# Studded tires? worth it or not? Legal or not?



## ontario026 (Dec 22, 2008)

Ok, so who runs studded tires? do they really make a great difference? and are they legal in your part of the country?? and if they are not, what is the fine if you are caught with them?

I am debating on studded tires for next year, however they are illegal in ontario, but I have been told the fine is only about $70... I think I would be willing to risk that for the extra safety and traction. 

Matthew


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Never saw a need for them. Also with plowing you'll kill them when you spin your wheels


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## Dubliner (Aug 20, 2008)

We can run them til April or May, but see no need for them on a plow truck, chains more effective if extra traction is needed, studs will pull out when spinning. JMHO


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## ontario026 (Dec 22, 2008)

dubliner, do you run them on your plow truck or your personal vehicles?? I was actually mainly thinking about it for my wife's civic, but figured if I was going to trek to Quebec to get her snow tires studded, I had might as well do the truck's too,... I do one fairly steep driveway, and so far I have not needed them on the plow truck yet, but I know the wife's civic, even with good snow tires, the darn ABS sometimes feels way to invasive, and I know in the same situation without ABS you would be able to stop shorter, maybe not as straight, but shorter none the less, I figured if the fine was only $70 the extra safety for my wife and child in their car would be way worth it....

Matthew


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## zabMasonry (Oct 13, 2007)

I i've got studs on my 87 golf. I love them. completely legal around here. In-fact cops run em year round.


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## Dubliner (Aug 20, 2008)

Your wifes car would be safer with the studs because it helps in stopping and steering as well as traction, You could put them on your truck too but spinning while plowing might pull them out. Why don.t they want you runnung studs in the winter, and take them off in the spring>>


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## Dubliner (Aug 20, 2008)

I stand corrected, we can run them year round also, as long as we don't go into MA after April.


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## ontario026 (Dec 22, 2008)

probably 30 yrs ago them made them illegal here in ontario, my father ran an auto shop and made good money removing studs for a while... Not sure of the reasoning, probably felt they were too hard on the asphalt??


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

put weight in the back of your truck and you should be fine, don't quite undrstand why you need more traction? either you're plowing with too small of a vehicle or you don't have 4wd


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## ontario026 (Dec 22, 2008)

Redman, please read the above posts... As stated, I was mostly thinking about them for my wife's car to improve safety for her and my child, and was considering doing the truck while I was at it, as stated, I have not run into any traction issues with the truck without studs, with the exception of stopping occastionally when the conditions are "right" and the ABS decides to make you helpless.....

thanks
Matthew


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

Maybe I am crazy, but I have never used them, or seen the need for them. I run with 1,000 pounds of ballast, and I have never come close to getting stuck. Well let me re-phrase that one, lol, The only time I was stuck, studded tires wouldn's have made a difference unless the studs were 5 inches long. Since thats how high centered the truck was. Guess there is a reason your not supposed to hit a pile doing 25 MPH.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

ontario026;742830 said:


> Redman, please read the above posts... As stated, I was mostly thinking about them for my wife's car to improve safety for her and my child, and was considering doing the truck while I was at it, as stated, I have not run into any traction issues with the truck without studs, with the exception of stopping occastionally when the conditions are "right" and the ABS decides to make you helpless.....
> 
> thanks
> Matthew


missed the wife and child section...give her a 3/4 ton crew cab duelly, solves all of your problems lol


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## Bajak (Nov 12, 2008)

Just pull the fuse for the ABS. Problem solved. That's what I do, as long as your wife knows threshold braking technique, perfectly safe.

For the record, I hate ABS.


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## ontario026 (Dec 22, 2008)

ABS is great in some situations, but others it basically renders you totally helpless....


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## rednekk frank (Jan 12, 2009)

I've run studs on every FWD car my wife and i have ever had. They're absolutely fantastic for such an application. Never saw much of a need for them on any of my 4x4s, though. 

Here in PA, we can legally use them November 1 through April 15.


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## IPLOWSNO (Oct 11, 2008)

i had an iroc when i was a kid and winter hit before i could find a rat so i used some my mom had for a week, can you say sparks holy shiot, i was never able to get the car to stop spinning on asphalt lol posi marks for miles lol.i think they may have been bias ply?


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

I have run them on my plow truck for two years now. Sometimes I think I wasted the $70, but there have been places I was thankful for every stitch of traction available. I used to run studs on my FWD sedans (all four around here). They absolutely ruled. I have never pulled a stud out by spinning. If you are spinning alot when plowing, try 4WD, more weight, and go easy on the gas. Or all three. I only spin when plowing if I am not paying attention, or hit ice.


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## ondirtymax (Dec 22, 2008)

ontario026;742745 said:


> Ok, so who runs studded tires? do they really make a great difference? and are they legal in your part of the country?? and if they are not, what is the fine if you are caught with them?
> 
> I am debating on studded tires for next year, however they are illegal in ontario, but I have been told the fine is only about $70... I think I would be willing to risk that for the extra safety and traction.
> 
> Matthew


They are now legal in ontario as of this year. Who told you they were illegal???


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

I had a set on an S-10 about 5 years ago. They were awesome for traction. 2wd and no weight in the bed and they'd grab like no ones business. As far as pulling studs out, I think not. I sold them to a buddie that used to do spark flying burnouts all the time with them and they held up great. I'll bet they had 50k hard miles on them when he sold the truck and still looked decent. The points were wore down, but not shot by any means. Carbide can take a lot.

I agree with not needing them, but it seems the nay sayers have never had any experience with them to be able to judge.


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## DGODGR (Nov 30, 2008)

I run studded tires on my Dodge plow truck (see signature) but have opted to not run them before also. I do notice a difference. Especially in icy conditions. I do not have a problem with studs coming out though this truck is very heavy and rarely spins. When this truck is in four wheel drive I can pour all the coals to it & it won't spin the tires-just black smoke and forward motion. Tires are Cooper Discovery M/S (studed obviously). I would think this all would apply to passenger vehicles as well.


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## theonlybull (Oct 17, 2004)

i run studs on my 2wd f-150, and love them. we've been getting alot of ice the last few years, and the studs really make a difference. i'm in hilly terrain too, so i need the help to stop, turn, and go

i've been payin' $15/tire here. only wish i did the tires for the wife's van too. ohwell. if it's bad, we take the truck anyway


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## MileHigh (Nov 6, 2007)

Studded Cooper M+S on the 150....

Kicks Arse


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## Blazin (Mar 18, 2007)

I have been running studs on my plow trucks for 20 years. I think maybe at most I have had 5 or 10 studs come out of a tire in all those years. Run them on my cars too if I buy brand new tires, If i score decent used for the car I go without.


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