Studded Tires

[VtPC83]

Hey, I currently live in MA and want to know whether other folks think studded snow tires are overrated or not? I used to live in VT and I have studded snows on my 2WD Focus but now I live in MA. My GF has an Elantra (2WD) and will be needing snows at some point soon and wants to know whether snow tires are even worth it...

Something else to keep in mind, we may be moving back to VT at some next year, thats where installing studs on used tires question comes into play.

Also some other questions...

Can you install the studs on a snow tire after its been used for a season or is it a new install or nothing type of thing?

Can you use the snow tire itself after the studs have ground down to tire level or is this somehow dangerous?

Can anyone recommend some good winter tires (that aren't Nokian, I am aware they are the best)?

Was planning on checking out the Tirerack.com site to check pricing but if anyone knows other sites, that would be helpful too.

Any other thoughts would be helpful.

Thanks - Me

 

[StageLeft]

I looked into this two years ago and after reading decided not to (live in western NY). Apparently they just don't really help much except on ice.

FWIW, rochester, NY has probably the best snow clearing in the universe. We get a decent bit of snow, but the only time I ever drive through it is literally in the middle of a storm, and ice has not formed. They always pre-salt the roads before storms and have seemingly hundreds of plow trucks clearing up as it comes along, so I've found that the snow tires (useful when those rare situations of driving in snow exist) were perfectly fine, and evidently quieter than studded, too.

 

[PingSpike]

As far as I know, you cannot put studs on after using the tires. I don't really know why...probably they don't seal well or something after the tire is used.

I have also heard that studs help you on ice. But I've heard they are kind of noisy (my snow tires are always more noisy then the summers though) and that at highway sweeps on dry roads you tend to "ride on the studs" and actually have less traction.

I ended up buying some michellen "ice tires" for the elantra that served me well enough last year. They certainly were noticeabily better then the cooper snows that are on my neon. I guess there's a number of tires that use a chemical to gain some traction on ice. The salesmen said they were as good as studs...I don't actually believe that as he didn't even have any studded tires to sell me, but I do feel they're probably a good compromise.

I live in vermont currently, and I'd say that you DO need snow tires unless you live right next to work. In chittenden county most of the roads of the main roads are passable, but I wouldn't call them super clean generally. And if you drive on the less traveled roads, well, they generally aren't that great. It doesn't seem like they would make a huge difference, until you drive without them and then with and realize they actually are helping a good deal.

 

[desy]

I ve used studded snow tires every winter since 97
They perform their best on ice including ice build up at intersections created from exhaust.
secondly if you do much highway driving, drifting sleet is also very icy or black ice conditions. If you come across these conditions even just a few times a winter it can save your ass.

If you keep cars for a long time like me you will eventually go through a set of tires anyway. might as well get studded winter tires, only cost margianally more to stud them.
The soft compound tires don't have very aggressive tread patterns for clearing slush from the tread. Studded tires are typically made of harder compounds so they make them with agressive tread patterns, deeper channels they rely on the studs to do the gripping.

downsides, noise and reduced driving performance, but I'll live with noise and I'm not rally driving my minivan. I want to stop sooner and have better steer around dead car in front of me performance in dark dead of winter

 

[VtPC83]

Thanks for the responses all.

I've lived in Chittenden County VT my whole life until just recently so I know how bad those winters can be and the driving conditions. The snows with studs I've had have worked well but I have noticed the drifting over dry pavement at higher speeds and since these are for my GF, I would be concerned for her. Sometimes it feels like I have less traction on dry pavement than snowy!

I'll keep all of this in mind and I'll have to talk to her about it.

 

[herm0016]

we get about 250 inches of snow every year here and i have not seen one car with studs. not sure if they are legal or not. i personally do not think anyone really needs them. I get by fine with all seasons, even while living on a very steep hill.

 

[luckysnafu]

I moved to MA last year and use non-studded winter tires on my car and also on my gf's car. I drive a RWD BMW and she drives a FWD Mazda 3 hatchback. Neither of us had any problems in any of the snow storms last year (much higher than usual amount of snowfall). You should be fine with regular snow tires.

Keep in mind you can only run studded tires Nov 1 to April 30th in MA.

