To stud or not to stud

[Ron-E-Babe]

For some of us it's getting to be the time of year we take off our nice oversized rims and low profile tires and don the stock or steel wheels and higher sidewalls.

My question To stud or not to stud? I've heard arguments for both sides but I am just curious what some of us have chosen and discuss our experiences.

Thanks, drive carefully.

[kirbycope]

All I know is come first snow in Denver, I'm going studded. Then when spring hits, 16" rims and tires.

[mikedudley17]

i have never studded the tires on my car. does it really work? can you feel 'em while driving?

[kirbycope]

you can't "feel" them so much as hear them. It adds to the road noise, but its a trade off in winter weather conditions in a fwd aveo.

[mikedudley17]

do u keep them on all winter?

[kirbycope]

Studded tires are only legal Nov. 1 - Mar. 31. Motorists using studded tires after the deadline could incur a $101 fine from the Washington State Patrol.

just an example. the restiction is due to road ware

[mikedudley17]

hhhhmmmm interesting, thanks for the info.

[Ron-E-Babe]

I've been told that studs are only good for driving on ice, not through snow?

[ontarian_frog]

I've been told that studs are only good for driving on ice, not through snow?

That's right. Here is what I recommend from personal experience. If you do a lot of highway driving or live in a place where ice a frequent problem, get studded.

If you mainly stay in the city where they use so much salt that the only way to see ice is to watch it freeze at night, then non-studded tires are for you.

I do have studded tire which are good here in New-Brunswick because we don't get much snow but a lot of ice. But when I go see my family in Northern Ontario, they have a lot of snow and I can tell the difference right away. I have to start in 2nd or in 3rd gear sometimes just to get going at a stop sign.

[subachad]

I Lived in Montana and would run studded tires.

I later moved to OR and the studs they sell are only good for 1, maybe 2 seasons so I tried some regular non studded snow tires. The non studded tires had just as much grip as the studded tires and they lasted me 3 winters... I even autocrossed on them, though it's like driving on carpet so I wouldn't recommend them.

Oh yeah and Portland rains a lot and it freezes at night so I drove on a lot of ice. Also went skiing up at mt hood once a week.