studded snow tires

[RichZ]

I've been offered a nice set of 4 studded snow tires for my 2006 Dodge Caravan. I've heard that studded snow tires are only good when there's snow on the ground, and they're hard to stop on non-snow covered roads. Does anyone have any experiece with them?

My wife uses this minivan for deliveries of our goat milk and as her regular car around town.

 

[SandburRanch]

I've run them on the rear intermittently on a few pickups for 30 years. If I lived in a snow area I wouldn't be without them. Stopping problem. Only idiots have that problem.

 

[mrmikey]

I've got 4 studded tires on my 2WD 04 Ranger, other than being slightly squirrely ( because of the winter tread, not studs) and noisy, you'd never know they were there. Stick to the snow/ice like s$$t to a blanket. Can't beat the price, get 'em.....Mike

 

[Wayne County Hose]

In this day and age of the nanny state, if they added significantly to your stopping distance, they wouldn't be allowed. I live south of you and I am a firm believer in the studded snow for winter. I put them on my GMC 3500 stretch van and routinely pass 4wd vehicles going uphill, no kidding. It does weigh in at 8100 lbs. Guarantee you won't be disappointed. Just check your state laws as they can't be put on until some time in the fall and have to come off before a certain date in the spring.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Just so you understand, four studded tires do not make for a totally skid proof vehicle. They can make a tremendous difference but you can still slide on thick ice. If you scare other drivers as you approach a stop sign at breakneck speed, watch out. If you drive "normally", stopping on a dry road is not an issue.

 

[Jstpssng]

The above replies all seem to refer to icy conditions; you asked about studs on dry roads.
The one time I ever drove with studs was 35 years ago on the back of my father's '73 country sedan station wagon. Great on ice, but one had to be careful on dry pavement where the only thing touching the ground was the steel.

Worse case scenario is you get the tires & don't like the studs; then you spend some time with a screwdriver pulling the out.

 

[dex3361]

I put them on both of my commuting college students. they drive 98 miles round trip in all weather and they are the best for snow and ice. the only thing better is chains.

 

[MossRoad]

I've been offered a nice set of 4 studded snow tires for my 2006 Dodge Caravan. I've heard that studded snow tires are only good when there's snow on the ground, and they're hard to stop on non-snow covered roads. Does anyone have any experiece with them?

My wife uses this minivan for deliveries of our goat milk and as her regular car around town.

Yes, but it was 30 years ago and we stopped using them because of advances in all season radial tires and significantly less snowfall than years gone by. Plain and simple, we just don't need them here anymore. And with the advances in traction control systems, there is even less reason to change from all season radials here. I haven't bought snow tires in 30 years, let alone studs. Your situation is probably different.

There have been some studies regarding studded tires. The ones I have read indicate they do not brake as well as regular tires on dry or wet pavement and are downright dangerous on concrete VS asphalt. Apparently they can grip the asphalt but just slide on the concrete. So, in emergency braking conditions on dry or wet pavement, they perform poorly. They also have significantly less traction on curves and in emergency avoidance maneuvers. And, they damage roads when there is no snow or ice covering. That is why there are seasonal restrictions in many places.

 

[forgeblast]

If I am not mistaken, going too fast will cause the studs to eject!! not sure what speed, but if your traveling highways i would look into what speed they pop out at.

 

[Bird]

Like MossRoad, I'm surprised to hear of so many people still using studded tires. Of course down south here we've never used them. But in the '80s, my brother in Anchorage had a contract with the state to install studs in snow tires that came without them. When I went up there and worked the counter in his tire dealership in 1991, the two machines he had for installing studs were sitting idle in a store room. Almost no one used studded tires anymore. That Spring (April and first half of May) we were taking snow tires off and putting summer tires on about 125 cars day, and we seldom saw a tire with studs.

If I am not mistaken, going too fast will cause the studs to eject!!

Yep, that's what I always heard.