Studs for snow plowing

   / Studs for snow plowing #41  
Asphalt is mostly a luxury around here. I have to cross a county maintained asphalt road to go from one property to another, but that's about it.

I guess chains also have more surface/digging power. But I am intrigued with trying studs.. maybe once I fix 4x4 I'll put them on front tires, as they'll need to be retired in a year or two anyway and can be "played" with. The intriguing part they could be kept on all the time, be asphalt friendly (for when I have to drive up the asphalt road) and taken advantage off off-season (w/o snow)
 
   / Studs for snow plowing #42  
If you don't spin your tires even the studded Euro style chains don't tear up the blacktop.
I rode travel with mine at times and at the bottom of the driveway were I come out on the road
I am always pulling out on it and turning and backing up with no noticeable marking or tearing it up.
 
   / Studs for snow plowing #43  
I've never used studded tires on a tractor but I run them on our vehicles in the winter. It all depends on how much traction you need. Studs will keep you out of trouble in most icy conditions but they're no match for studded chains if you want the best traction. On icy hills my FWD Buick with studded snow tires will go where 4x4's and AWD vehicles without studs wouldn't dream of going. Studs do have their limitations however, and they really only help you on ice and very hard pack snow. They do nothing in mud, slush or loose snow. Studded chains help in all the aforementioned conditions, including bare ground, especially frozen ground. I run a 7' 3-point snow blower and before I had chains I struggled pushing that blower on my flat driveway if there was ice under the snow. I just couldn't get any traction. Now with studded chains I don't even need 4x4 when running the blower and have plenty of traction on glare ice. My tractor was pretty much worthless trying to skid logs in the winter without chains. With chains it's pretty amazing what this tractor will pull for it's size. One of my logging paths has a creek that crosses it with a pretty steep bank on one side that I couldn't climb in 4x4 without chains. With chains I easily climb it in 2x4. Tire studs wouldn't help much here. The chains don't seem to hurt our paved road either, but they will leave little chip marks in smooth, finished concrete like a garage floor. That's why I put the conveyor belting down in the garage. So far that's the only downside I've found. Studded tires won't damage surfaces unless you spin the tires, or turn the steering wheel while not moving. I've never had studs pull out of a vehicle tire but they're a different style than the screw in kind for tractor tires. I actually bought the installation "gun" and studs to install them myself since most tire shops around here either don't want to mess with them or they charge an arm and a leg to install them.
 
   / Studs for snow plowing #44  
greenrider1 said:
I've never used studded tires on a tractor but I run them on our vehicles in the winter. It all depends on how much traction you need. Studs will keep you out of trouble in most icy conditions but they're no match for studded chains if you want the best traction. On icy hills my FWD Buick with studded snow tires will go where 4x4's and AWD vehicles without studs wouldn't dream of going. Studs do have their limitations however, and they really only help you on ice and very hard pack snow. They do nothing in mud, slush or loose snow. Studded chains help in all the aforementioned conditions, including bare ground, especially frozen ground. I run a 7' 3-point snow blower and before I had chains I struggled pushing that blower on my flat driveway if there was ice under the snow. I just couldn't get any traction. Now with studded chains I don't even need 4x4 when running the blower and have plenty of traction on glare ice. My tractor was pretty much worthless trying to skid logs in the winter without chains. With chains it's pretty amazing what this tractor will pull for it's size. One of my logging paths has a creek that crosses it with a pretty steep bank on one side that I couldn't climb in 4x4 without chains. With chains I easily climb it in 2x4. Tire studs wouldn't help much here. The chains don't seem to hurt our paved road either, but they will leave little chip marks in smooth, finished concrete like a garage floor. That's why I put the conveyor belting down in the garage. So far that's the only downside I've found. Studded tires won't damage surfaces unless you spin the tires, or turn the steering wheel while not moving. I've never had studs pull out of a vehicle tire but they're a different style than the screw in kind for tractor tires. I actually bought the installation "gun" and studs to install them myself since most tire shops around here either don't want to mess with them or they charge an arm and a leg to install them.
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I'd love to stud my car tires but it's illegal here in southern ontario
 
   / Studs for snow plowing #46  
COB Rule (Condition Of the Bowl)

Wherever the cop decides to pull you over is the line.
 
   / Studs for snow plowing #47  
In general, I would use chains. I guess if you have enough money and time to have separate winter tires for your tractor, then studded may work better for you. I know a lot of people who have winter tires/wheels for passenger cars.

Leaving the studs on year-round will damage surfaces and degrade the studs over time.
 
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