To Stud or not to stud your winter tires?

[Rando]

I have used both studded and studless winter tires on my Tacoma and on my Corolla and Prius. I think the answer as to whether to stud or not depends entirely on the particular conditions that you drive in. From my research and experience, there is only a very narrow range of conditions under which studded tires do better than modern studless winter tires - mainly smooth clear ice. On packed snow, wet/slushy roads and dry pavement the blizzacks and X-ice that I am currently using perform as well or better than the studded Cooper M+S I had previously. On dry roads (particularly concrete roads) the studded Coopers were almost as scary as all seasons on snow - the stopping distance was terrible and it was easy to either lock up a wheel or have the ABS kick in (and I am a slow and defensive driver). Secondly I noticed a significant decrease in ice performance with the studded tires for their second winter, when I assume the points on the studs had been ground down. I am on the third season with the blizzacks and have not noticed a decrease in snow and ice performance.

If you live somewhere where clear ice is common and your drive in snowy/icy conditions the MAJORITY of the time a studded tire makes sense. However if you are like me and live in the front range of Colorado, where even in the dead of winter 70% of your driving is on dry or maybe wet but snow free roads a studless tire is probably a better option.

That said, I think using a true winter tire is well worth it. The actual cost is not that great since you are reducing the wear on your summer tires - so the performance increase/$ is higher than just about any upgrade you can make. Unfortunately putting winter tires on is not as sexy as adding a locker, winch, bullbar and pelican case full of tools.

 

[Pskhaat]

Modern winter tires like the Blizzaks are not available however in LT-sizes. This is where and why studs are pertinent.

 

[Rando]

What size do you want them in? Blizzaks are available in most of the common light truck sizes to fit Tacomas, Landcruisers Jeeps etc (eg 235/85R16, 265/75R16, 285/60R18).

Modern winter tires like the Blizzaks are not available however in LT-sizes. This is where and why studs are pertinent.

 

[brussum]

I think the answer as to whether to stud or not depends entirely on the particular conditions that you drive in.

X2 on that fact.

It seems most people in my area run Blizzaks or a comparable studless tire during the winter. We get a lot of snowpack and ice on the roads and my Blizzaks do great in those conditions, even with being on their third winter. They are definitely better in snow than ice, but no one tire is going to be stellar in every condition; hence, you must find the tire that works best in YOUR environment.

I'm not sure where the LT size info came from, but I run the Blizzaks on my LC and Expedition, and I've seen plenty of pickups running them around town. There are also comparable products from GY and several other manufacturers, so you should be able to get a LT size without difficulty. However, you're probably out of luck if you're looking for 35s.

 

[skunkriver]

crystal ball

I have never seen winter driving that there was not also ice and frozen polished slush, add chemicals that bring the liquid on the road surface down to 26 degrees and then it freezes you will find ice .
And when you encounter this ice you dont get the chance to go back and get studds, you are sliding as you are thinking " I wish I had studds ! " then you hope you hit something soft
GET A WINTER SET OF SNOW TIRES AND GET THEM STUDDED !
Keep them on a second set of rims and switch them out with your mud tires in the spring.

 

[Pskhaat]

What size do you want them in? Blizzaks are available in most of the common light truck sizes to fit Tacomas, Landcruisers Jeeps etc (eg 235/85R16, 265/75R16, 285/60R18).

1. 295/75r16
2. 315/75r16
3. 255/85r16
4. 275/70r18
5. 285/75r16

 

[beast1210]

1. 295/75r16
2. 315/75r16
3. 255/85r16
4. 275/70r18
5. 285/75r16

or 265/75r15
or 31x10.5r15

 

[sargeek]

If you live in a community where the roads are snow packed most of the 90% of the time then feel free to use studs. But don't be a dork and drive with your studded tire on the veicle in the middle of July.

Howerver, no one mentions how studded tires degrade the performance of a tire on wet and dry pavement. By studding a tire you increase its ice performance, but decrease its performance of wet and dry road performance.

For most of the front range of Colorado it seems overkill to run studded tires on a vehicle when you average maybe 4 snowy days a month! However, I would rather see people run snow tires, for those four days of snow then make a mess of the highways trying to run all season tires or summer tires.

 

[Pskhaat]

But don't be a dork

Nice.

By studding a tire you increase its ice performance, but decrease its performance of wet and dry road performance.

Wet is understandable, but unless you're into controlled pavement drifting at night in walmart parking lots, I can't imagine it is really that significant.

rather see people run snow tires, for those four days of snow then make a mess of the highways trying to run all season tires...

Problem is being able to afford two sets of tires or to replace your snow tires every other year. Most folks just can't carry that kind of cost.

 

[Rando]

The decrease in dry and wet pavement performance with studded snow tire IS significant In some cases the increase in stopping distance on dry roads with studded tires is greater than the decrease in stopping distance on snowy/icy roads. Anecdotaly I have found this to be true, particularly on concrete roads, and the studies that have compared blizzak type tires to studded tires have also found this to be true. Again it is important to carefully consider what conditions you will be using the tires in for the majority of the time.