Risks of running snow tires? :(

I have an extra set of studded snow tires that I want to run on my 4Runner but I've read around and there are certain things that can become hazardous. The studs are fairly small. Does anyone know anything about the subject? Is it too early to put them on. Did I say they are a bigger tire?

 

Does it snow in Sacramento?

 

No haha, but I plan on taking multiple trips up to tahoe this season. Just wondering if it would be horrible to run them between trips up there so I wouldn't have to swap wheels before every trip

 

Ah...well, they are very noisy on dry pavement, for one thing. I'd also check your local laws, as mentioned above.

 

if you are in an area that doesn't receive snow and you have a set I would just remove the studs and use the tires. The only thing is snow tires tend to wear a lot faster due to their softer rubber. Thats what I do up hear in Alaska, use my studded tires for a couple winters and then when the stud wear out just remove them and transform them into my summer tire

 

I also run blizzaks which don't have studs and do amazing in the winter, however wear incredibly fast on dry pavement

 

I was thinking about removing studs. Is it difficult?

 

it takes a little elbow grease for sure, I use pincer pliers to get around the stud and then I pull, might need to rotate and pull at the same time, but it will get them out, just takes a little time to do 4 tires

 

calif dot info:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/engineering/trucks/ops-guide/chains.htm#datesstudded

you can have 'em on from nov 1 to april 30. they do NOT count as chains when chains are required.

 

I pulled studs on 4 mud tires in about 30 mins. Not too bad.

 

Snow tires are a much softer compound and so wear quite a bit faster than standard tires. The studs will make a noise on pavement but unless you do something else to attract attention I can't imagine anyone will catch you using them.

When studs were first outlawed in NJ - slightly used studded snow tires were available for virtually free. I bought a whole stack of them and ran them year round on a 1971 Toyota shortbed and a 1966 VW Beetle for several years without incident.

That VW Beetle was literally unstoppable in any weather - I could drive as fast as I wanted on snow and ice, drive across a field to get around stuck cars, anything - with those four studded snow tires it didn't even pause. <g>

I don't know how CA police are but around here they sure as hell aren't watching for your tires. <g>

PHM
------

 

Well they are CA legal from November to April as stated above. I don't see any harm running them a month early

 

I don't remember when but I wanted to buy an "illegal" set to use in NJ a two or three years ago and was told that studs are legal again - like CA; from November through April.

PHM
------