Should i get studs

Your local dealer will get back to you within 24 hours with recommendations and to book an appointment. Not long ago, studded tires were the choice for safer winter driving. However, technological advances in the tire world have resulted in studless winter tires that sometimes out-perform their studded counterparts. Are studded tires still necessary for winter?

Although any winter tire is going to result in increased road noise on dry, clear roads, studded tires are much louder than studless tires in these conditions. When the metal studs have no ice or snow to bite into, they end up chewing the road—which is both noisy and damaging to both the road and the tire.

This is the reason why most provinces have banned the use of studded tires between May and October exact dates vary by province. Regardless of whether you choose studded or studless tires, winter tires in general tend to have a shorter life than summer tires. No wonder—we put them through a lot in the course of a Canadian winter!

Both types of tire will offer reduce performance as they wear down. The studs in studded tires are designed to wear at more or less the same rate as the tread to ensure even performance. With studless tires, you may see reduced performance after a couple of seasons as the softer, more flexible rubber compound wears away and harder underlying compounds are surfaced.

Although the lifespan of a tire is subject to the quality of its construction and the amount of care you put into maintaining them, neither studded nor studless tires have a great general advantage over the other in terms of lifespan. If you are in the market for some new winter tires, you may be wondering whether you need non-studded, studdable, or studded winter tires for your vehicle. Each has its pros and cons, and there are certain drivers who will benefit most from the different types.

Winter tires are made with specific rubber compounds that maintain flexibility in freezing temperatures. The sipes generally run across the tread surface and aid in controlling forward motion and reducing stopping distances. The tread blocks are designed with angles and edges that grip and pull forward as the wheel turns. As the tire pulls forward the sipes flex open and grab the snow or ice when they come in contact with the surface.

Winter tires also have thick shoulder blocks on the outside edges of the tread to increase the amount of tire contact with the terrain and supply durability. Finally, winter tires are made out of specific rubber compounds that stay more pliable when temperatures drop.

Summer tires, and even all-season tires, will get stiffer on cold roads, which means the tread cannot flex and grip as well. Additionally, less tire may be in touch with the road surface — compromising traction.

Winter tires are designed to stay soft to avoid this issue. Non-studded winter tires are best for driving on roads that may be covered in ice or snow in both wet current precipitation or dry extreme cold conditions. That said, using non-studded winter tires in these states is the ONLY option for winter driving.

Identifying non-studded winter tires is super easy. Studless winter tires provide many benefits for drivers who live in areas that receive light snowfall and where temperatures commonly dip down below freezing. Non-studded winter tires tend to provide a quieter ride than studded winter tires, and according to a study from Blizzak, studless winter tires had a shorter stopping distance on both ice and packed snow than studded and all-season tires.

Non-studded winter tires have some limitations, specifically when it comes to extremely icy and slippery roads. Although the technology of non-studded winter tires have come a long way in improving grip on treacherous winter roads, they simply lack the ability to dig into ice like studded winter tires can.

That said, while a non-studded winter tire will do well in the colder months, a studded tire might be more ideal if you commonly drive on steep, icy inclines in states that experience harsh winter conditions. When looking for a non-studded winter tire, this one is among the best models on the market. It is made with the latest compound technology so it stays soft and pliable in extremely cold temperatures for better braking and handling. It is also built with compact siped tread blocks for the best grip on icy, wet roads or cold, dry roads.

This is a great budget-friendly choice that comes in multiple sizes for passenger vehicles, light trucks, and SUVs. This model uses a 3D block tread for more even wear and a long-lasting tire, along with WinGuard Ice Plus technology to keep the rubber compound pliable for safe driving on snowy roads. Studdable winter tires are the hybrid option between studless and studded. Studs can be screwed into the predrilled holes in the tread of these tires, and can also be removed.

When studs are added, these tires can provide great traction on snow and heavy ice, but can then be removed for less treacherous roads. Since studdable winter tires are made for driving in both snow and ice, they can be used on just about any winter road condition.

Studs should be added when driving in extreme wintry conditions with frequent snow and ice — in states that permit them. A non-studded, high traction tire would be best for drivers who live in a location that experiences a mixed bag of both extreme and moderate winter conditions — like around Lake Tahoe, for example.

When studs are not in place, a studdable tire will be easily identified by the molded holds, or pins, for the optional studs to be screwed into. Studdable tire tread will likely appear similar to a studless winter tire except for the pin holes. Finding the best winter tires for your car, truck or SUV is very important.

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Without further ado, here is what you need to know about studded tires. The main advantage of tires studded by the retailer is that you can purchase an average-quality tire and have studs installed afterwards at a much cheaper cost Making the right choice To sum up, drivers who regularly drive on snowy, icy or poorly maintained roads should think about getting studded tires.

You May Also Like. Getting your car ready for winter is about more than just More Articles. From this author. Studded tires also cause rutting of roads, especially interstate highways, which can lead to safety problems like pooling water, excessive tire spray, hydroplaning, and other vehicle control issues.

That means regular travel on ice-covered or hard-packed snowy roads is subject to the state law restrictions detailed below.

Studded tires are not ideal for driving on roads that are not covered with ice, as they can increase braking distance, road noise and wear.

Like studless options, studdable winter tires feature special tread compounds that stay flexible and grippy in freezing temperatures, as well as sipes and other standard winter tire design concepts. Therefore, you could use studdable winter tires without studs and still experience the wintertime traction benefits of a true winter tire. If and when icy road surface conditions become the norm and expectation regular travel on frozen dirt back roads , studs could then be installed.

Once again, studies show that studded winter tires perform best on ice while studless winter tires deliver the best handling and braking when the temperature is below freezing, on both wet and dry pavement.

The performance difference is minimal between studded and studless winter tires in snow, slush, and other winter conditions outside of hard-packed snow and ice. Metal studs are prohibited in 11 states: Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Texas, and Wisconsin some of these states allow tires with rubber studs; Maryland allows studs only in certain counties.

Most of the remaining states allow studded tires with date restrictions. For example, in Washington State where the TireBuyer offices are located, studded tires are permitted from November 1-March See the chart below for detailed studded tire laws for each state.

Just give us a call at , or explore the full selection of studdable and studless winter tires here. Tell us what you drive and we? By continuing to use our site, you consent to the placement of cookies on your browser. Learn more. Installation options:. Get FREE delivery, too. Shop now.