 

[Vette73]

Some people get winter/snow tires and a cheap set of rims. Then every winter switch out the tires/rims and run those.

I just don't drive when its bad so I don't do that. But for people that live in a area where that is not a option then a setup like that may work.

 

[desy]

I love all the opinions from those who have never used them :roll:
Until you do and can see how much shorter your stopping distances are.
Half on ice
They do skitter on dry pavement but Im not worried about dry pavement its an order of magnitutde than ice no matter waht tire you have on.
All seasons are compromise tires
http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/ma...s/tires/tiretests.html

 

[alkemyst]

my wife likes the studs, but I am not sure if it's the same with tires.

 

[mooseracing]

Originally posted by: herm0016
we get about 250 inches of snow every year here and i have not seen one car with studs. not sure if they are legal or not. i personally do not think anyone really needs them. I get by fine with all seasons, even while living on a very steep hill.

Apperantly you haven't drove on clogged up freeways with constant black ice. The only way to drive safley i studded. If you try to stop even at 5mph you just slide uncontrolably to a stop. It's hard to even see if anyone is driving with studs as most are less than a 1/4".

 

[Savij]

If you live anywhere near boston I wouldn't bother with studded tires. The roads are cleared enough of the winter that you will be looking at their downside (dry traction) MUCH more often than taking advantage of the positives. I go skiing all over vermont close to every weekend during the winter and did well enough with regular studless snow tires. The places you go to may be different, but boston and major ski areas never presented a problem.

 

[Iron Woode]

unfortunately, studded snow tires are illegal here.

they pwn all-season and regular snow tires.

when they were legal here, my dad used them and I still remember how well the car stopped and handled in the snow.

they are legal in every other province but Ontario, the province with the most concentrated population in a snow belt area.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
they are legal in every other province but Ontario, the province with the most concentrated population in a snow belt area.

why do you think that's the case? They fuck up roads that they have already cleared.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
they are legal in every other province but Ontario, the province with the most concentrated population in a snow belt area.

why do you think that's the case? They fuck up roads that they have already cleared.

nonsense.

that was disproved over 30 years ago.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: mooseracing

Originally posted by: herm0016
we get about 250 inches of snow every year here and i have not seen one car with studs. not sure if they are legal or not. i personally do not think anyone really needs them. I get by fine with all seasons, even while living on a very steep hill.

Apperantly you haven't drove on clogged up freeways with constant black ice. The only way to drive safley i studded. If you try to stop even at 5mph you just slide uncontrolably to a stop. It's hard to even see if anyone is driving with studs as most are less than a 1/4".

I think you posted this drunk or stoned...

However, black ice is not = to a heavy snow area.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
they are legal in every other province but Ontario, the province with the most concentrated population in a snow belt area.

why do you think that's the case? They fuck up roads that they have already cleared.

nonsense.

that was disproved over 30 years ago.

you talking about metal studs or something else?

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
they are legal in every other province but Ontario, the province with the most concentrated population in a snow belt area.

why do you think that's the case? They fuck up roads that they have already cleared.

nonsense.

that was disproved over 30 years ago.

you talking about metal studs or something else?

metal studs don't damage roads. That was one of the excuses used to ban them here.

Big trucks damage roads more than any studded tire can.

studded snow tires should be mandatory equipment in any area where large amounts of snow are common. It would seriously cut down on accidents and deaths.

 

[desy]

Sweden cut their auto accidental death by 50% with a compliance of 80% voluntary studded winter tire use with no noticble increase to annual road maintenance

 

[DarkThinker]

You can say I am shooting from the hip here...but I am going to go out on a limb and say that these tires would be really most beneficial in icy conditions.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: desy
Sweden cut their auto accidental death by 50% with a compliance of 80% voluntary studded winter tire use with no noticble increase to annual road maintenance

I don't follow studs as I live in S. Florida, but I do know Sweden did do a study that METAL studs increased road wear which is why I think the US banned them.

 

[spaceman]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: desy
Sweden cut their auto accidental death by 50% with a compliance of 80% voluntary studded winter tire use with no noticble increase to annual road maintenance

I don't follow studs as I live in S. Florida, but I do know Sweden did do a study that METAL studs increased road wear which is why I think the US banned them.

studdeds arent banned in western ma
-oct thru april
and hell yes they help.

