Screw In Tire Studs

[DHD]

For extra steering traction, do you have an option to add extra front end weight?

I agree fish6942, added front end weight probably will help.
My tractor has always been light in the front because it never had a FEL installed, until recently.
I have not had a chance to snowblow since the installation of the FEL, so I am hoping the added weight will help with my steering traction.
Adding weight in the form of snow or sand to the bucket is always an option too.
I know of other folks that have had steering traction issues running R4 tires on ice and they have always had the extra weight of a FEL.
My thought is, added weight will help the R4s but I also think they need a little bite in the ice to really improve steering traction.
The studs sound interesting, although I'm not really crazy about driving screw in studs into perfectly good air filled tires. (Murphy's Law)
I've heard the sales pitch from some dealers on how good these studs are suppose to be, but so far they don't have any feedback from any of their customers.
Hopefully, adding front end weight will be all I need.

 

[Kernopelli]

When I had a Gravely with Ag tires, I screwed some metal screws into the outer part of the lugs. Do a search here, and you'll find statements of people using metal screws in motorcycle tires to race them on the ice.

Just measure the depth of your lugs and buy screws no longer than that.

Ralph

I have personally done this with excellent results on my dirt bikes. I have actually left the screws in my motorcycle tires after winter was over and used them year round for trail riding. In one instance I had them in the same back tire for about a year and a half straight. The first time I rode on slick hard packed clay with them I was sold. Frankly, I felt they provided better traction in every circumstance except rocks and the occasional road section ( which is scary- they are slick!) needed to tranfer from one trail to another. I have never had a flat due to the screws and found that through the hardest riding they rarely pull out. They also cause no appreciable damage to the tires after removing them. I can't help but believe they would work equally well in tractor tires for icy conditions.

 

[DHD]

Hey Ralph
Hey Darryl

I think I'll give a try to your suggestion.
I was thinking #10 hex head metal screws.
The real test will come with the next snowstorm.

DHD

 

[GoodGuy]

Anyone have pictures of Tire Studs installed??

 

[DHD]

Anyone have pictures of Tire Studs installed??

GoodGuy
The only thing I've seen so far, for pictures of tire studs installed, has been on a web site of folks who sell them.

MAXIGRIP Screw On Ice Studs Instead of Tire Chains | Ken Jones Tire Blog

From the posts to this thread, and from the folks I 've talk to in my area, the hex head sheet metal screws work fine.
For less than $20 for a box of sheet metal screw, compared to about $200 for tire studs. I thought I might give the sheet metal screws a try, and just follow the basic install guidelines on the tire stud web site.

DHD

 

[DHD]

After taking a closer look at my front tires, it looks as though 1/2 inch metal screws would be the longest I could safely use. I think 1/2 inch may not provide enough grip and may pull out eventully and scatter in my gravel driveway.

 

[Kernopelli]

After taking a closer look at my front tires, it looks as though 1/2 inch metal screws would be the longest I could safely use. I think 1/2 inch may not provide enough grip and may pull out eventually and scatter in my gravel driveway.

That is the longest I have used ( in fact, we just installed some 1/2" screws in a new back tire on my sons modified KDX). Unless you are using screws that have an unusually tall head ( taller than say .25"-.30"), I don't think they'll pull out. I generally run intermediate compound tires that are not terribly hard and even in the summer don't have problems with them. In cold weather, the tires will be even harder and makes it more difficult for the screws to pull. Don't be chintzy about how many you put in, too few and you will increase the force on individual screws and decrease the effectiveness of grip. To give you an apple to oranges idea of numbers, on the bikes I think we usually use about 200+ 3/8" screws in a 21" front tire and about 300+ 1/2" screws on an 18" rear. I know tractors and dirt bikes are very different but anyone who has ridden off road bikes know what kind of extreme forces the tires are subjected to. On a 30-50 HP bike, that is constantly spinning the tire, slamming the ground with the force produced by 450-500lbs of bike/rider and capable of destroying a tire in a couple of days in the right conditions, it probably isn't as different as it may seem like it must be.

ON Edit; Wow, on the maxi grip site, the pics look like they aren't using many studs at all. Maybe you could get away with not using nearly as many as I insinuated you might need. On the bikes, I will put as many as 3 in a large rear knob and at least one in every knob. I also noticed that for small tractors, the maxigrip screws are 14mm long which is about .55" so again, I think you'de be Ok with the 1/2" sheet metal screws...and probably less than we use on the dirt bikes.

 

[fish6942]

I'm guessing hardware store sheet metal screws aren't nearly as hard as the screw in tire studs. I'd look hard at the cost difference.

On a side note, I'm considering doing this to one of our ATVs for winter riding.

 

[DHD]

The tire studs have carbide tips.
Common sheet metal screws probably aren't very hard.
But I've heard there are harder sheet metal screws available, like drill bit hard.
I still have't had a chance to try and snowblow since getting my newly installed
loader. That extra weight may make the difference I've been looking for on the ice.
I guess I'll hold off on the screws until I think I might need more steering traction.
I've got a feeling what I really need is something to bite into the ice.

 

[PILOON]

The self tapping sheet metal screws are indeed very hard as they need to actually drill their way in, Therefore as hard as a drill bit!

My buddy used 1/4" self tapping (7/16" hex head) on his BX 7100 last winter with great success.
He did loose a few over the summer as he kinda spun his wheels on some rocks but after all of last winter's usage on ice you hardly could detect any wear.
Even the remaining screws show very little wear over the summer months usage and he simply replaced the lost ones for this winter.
(he never drives on asphalt or concrete)

If you install on the deep knobby part of your tires (generally the outside edges) you could go as deep (almost) as the knobs are high! On some tires that could be as much as 1 1/2" and for sure that will hold.