Studded tires are rightfully considered the best choice of a car owner if it is necessary to guarantee driving safety in winter in conditions of snow or ice on the road surface. However, during operation, steel elements, especially when driving on asphalt, experience heavy loads and eventually fall out. It is required to carry out the restoration of spikes on winter tires.
Studded tire problems
Almost all manufacturers of studded tires claim that a normal situation can be considered when a tire loses up to 10% of studs during a season of operation. In practice, this figure is higher. The following factors apply:
- intensive operation of the tire at high speed, aggressive maneuvers;
- frequent movement on asphalt;
- poor-quality installation of spikes.
A real brand tire guarantees quality. But the unpleasant truth is that there are many tires on the market of the CIS countries, the spikes on which are installed by handicraft workshops. Not a factory tire for sale, but a modified, cheaper tire.
In order not to have to do the restoration of spikes on a winter tire before the end of the first season, check when buying and its compliance with the company catalog.
What you need to know before you start restoring a tire?
Repair kits for installing studs can be purchased at car dealerships or ordered online. There may be several options here:
- It is best to purchase a repair kit recommended by the tire manufacturer.
- For those who drive calmly, in urban conditions, who do not make high demands in the form of solid thick ice under the wheels, single-flange spikes are suitable.
- Extreme driving conditions (ice, high speed, intensive maneuvers, braking) will require studs with multiple flanges.
Before buying a repair kit, the tread height is measured, it should not be less than 7 mm. This is the minimum value at which studs are restored on winter tires. According to the height of the tread, one or another repair kit is selected, the spikes in it must be of the appropriate length.
Installing studs on tires with holes
If the tire already has holes in the rubber, the installation of studs on the winter tire is done in the places provided by the manufacturer. Repair kits contain elements whose diameter is slightly larger than the “regular” ones, so they most often fit into the existing holes quite tightly.
Often, the rubber around the fallen spikes is badly broken. In this case, you can grab the new part with a good adhesive to ensure a tight fit. Some tires with stock holes have enough free tread area to fit the stud in a new location. If there is a chance to do so, then it is better to use it.
How is the remapping done?
If the spikes from the repair kit are not installed in the finished holes, preliminary work must be carried out. Ideally, the tire should be frozen. After that, holes are made with a drill, clearly perpendicular to the surface of the tread. In practice, you can drill holes without freezing or make them with an awl. However, such operations require more accuracy and effort.
The general scheme of work, according to which the installation of new spikes on winter tires, is as follows:
- The tire at the place where the spikes are installed is scrupulously cleaned.
- Mounting points are marked with chalk.
- Rubber is thoroughly wetted with soapy foam.
- Spikes are installed.
The last stage of work can be performed in two ways, while the general principle of installation does not change.
Using the air gun
You can ask your friends for a specialized air gun, rent it, including in auto repair shops. It is not worth buying such a device for the sake of one tire restoration procedure. Using this tool is easy:
- the wheel is inflated;
- a spike is installed in a special socket on the gun;
- the working end of the tool is pressed against the hole;
- after pressing the trigger, the thin rods of the gun head are extended, expanding the hole in the rubber, the spike is set in place by blowing the pneumatic actuator.
The main thing is to comply with the requirement of a clear vertical direction of entry of the spike into the rubber. If the gun has not been aligned perpendicular to the tread surface, it is best to remove the installed spike and do the procedure again.
Installation of spikes by hand
Installing studs on winter tires can also be done manually. For this you will need:
- a mandrel in which the spike will be placed prior to installation. A thin-walled tube with an inside diameter slightly larger than the body of the stud will do;
- tire support. A piece of wood clamped in a vise with a rounded top is ideal;
- hammer and patience.
Installation is simple. The spike is placed in the mandrel, installed at the landing site, hammered. In this case, the tire is put on a support, which serves as a stud stopper.
The mandrel is needed to make it more convenient to hammer in the spikes, not to hit the fingers, in particular. It is ideal to nail the spike in one blow, controlling the verticality of its entry into the rubber. With proper skill, the work is not difficult.