 

[desy]

I guess you didn't bother with my link, let me help you

"That kind of evidence has been persuasive to safety-conscious Swedes. Off the test track, and on the roads, nearly 80 per cent of Swedes use studded tires in winter, and estimates are that has cut road accidents almost in half.

But what about the downside, excessive road wear? As in Ontario, Sweden briefly harboured a movement to ban studded tires for that very reason. But instead of banning studs the Swedes improved them. Nordstrom reports that new tire studs weigh half as much as the old studs, with the result that road wear is now an insignificant problem. "

I bought the continetal viking 2 for my Versa last winter,

Winter Tire Test, 2006, "Motor" Magazine Norway tested on Ice and snow listed 'overall #'

www.motor.no/pdf/M806_DEKKTEST.pdf


Tire Brand Tire Model Studded Available in Canada Website Overall Score
Studded Tires
Michelin X-Ice North Yes No http://www.michelin.no/no/auto...roduit_x_ice_north.jsp 8.9
Nokian Hakkapeliita 5 Yes No http://www.nokiantyres.com/pas...NOKIAN+HAKKAPELIITTA+5 8.9
Continental Winter Viking 2 Yes http://www.conti-online.com/ge...1_start/main01_fi.html 8.8
Gislaved Nord Frost 5 Yes Yes http://www.conti-online.com/ge...5/overview_nf5_en.html 8.8
Bridgestone Noranza Yes No http://www.bridgestone.fi/bfe/...nVCM1000005101a10aRCRD 8.4
Uniroyal MS Plus Nordic Yes http://www.conti-online.com/ge...snordic/master_se.html 8.3
Fulda Kristall Ice Yes No http://www.fulda.com/fulda_hom...inter/Kristall_ICE.jsp 8.2
Pirelli Winter Carving Yes Yes http://www.ca.pirelli.com/en_C...=CAE_W&productid=17306 8.2
Goodyear UG500 Yes No http://www.goodyear.co.uk/serv...at_ultra_grip_500.html 8.1
Vredestein Icetrac Yes No http://www.vredestein.com/auto...singID=2&BandTypeID=11 7.7
Nankang Snow Winter SW-5 Yes No 6.6
Sunny Winter-Grip Yes No 6.1

Un-studded Tires
Continental Conti Viking Contact 3 No 8.3
Gislaved Soft Frost 2 No 8.2
Nokian Rsi No Yes http://www.nokiantires.com/new...es_popup.cfm?id=53&w=1 8.1
Michelin X-Ice No Yes http://www.michelinman.ca/cata...html?tiretype=0&tire=6 7.8
Nankang Snow Viva SV-1 No 7.4
Vredestein Nord-Trac No No http://www.vredestein.com/auto...ingID=2&BandTypeID=483 7.4
Goodyear Ice Navi NH No 7.1
Agi Soft Sarek No http://www.agidack.se/vinterdack.html 6.9
Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 No Yes http://www.bridgestonetire.com....asp?passproductid=189 6.3

 

[herm0016]

Originally posted by: mooseracing

Originally posted by: herm0016
we get about 250 inches of snow every year here and i have not seen one car with studs. not sure if they are legal or not. i personally do not think anyone really needs them. I get by fine with all seasons, even while living on a very steep hill.

Apperantly you haven't drove on clogged up freeways with constant black ice. The only way to drive safley i studded. If you try to stop even at 5mph you just slide uncontrolably to a stop. It's hard to even see if anyone is driving with studs as most are less than a 1/4".

we don't have freeways.... i think the closest 70mph speed limit is about a 3.5 or 4 hour drive. we get lots of snow and ice. but people here are used to it, we get 12 inches of snow in a day and life goes on like its the middle of june.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: desy
Sweden cut their auto accidental death by 50% with a compliance of 80% voluntary studded winter tire use with no noticble increase to annual road maintenance

I don't follow studs as I live in S. Florida, but I do know Sweden did do a study that METAL studs increased road wear which is why I think the US banned them.

Studded snow tires aren't banned in the united states. They are certainly legal in Vermont. Tire chains are even legal in Vermont during the winter.