tires can be very time consuming and painful. You will have to load your stud gun multiple times throughout the whole ordeal and it could take a few hours if you are not experienced with this process. However, the end result of having studded tires on your vehicle in the winter months makes the effort worth it.
