Some put studs in for winter. I take 'em out.

[eljefino]

So the used tire market seems to be inflating like everything else, but there's always something being given away for peanuts-- half worn studded snow tires. The kind of people who buy studs are the kind to get rid of tires before they're completely used up.

I came into a pair of Hankook I-pikes, a great tire, with 6/32" remaining, for "Happy meal money." 245 70R17s for my truck, an odd size-- everyone gets 265s. The only issue is they had some studs remaining. I wanted these for the front axle of my 2WD silverado-- have some great (non-studded) Toyos on the drive axle. It's sketchy and ill-advised having studs only in the front, plus I just hate the noise and handling. For those who want to run through the summer as an all-season, here's an option!

I don't know what a stud looks like outside of its natural habitat-- turns out it has a flanged base. And it's easy to pry under with a scratch awl.

So, kids, here you go, a way to trim those nails.

Edit, I promise this gets boring.

 

[madeej11]

So the used tire market seems to be inflating like everything else, but there's always something being given away for peanuts-- half worn studded snow tires. The kind of people who buy studs are the kind to get rid of tires before they're completely used up.

I came into a pair of Hankook I-pikes, a great tire, with 6/32" remaining, for "Happy meal money." 245 70R17s for my truck, an odd size-- everyone gets 265s. The only issue is they had some studs remaining. I wanted these for the front axle of my 2WD silverado-- have some great (non-studded) Toyos on the drive axle. It's sketchy and ill-advised having studs only in the front, plus I just hate the noise and handling. For those who want to run through the summer as an all-season, here's an option!

I don't know what a stud looks like outside of its natural habitat-- turns out it has a flanged base. And it's easy to pry under with a scratch awl.

So, kids, here you go, a way to trim those nails.

Edit, I promise this gets boring.

You kept your promise for sure.

 

[c502cid]

I've taken them out before on tires that I just needed a few more months out of once winter was over, the studs were wore out anyhow.

 

[UG_Passat]

Or when I had Firestone WinterForce and General Arctic Altimax, I just buy them unstudded

 

[FowVay]

There's much more to tire safety than remaining tread depth. I was at Tractor Supply just the other day and I saw a gentleman get out of his pickup truck which had just had installed a new set of GoodYear Wrangler tires. I was looking at the tires and noticed that the manufacture date was way back in 2008. These things had been sitting on some tire store shelf for 13 years before they were sold. This is just bad business in my opinion.

Buying used tires isn't a bad proposition by itself but buying someone else's junk can be deadly in these situations.

 

[atikovi]

That's a job you give to a neighborhood 10 year old. 5 cents a stud.

 

[madeej11]

There's much more to tire safety than remaining tread depth. I was at Tractor Supply just the other day and I saw a gentleman get out of his pickup truck which had just had installed a new set of GoodYear Wrangler tires. I was looking at the tires and noticed that the manufacture date was way back in 2008. These things had been sitting on some tire store shelf for 13 years before they were sold. This is just bad business in my opinion.

Buying used tires isn't a bad proposition by itself but buying someone else's junk can be deadly in these situations.

Maybe you could have mentioned it to him. He was probably oblivious as to their age or maybe he was offered a deal that he couldn't resist. Unscrupulous tire dealer(s) or anyone else knowingly selling out of date or inferior defective products makes me ill.

 

[atikovi]

Unscrupulous tire dealer(s) or anyone else knowingly selling out of date or inferior defective products makes me ill.

Actually it's tire dealers themselves along with the tire industry itself that has been pushing the notion that perfectly good tires more than 6 years old must be replaced immediately. It's the condition of the rubber itself that matters more than the manufacturing date. I've had 3 year old tires where the tread has developed age cracks, along with 12 year old ones that had none. Felt safe using the latter more than the former.

 

[Kira]

Another video which should've been 10 seconds long or simply 2 or 3 still photographs.

On Saturday a friend who got new Arctic Claw studded -120 studs per- snows.

Mother Nature gave us a snowfall with squalls on the 20 mile drive home. That was cool.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Maybe you could have mentioned it to him. He was probably oblivious as to their age or maybe he was offered a deal that he couldn't resist. Unscrupulous tire dealer(s) or anyone else knowingly selling out of date or inferior defective products makes me ill.

It wasn't that long ago that "new" sets of Wilderness ATX tires were showing up on CL and FB marketplace.

You know the ones that Ford had removed in the 90s.

 

[FowVay]

This is a bit off-topic but since we're discussing tires I am curious if any of you have a particular brand that you're loyal to. I have never been brand loyal but I do try to avoid the no-name Chinese produced products. So, do some of you prefer GoodYear over Firestone or Continental over Michelin? Just curious what your opinions are and why.

 

[nobb]

Actually it's tire dealers themselves along with the tire industry itself that has been pushing the notion that perfectly good tires more than 6 years old must be replaced immediately. It's the condition of the rubber itself that matters more than the manufacturing date. I've had 3 year old tires where the tread has developed age cracks, along with 12 year old ones that had none. Felt safe using the latter more than the former.

Agreed, this seems to have been some sort of fear mongering campaign by the tire industry, along with the magical 7 degree rule for having to switch to winter tires.

If you lived in the absolute worst (hottest place) conditions, then yea I could see a tie degrading in 6 years. But modern tires built by reputable manufacturers have a ton of safety factor and modern understanding of materials is the best it's ever been. Regularly checking pressure and using common sense to visually check over tires is far more important than using some arbitrary date rule.

 

[supton]

But modern tires built by reputable manufacturers have a ton of safety factor and modern understanding of materials is the best it's ever been. Regularly checking pressure and using common sense to visually check over tires is far more important than using some arbitrary date rule.

I dunno. I realize people drove 80mph back in the 50's. BUT back then they figured, when it was your time to go, it was your time to go. Today we expect to walk away from most any accident but are in love with the idea of not getting into one in the first place. I'm sure the insurance companies would like for you to avoid them too (not out of genuine concern but their bottom line of course). Tires can dry out and start getting harder which can lead to lack of grip. Which won't show up until you go looking for that extra grip.

*

Is there any tool that can be used to measure tire "softness"? And if so, does it cost an arm and a leg? I mean, if one could measure the tire when new, then take notes as they go along, they could then come up with an (arbitrary) number as to when they would like replace.

 

[Finklejag]

There's much more to tire safety than remaining tread depth. I was at Tractor Supply just the other day and I saw a gentleman get out of his pickup truck which had just had installed a new set of GoodYear Wrangler tires. I was looking at the tires and noticed that the manufacture date was way back in 2008. These things had been sitting on some tire store shelf for 13 years before they were sold. This is just bad business in my opinion.

Buying used tires isn't a bad proposition by itself but buying someone else's junk can be deadly in these situations.

Are you the Six Million Dollar Man? You’re going to tell me you can see the date code on a tire on someones car from a distance in a parking lot? Why would anyone want to look at date codes on other peoples tires? You need a better hobby.

 

[Cressida]

Is there any tool that can be used to measure tire "softness"? And if so, does it cost an arm and a leg? I mean, if one could measure the tire when new, then take notes as they go along, they could then come up with an (arbitrary) number as to when they would like replace.

It looks like about $60 will get you a durometer. Here is one example for you.

Intercomp 360092 Tire Durometer​

 

[supton]

It looks like about $60 will get you a durometer. Here is one example for you.

Intercomp 360092 Tire Durometer​

Hmm, should put that onto my Christmas list...