Studding tires

[Deadman]

The shorter screws will probably tear out easier than longer ones. I would get the longest ones you can fit without puncturing the tire.

 

[Hammy75]

Seems like solid advice Deadman. Thanks

 

[PILOON]

My thoughts are that given the thickness of the lugs on tractor tires a guy could use some darn long threaded studs, like in many cases almost 2" long!
Think hardened screws that U use to attach metal roofing.
Any self tapping lag type screw by design would be hardened and some are 1/4" and even 3/8" diam.
The longer the grip the less chance of coming out.

 

[IndyIan]

I've used 3/4" hex head screws a couple years now. They stay in pretty well, but its best to put them in with the tire warm so you get a nice dimple. I had a few come loose in the front tires when I was constantly sliding them sideways due to the rear blade trying to rotate the tractor, but now if the snow is that heavy I plow backwards. They don't wear too much as I don't run roads with them and really plowing is only 15-20hrs a winter so I'm still on the first set and probably they will go 10 seasons at this wear rate. I think you could tear them out spinning on tree roots or something like that, but on ice and gravel they seem fine.

 

[oosik]

I used sheet metal screws - 1 1/2" - on the hard rubber tires on our forklift at work. Without the screws, the forklift was a NIGHTMARE out on the ice covered asphalt loading area. The screws were a Godsend in helping with traction. I know that a few fell out but the majority of them simply had the hex head ground off from constant use on the asphalt loading area and the concrete floor inside the building. The company finally bought chains for the forklift - everybody was concerned about picking up sheet metal screws in the private vehicles and semi trucks. I never got any feedback of problems but it was always a possibility.

 

[skills4lou]

Now that we are finally starting to get some thawing weather, I thought I'd follow up. Of the ~150 screws I put in, exactly zero(0) fell out over the winter. I'll be removing them in a few weeks, but keeping them handy in a tub for next winter.

 

[Egon]

We can assume the self studding helped with traction performance?

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

The best and cheapest studs you can get are called Kold Kutters, they are hex head screws that are hardened and have a dished out head. They are made for studding ice racing tires for motorcycles.
I use them on my wader boots for fishing. They grab on slippery rocks like glue. They last very well. I have used them for 2 seasons of fishing (60-70 trips/season) lots of walking on gravel, rocks and paved areas. They do not come out easily.
You can get different length of threads from 3/8 on up.

approx $20 for approx. 250 screws

here is a link

Home page

I can also vouch for these. :thumbsup:. 250hrs of use and 5 of 400 ripped out. Stayed in year round. Most were pretty ground down at the end.

 

[skills4lou]

We can assume the self studding helped with traction performance?

Absolutely. It didn't turn my 2WD tractor into 4wd performance, but made it possible to push snow around on icy driveways with the loader and 3pt blade, where before I would just spin if I had either the loader or blade down.

 

[Egon]

Thanks for the reply. Maybe next winter I'll put some in.