Tractor tire studs?

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
We studded go-kart, 4 wheeler, and motocross tires with just regular old hex head screws back when I was younger so we could go out on the lake and race. Worked great.

Never done a tractor tire before, we just used chains on the tractors. It took a while to stud the atv tires...I'd imagine you'll be there a while doing a tractor tire...long while.

Slotted hex washer head screw specifically is what we used...
 
Very common to do on tractors, chains are becoming rare to see.

Sent fra min Nokia 7.1 via Tapatalk
 
I haven't seen studded tires around here in years. Back in the day with rear wheel drive cars you to run them a lot in the winter. You guys have a lot more winter than we do. I sure wouldn't want studs in my tractor tires I do too much road time in the dry months. With front wheel assist tractors I hardly ever chain up any more. Had the chains on last winter for the first time in years.
 


Sent fra min Nokia 7.1 via Tapatalk


Very interesting.

Studs aren't big here yet, seems people still throw chains on when it gets icey. Or run Nokians if they are on pavement a lot doing the snow plowing business. I think we are going to take a plunge, the new wheels just don't have quite enough room under the fender. And we need something, plain rubber will not work the whole winter.
 
I haven't seen studded tires around here in years. Back in the day with rear wheel drive cars you to run them a lot in the winter. You guys have a lot more winter than we do. I sure wouldn't want studs in my tractor tires I do too much road time in the dry months. With front wheel assist tractors I hardly ever chain up any more. Had the chains on last winter for the first time in years.

Three of our 4 vehicles have studded tires for winter. Ice seems to have become worse than snow, the past few years. This tractor won't see a lot of summer road use, but in the late winter/spring, it might see something like 20 miles of pavement a day, for a month or so. Still leery about the studs on a couple spots on our woods road, it would be pulling up a fairly steep hill with 15,000 lbs or so behind it at times. Then there's just the driveway itself - sees skating rink conditions a few times a year, and it's hilly.
 
I chained my 2wd tractor for many years and didn't pave my driveway for that fact. Finally, got a 4wd Kubota and haven't felt the need to use chains but I am running ag tires. I won't stud or chain now in fear of tearing up my paved drive in the winter.
 
Can't get by here without something. Has been a few sliding down the driveway sideways or backwards episodes here over the years. The odd one with a 360 or 180 in the middle too.
 
If the lugs are tall enough so there is no chance of a rock pushing the stud deep enough to make the tire go flat, then it might just work out fine. I would just use regular cheap hex screws. The only problem may be if the head wears down and they can't be removed. We almost never get ice down here so when we do we just stay put till it's over, witch is not very long. Another good reason living in the south, no ice storms to speak of.
 
I have never been a fan of studs myself. I built a set of chains for my skidsteer last year and it made all the difference. If you don't have clearance for chains on your tractor (never seen a tractor with tight fenders myself) could you fit a low profile set of cables? They may not make some that would fit your tires but they are not hard to make your own.
 
full_size_img.axd


That's a random quick pic I pulled off the net. Not a lot of room there, and there are some even closer. Even less so when you get your nose in there & see the ridge inside where the fender edge meets the mounting point, right over the middle of the tire. That's another inch closer.

Took a plunge & ordered the ones I linked. This will be a trial by fire winter & spring.
 
We studded go-kart, 4 wheeler, and motocross tires with just regular old hex head screws back when I was younger so we could go out on the lake and race. Worked great.

Never done a tractor tire before, we just used chains on the tractors. It took a while to stud the atv tires...I'd imagine you'll be there a while doing a tractor tire...long while.

Slotted hex washer head screw specifically is what we used...

Hex screws are quite soft though. I did that on a pair of work boots one year and by spring most of the screw heads were worn flat.

As far as clearance, 2" or so should be plenty provided you keep the chains tight (which is a good idea anyhow).
 
I won't stud my tires as I constantly go from paved to logging roads. It would be nice to have that added traction at times though.

I will add this. I use motorcycle ice studs on my wading boots. They are durable for what they do. They generally see rock all day along with a mix of road and soft stuff. I'll see if I still have the bag and who makes them.

Shea
 
There are chains out there that will work but they will be the more expensive ones unfortunately. The old cross bar style can work if they are the right size and kept tight using tensioner's, center ring or net style will always work better though. Get them without chevron bars for added clearance.

Studded-Tractor-mz.jpg Chain-Skidder-Studded-Net-Alloy-Forestry-Tire-Chains.jpg




I run chains on everything I use in winter, the tractor, the quad, my mud truck ... as they flat out WORK and won't tear out like studs when you start working them hard.

Keep on ... Runnin' Loads !!
 
^ We've got a set like pic 1 there for another tractor. They work great, no doubt. But with only just over 2" of clearance to the tire tread, it won't take much of a sudden loosening just in one spot to cause damage at travelling speed. Plus they don't ride too smooth on the highway.
 
I don't know if it's still the case but auto tires labeled Mud and Snow would have dimples cast into the tread lug made to insert studs. Growing up in North Dakota and Maine we took tires to the garage and paid the mechanic to use a pneumatic tool to pop the studs into the treads.

In Maine chains only on ice and snow covered road. As soon as you hit visible blacktop chains off. Studded tires were limited essentially to winter months. You can hear those studs coming down the road WhirrrRrrrRrrr. Cops be licking their chops. In Kentucky you can use them 24/7, 365, go figure.
 
I am tempted to run some studs in my front tire bobcat/kioti dk35, the r4 tires are useless in the snow and ice, I run ice chains on the rear but have to run in 4wd to steer, the differential brakes help but I would rather not use brakes and 4wd to steer if possible. My other thought is to switch my front tires over to a decent studded truck tire in the winter. Anyone got a link for some good cheap tire screws?
 
The link at the top is hopefully for good ones, but they sure aren't cheap. Ours arrived, but they won't be installed for a while yet.
 
Back
Top