When studding manually, you can moisten the stud landing site with a small amount of machine oil to make it easier for the part to enter the rubber.
Precautionary measures
The first thing to remember is that you cannot ride on a tire until the soapy solution is completely dry. It will take several days for the absorption process. After installing the tire, in order to normalize the position of the new spikes, it is best to drive about 300-350 km, moving at a speed of no more than 60 km / h. Thus, it is guaranteed that the spikes will not fall out in the first days of operation.
Most motorists believe that tire studs cannot be replaced. And for a long time this opinion was absolutely correct.
After all, it’s true, it’s pointless to put standard spikes in the old holes. The elasticity of the rubber will not be enough to hold the spikes, due to the wear of the holes.
In addition, the height of the tread can be different. And if it is less than 8.5 mm? It will not be possible to find a typical spike of the required size, because the height of its body is at least 8.8 mm. Accordingly, the body of the stud will protrude above the tread surface and subsequently the stud will fly out under the action of a force tangential to the tread surface of the tire.
"Restading" - the second life of studded tires
Wear resistance of repair spikes
Absolutely natural is the fact that the spikes lose their performance before the tread wears out. The problem lies in the design of the spikes. They wear out along with the tread rubber. In case of uneven wear, the stud may “sink”, which deprives it of its main function - adhesion; or the spikes “grow” and they will simply be pulled out of the tire during a sharp set or slowdown. The average tread height of winter tires is 10 mm. (see fig. 1).
Savings in numbers
For winter tires, a minimum residual tread depth of 4 mm is acceptable. It turns out that the margin for wear is 6 mm, while the carbide insert is responsible for the wear resistance of the spike. Its length is about 5.5 mm, sometimes less. Approximately 1.2mm protrudes from the stud body to provide adequate traction, and another 1.3mm is inside the body to hold the insert.
Accordingly, only 3 mm remains for wear, in contrast to the 6 mm reserve for tires. Based on this, the studs must be changed when the residual tread height reaches 7 mm. Otherwise, the tires will have to be changed 2 times more often than necessary.
Figure 1. Dimensions of a car winter tire stud. Spike in section.
Figure 2. Dimensions of a worn stud on a car's winter tires. Spike in section.
The Tecom company has developed a technology for restudding
About studding technology
The Russian company "Tekom" developed the technology of restuding several years ago. Thanks to her, it became possible to replace inoperative spikes, or to install repair spikes to replace the fallen ones.
For restading (studding), special repair spikes are used, which are larger than standard ones, but, due to polymer parts, are lighter.
Figure 3. The body of the repair spike is short (6.8 and 7.8 mm), but its flange is increased in diameter to 12 mm.
Wear Resistant Polymer
The advantages of the polymer are that it is not subject to corrosion, does not decompose under the influence of an aggressive road environment, unlike steel and aluminum. And this makes this design much more reliable.
The main working element of the repair stud is a carbide insert, corresponding in size, that is, in terms of service life, to standard standard studs. This resource is enough until the tires are completely worn out.
Studding - procedure for replacing studs
The studs are replaced as follows: the remnants of old studs are removed from the tread, usually with the help of conventional side cutters; a repair spike is pressed in place of worn spikes using a special pneumatic gun.
Due to the fact that the size of the bushing and flange of such a spike is specially made larger than the hole, the degree of wear of the rubber does not matter.
Figure 4. With further wear of the tire tread to its residual height of 4 mm, the retaded stud insert will decrease in size by 3 mm, but the stud will remain fully functional.
The 9mm diameter polymer bushing ensures that the rubber fits tightly around the stud and transfers traction forces between the road and the tire.
Please note that the body of the stud must never protrude above the tread surface. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that it will last long in the tire.
What is a repair spike?
Restaded repair spikes are a special patented spike design (patent #132039).
Designed for re-studding winter tires.
