To give extra grip and excellent traction on the icy and slippery roads tires of cars and bikes are studded. These studs are small metal pins that act as mini claws or anchors that can dig into the ice to prevent the cars or bikes from slipping.
Usually, the winter tires you get are studded and they are necessary for the winter season to ensure safety and proper traction on the roads. Although these studs are strong enough to damage the pavement and may cause noise when the roads are clear after the winter or snowy season.
Removing studs from the tires may seem a bit technical job and you surely don’t want a damaged tire after stud removal. Here are easy and simple steps to guide you completely on how to remove the stud from tires without any hassle and damage.
Contents
What are Tire Studs?
Tire studs are an innovation to provide the tires with superior traction and grip on snowy roads and paths. Although many companies are improving the grip with the rubber tread designs, studs still give better grip.
Studs are metal pins or nails that are installed at preset locations on the tire, these act as gripping claws to cut through snow and gives the tires great traction. They may be noisy and may cause friction on dry roads in summer and may slip causing accidents, so not suitable to use other than winters. Companies sell studded tires as specifically winter tires. If you wish the same tires all over the year you can make them stud less.
Need of applying studs to tires
In winters when the road is covered with snow and the tires cant fully grip, so the drivers cant efficiently apply brakes, or increase the speed of the car as without proper grip and traction they are slightly out of control. With metal studs installed in the tires, the grip and traction are improved with the studs acting as anchors to hold and cut through the ice. With this, the brakes and accelerator of the car can be applied fully making it convenient and safer to drive in the winters.
Also read: 10 Best Tires for Honda Fit
How to Apply Studs to Tires?
Companies have different design studded tires depending on cars and weather conditions. The tires are studded with a stud gun on the preset locations so that the tire on the internal tube may not get damaged. Studded tires are different from the regular tire and before studding them you must check whether the tire is suitable for stud installation or not. Locations to insert studs are different for different manufacturer‘s tires and read the user’s manual before applying studs for proper application.
How to Remove Studs from Tires Easily?
Now when there is no snow and winter is gone you must be worried about removing the studs from tires to avoid noise or any accidents. While you attempt to remove studs you surely don’t want any damages to the tire. These are easy-to-follow steps to remove the studs from the tire like a pro.
1. Remove the tire
Mount the car up and with help of a jack remove the tire from the car. With an uninstalled tire, the job is far easier than removing studs from the tire that is installed in the car. You can have a better angle to view and require less effort to remove studs.
2. Apply a lubricant
Use a lubricant or oil that you use on tires or you can also use soap water to lubricate the studs. A lubricant will help the studs to loosen up a bit making them easier to be pulled or removed. Avoid greasy lubricants as they may cause the tires to slip afterward and may cause accidents.
3. Use correct tools to loosen the studs
To remove the studs from the tire use an appropriate tool to loosen the studs and remove them while twisting in the correct direction. Direction while removing is very important so that there are no cuts in the tire or tube. To remove tires these tools are used:
a. Pliers
Pliers are the most commonly used tool for stud removal. Just grab the top of the stud with a plier, twist a little bit, and pull upward.
b. Screwdrivers
If you don’t find a perfect size plier then take a thin small screwdriver, drive the tip of the screwdriver below the edge of the stud, and then lift it gradually to pop the stud out from the tire.
c. Stud removal tool
With the stud removal tool, the procedure is quite easy and efficient, just place the tool on top of the studs and drive it down to the bottom of the stud and then pull. While driving it down make sure not to apply extra force as it may damage the tire
4. Check the tire
After removing all the studs from tires, inspect them for any punctures or damages. Sink the tire in a water tub or spray glass cleaner to see any air bubbles. If there are no air bubbles means the tires don’t have any punctures and you can now fill air into them as prescribed by the manufacturer.
5. Mount the tire
Now the tires are ready to be installed back in the car. Enjoy your drive in summer with your stud-less tires.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQS
How much does it cost to stud tires and remove them?
Generally, it cost around 15-25$ to stud the tires and 30-45 $ to remove the studs from the tires.
Why can’t we use studded tires in summer?
Because these metal nails can cause friction on the road and may damage the tires as well as the road, plus they are noisy and may cause the car to slip on damp roads too in rain.
Do tires get damaged after stud removal?
In some cases slightly, or there are holes from the stud removal that get filled up with stones or dust and may cause the tire to wear off quickly
Let’s get started!
With these simple to apply steps you can save yourself from paying the extra stud removal fees, or waiting for the technician to come and remove the studs. Follow this guide and make your tires stud-less quickly and professionally and enjoy using the same winter tires in summers too.