How much weight is enough?

[1990RangerinSK]

I bought a car with studs on it in Nashville and that thing did some humming going down the road, specially on the highway. I couldn't see how it would be good on a cement surface

At slower speeds they tick, but yes, at higher speeds you hear what I can best describe as a low pitched roar.

Because cement is a hard surface, unlike asphalt, I wouldn't expect them to do damage to cement. In the summer, when asphalt is soft because it's hot, yes they would do damage. Would the road surface damage the studs? I don't know.

 

[Josh B]

At slower speeds they tick, but yes, at higher speeds you hear what I can best describe as a low pitched roar.

Because cement is a hard surface, unlike asphalt, I wouldn't expect them to do damage to cement. In the summer, when asphalt is soft because it's hot, yes they would do damage. Would the road surface damage the studs? I don't know.

They came on a car I bought there, a 77 (I think it was) Delta 88 with a chevy 350, was a great little car after tuning and cleaning it up and ripping the already shredded vinyl roofing off the top, but those probably the only thing he had to go with it and i didn't have money for tires at the time.
That was the winter of 88-89 which was a pretty fair winter. I don't recall was it 12 above or below, I was fitting on a barge yard across from downtown and they had to shut the welders down because the welds on the barges.
were cooling too fast and cracking
I think it took a while to wear those studs down

 

[pjtoledo]

studs are a very hard metal and definitely wear down concrete. especially if the wheels spin.
they also lift a small portion of the rubber around the studs so you get less traction on dry pavement.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

studs are a very hard metal and definitely wear down concrete. especially if the wheels spin.
they also lift a small portion of the rubber around the studs so you get less traction on dry pavement.

I never considered concrete, we don't use it up here for roads. But I doubt it does much damage. I wear studs in my winter work boots and don't get much traction on concrete. It does scratch concrete when I slip tho. Studs have tiny carbide inserted into the main steel body of the stud.

 

[sgtsandman]

I never considered concrete, we don't use it up here for roads. But I doubt it does much damage. I wear studs in my winter work boots and don't get much traction on concrete. It does scratch concrete when I slip tho. Studs have tiny carbide inserted into the main steel body of the stud.

I have a similar issue with my Stabilicer, slip on snow "cleats" with metal studs on smoothed over concrete and tiled floors. Unpolished concrete, traction seems to be ok. I prefer to be be on ice or snow with them though since it doesn't take long to dull them. Thankfully, they just a variant of hex-head sheet metal screws, so replacements are available if the factory style one are no longer around. Obviously, they aren't carbide steel. But they do work awesomely on the ice covered ramps of the flight line where salt is absolutely prohibited and the snow brushes do an awesome job of polishing the remaining snow and ice. You either "penguin walk" very carefully or wear some sort of ice cleats in order to remain up right.

 

[sgtsandman]

You're right about them being a no brainer here in Saskatchewan. I absolutely LOVED my studded winter tires (Firestone Winterforce). I couldn't drive circles around a 4x4, but I could certainly drive circles around people on all seasons.

All seasons are just fancy summer tires that marginally work in snow. They probably work well enough for those who hold work hours late enough for the road crews to have enough time to clear and treat the roads. I'm often on the way to work before then or just as they are starting to get to work. Ok, isn't good enough and there has been a handful times where even winter tires were just barely enough.

 

[1990RangerinSK]

All seasons are just fancy summer tires that marginally work in snow. They probably work well enough for those who hold work hours late enough for the road crews to have enough time to clear and treat the roads. I'm often on the way to work before then or just as they are starting to get to work. Ok, isn't good enough and there has been a handful times where even winter tires were just barely enough.

I agree. I saw a report on a test that was done back in the 90's or early 2000's. They took a vehicle onto an ice rink with all seasons, and then the same driver took the same vehicle onto the same ice rink with winter tires. On winter tires, it turned twice as tight, stopped twice as fast, and accelerated twice as fast.

 

[00t444e]

I might put a couple 100lb bags of sand in the wife's truck, it is 4wd but every little bit helps. I usually do not put any in mine and don't feel that I need it.

My F250 is absolutely terrible in the snow though. That one needs weight, and a lot of it. I went out breaking trail last weekend in it and it was all over the place... even with a pair of full size Bronco axles, a 200lb log and two Christmas trees in the back. I'm guessing that was about 800lbs +/- and not enough. Mud tires don't help matters. I hate driving that truck in the winter... empty is too light and it slides all over, loaded down is too much and it just digs in and sinks. There is no happy medium. I hope I never get stuck in that fat pig.



They are a seasonal item here, legal from like October to May or something like that.

My F250 with mud tires on it does great in the snow, just as good as the Ranger, I don't add weight to either one.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

If I was still in Michigan, I'd just strap an S-10 in the bed and call it good.

 

[97RangerXLT]

If I was still in Michigan, I'd just strap an S-10 in the bed and call it good.

Good idea, and when spring comes you can just sweep the rust particles out of the bed