The restading process itself is similar to the process of studding new tires, the main difference is the design and shape of the repair stud. It consists of three main parts. This is a polymer sleeve, a wear-resistant element and a metal case.
The wear element is a tungsten carbide-based hard alloy that is used for the main working part of the stud, and it is so strong that it can easily cut through asphalt without breaking.
The metal case is necessary to fix the stud in the tread and hold the wear-resistant element.
Rather auxiliary, but no less important role is played by the polymer sleeve. The bushing serves to distribute loads between the stud and tread, sets the initial stud orientation, and fills the worn hole in the tread rubber.
When interacting with the road, the polymer bushing with the body flange counteracts the lateral load Rp on the repair spike, preventing it from tilting (see Fig.), which improves grip with the road surface.
Repair spike tests
On the test base of the Tekom laboratory and on the roads of the North-West, tests were carried out that showed the reliability of holding the repair stud in the tire tread no less than with factory studding.
The length of the braking distance, when comparing standard and repair spikes, also turned out to be equal.
Open presentation
We hiss everything that can be hissed - car tires, off-road, mud tires, motorcycle tires, tires for ATVs and special equipment, shoes and more.
We hiss on our own, on equipment from Germany, in a specially built room. Our craftsmen have been chiseling for over 10 years.
We use the factory technology of studding into new holes and the patented technology of re-studding with repair studs into old holes.
The cost of studding depends on the technology of studding and the selected stud. Which technology is best for you, we can tell by looking at your tires.
The cost of a full tire studding into new holes is 650 rubles. for one tire, regardless of the number of installed spikes, or 12 rubles for 1 special repair spike installed in the old hole.
The rest of the tread height must be from 6mm for high-quality stud installation.
Technology of factory studding in new holes:
Re-studding technology with a special patented spike into the old hole:
Prices for full studded tires:
| Spike size and type | Type of spike | Price |
| Repair spike 8mm or 9mm high. For re-studding into an old hole. The polyamide insert is firmly glued into the tire during operation.This spike serves several seasons, does not break off and does not fly out. |  |
12 rub / spike |
| 10-11mm glass, suitable for tires with mileage, sits very firmly in the tire, withstands large overloads and extreme driving. The best option. | 650 rub / tire | |
| 12mm, double-flange, glass, due to its shape, this spike is held in the tire very firmly. Suitable for high or little worn tread. | 1000 rub / tire | |
| 13mm double flanged with oversized carbide insert, good for car and ATV mud tires. |  |
1500 rub / tire |
| Cargo 15-17-20mm, three-flange spike, for large trucks and jeeps. (About 96 spikes are installed) | 2500 rub / tire | |
Recommendations to the customer for tire break-in during the first 500 km:
When driving a car, avoid sudden acceleration and braking, as well as slippage. Observe the speed limit of no more than 60 km/h in the city and 90 km/h on country roads. If possible, try to pass tram tracks, crossings, as well as other obstacles on the road (speed bumps, pits, etc.) at the lowest possible speed.
Stud life depends on tire condition, tire age, model, tread height and driving style.
Full preparation of the car for winter operating conditions includes the replacement of rubber. Most often, wheels with built-in spikes are used for this, providing increased stability and control of the machine on slippery surfaces.
Periodically, there is a loss of individual metal elements, which negatively affects the operation of the vehicle. In such a situation, it will be necessary to restore the spikes on winter tires with your own hands in order to restore the original properties of the slopes and not buy new wheels.
It is necessary to independently install the stud only in winter tires prepared for this operation by the manufacturer. This is due to the denser rubber material used in the manufacture of such wheels.
In car dealerships, you can find winter ramps with mounting holes, into which it is possible to mount elements that increase the frictional properties of the wheels. This method is the most efficient and practical. Also, young motorists are often interested in whether it is possible to restore the spikes on winter tires with their own hands, because the holes for them have increased after the departure of the old spike. For such a situation, special repair kits are used.
The formation of holes for spikes occurs with the help of special equipment, one of the components of which is a drill with the ability to adjust the rotation speed.
Choosing the right spikes
There are many types of inserts for winter tires. When choosing them, you will need to take into account more than one characteristic of the product. The distinguishing features of the spikes include:
- material of manufacture;
- geometric shape;
- departure parameter for the installation plane;
- combined or all-metal construction;
- estimated quantity for installation on one wheel;
- power characteristics;
- attachment configuration.
The most common type of inserts consists of a body part (glass), which is in contact with the rubber layer of the wheel, and a core. Glasses are made of special plastic or metal. The core material can be as follows:
- steel alloy;
- Aluminium alloy;
- hard materials;
- hard polymer.
Falling out of its seat occurs for various reasons, such as a weak factory fit or a long drive on an asphalt road. After that, the loss of one or more elements is possible, and the landing nest is subsequently increased.
The use of aluminum inserts is acceptable for snowy or icy road surfaces. When driving on an asphalt road, their significant deformation will occur.
One of the most popular forms was diamond inserts in the wheels. The name was taken solely because of the multifaceted structure of the product; in this case, the material used is not precious, but traditional.
Special conditions
The correct choice of repair studs must take into account the wear of the base surface of the tire, so the protrusion of the working head is usually 1.3 mm above the rubber.
When installing, you will need to comply with the norm, which regulates the number of metal elements in the amount of up to 60 pieces per linear meter of the wheel. In terms of a thirteen-inch slope, the maximum is 90 units, and for a sixteen-inch slope, one and a half hundred.
Individual assembly
Independent work will save about 40 ... 50 rubles for the repair of one spike. Such a cost can be found at professional service stations.
To work in a garage, you can use one of the following methods:
- manual method. In the work it is allowed to use a special key to speed up the process, we also take a hammer, a screwdriver and a soap solution. This is the most budget option for almost any motorist. Its advantage is that the costs are only in the material.
- Semi-automatic operation. The spikes are screwed in with a low-speed drill or a screwdriver with a special nozzle. Productivity increases, however, you need to keep the spike in the correct position so that it enters the hole without distortion.
- Automatic way. For work you need an air gun. Its function is to screw the material into the seat under high pressure. At the same time, the productivity is maximum, but the disadvantage is the high cost of equipment, which does not pay off with single procedures.
When working in any way, the wheel surface is pre-wetted with a warm soapy solution, which facilitates installation. The pistol separator is filled with the required number of spikes. During the procedure, you will need to keep its working axis as perpendicular as possible to the surface to be treated.
With the manual method, we carry out an independent marking of the points at which installation is supposed. It is convenient to do this with white chalk or a proofreader, which is sold in any stationery store. With fine sandpaper we clean the problem area, and with a short awl we develop a hole. After wetting the selected area with soapy water, we carry out installation.
After fixing the spike in its hole, we measure the protrusion above the surface with a caliper, and if the value is overestimated by more than 1.5 mm, we plant it deeper. It is convenient to do this operation with the help of an aluminum plate, pressing the upper point through it.
The operation is repeated at each point. If any of the spikes entered unsuccessfully, then it must be removed with pliers.
Conclusion
It should be borne in mind that, in most cases, universal stud designs with a radiused working part are used for repairs. This type of product does its job, but the efficiency, unlike the original design, is reduced by 10...15% due to the lower possibility of adhesion to the coating.
After installing new elements, the wheel should remain at rest for 10 ... 15 days, which will provide maximum coverage of the surface in the landing slot. Even after installing the wheels on the car, a break-in period of 200 ... 300 km must pass, during which it is not advisable to exceed a speed of more than 80 km / h. Also at this time, you should not use an intense driving style.
The average cost of a repair kit of 100 pieces is approximately 2000 rubles. Less high-quality batches from Asia of 500 pieces are offered at a price of 3,500 rubles. However, the service life of the latter will be lower. The restored wheel is usually effectively used for 2-3 seasons.