studding tires without a stud gun??????

Is there a way to do this!

I've looked at the screw in studs from Aerostitch = $$$$ OUCH!

Looked at car/truck studs and where the price is right, you need (or at least it appears) a studding gun.

My thought...
take a center punch and drill a hole in it to accomodate a regular stud end and use it and a mallet to hammer the studs into the correctly drilled tread on the knobbies, instead of a pneumatic gun.

Possible?
Anyone ever stud non-screw in studs into a tire WITHOUT a stud gun?

Not possible. You have to spread the hole open to fit the stud in. I have studded a few tires in my day and no amount of hammering was going to insert that stud.

Here is how wide the base of the stud is:

There are pleny of good screw in type now...but from what I see you are better off buying them made..
You couldn't get a stud in by hand with a small enough whole to keep the stud in....!

I've never studded tires (they are illegal in Illinois) but I understand that you need a pneumatic gun to fully seat them because of the shock the gun gives helps the stud set up fully in the rubber tire.

I'd try talking to a local shop to see if they can do it with their gun, or let you borrow/rent their gun. I suppose the other cheap way would be to make/modify a punch for an air hammer and try that.

Nonwithstanding the impossibility of doing that with a hammer, I have to add the drilling part......You need a very high speed drill to do so, the one we had ran at about 20,000 RPM , anything less will just tear uneven holes into the rubber. But a Dremel should work.

In my early days as a grease monkey they were just starting with the studded tires, so most winter tires did not come with holes for the studs, we had to do it ourselves. To this day I'll always remember the annoying noise of that drill, the little burning rubber rockets hitting our hands and......the stench.:huh

I have never seen a tire come with wholes even now..??...

I've read about people just using sheetmetal screws and screwing them into the knobs.

Lots of tires come with holes for studs in them but you have to get a winter or offroad tire to find them.

The gun itself does two things it spreads the hole open with 3 jaws and then jams the stud into that hole with a piston. So the important function that you can't do with any normal tool is spread the hole open.

What the others said about getting them in without the proper tool - impossible.

I studded a set of TKC-80s for my KLR a couple of years ago, drilling the holes with just a standard drill, but clamped a depth gauge on the bit so the depth was correct and consistant. I used a Bruno Wessel gun to insert the studs themselves:







They worked well.... but the table turned somewhat. Icy/snowy roads I had decent traction. Dry roads was akin to riding on ice if the bike was heeled over too far.

Like which ones.??..I don't think you can get the in the USA.?. I have about 12 studded and spiked tires in my garage..
I was checking them out last night and seeing which ones will get mounted.

rivercreep I didn't notice you were in PA..you can buy the studded tires made for about $150.00 a tire..

http://www.motorace.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=M&Category_Code=SWT

You'll have a helluva time getting any motorcycle tires that come with stud holes already drilled in them, if it's even possible any more. Some tire shops will do the drilling and studding for you, but it's gonna cost some $$. I can stud a set of light truck tires with pre-molded holes in about 15 minutes, but drilling adds an hour or more for each tire, and it sucks to do. Like H96669 said, the smell stays with you for a while afterwards.

Those tires from Motorace would be the hot ticket, but jeez-Louise they're spendy!

Do you have any links to those other good screw in types?
Aerostitch seems pretty pricey to me.

Thanks!
James

i run the 3/8" Kold Kutters for offroad (NOT FOR STREET!). 1 stud per knob and they last a while. multiple studs per knob and it'll shed 'em. ..you could try it on an old knobby first and see if you like them... the worst part is mounting/demounting the tire. wear heavy pants and gloves, they will tear you up.

anyone want me to stud up a tire for them? i can do one on a 1 or 2 race take off shipped to you for around $70.00

Thanks Bro!
I'm looking for street biased studs for my commute.

street based studs don't protrude from the tire more than maybe a mm if that... if you ride on dry pavement at all, studs can get very scary. studded motorcyle tires on the street is very scary overall. in the dirt, it's no big deal as the studs are much more aggressive. on the street it's downright dangerous.

But, compared to riding on ice without them = much less dangerous. (I commute year round without regards for the weather)
Came around a corner this morning and hit an icey patch from some guys sub-pump output that ran into the street. WHEW!:huh Not expected when there isn't any bad weather.
Anyway...thanks for the responses you guys!

I commute near you (upper Bucks Co, PA) and hidden ice patches from run-off and such are a way of life around here.

Just got my hands on a stud gun, new tires should show up tomorrow. Hope to stud them in the evening and mount. I will keep you updated on the details...

yep, but the problem is reversed with studs. the dry pavement gets slippery. the biggest thing is not to get a false sense of confidence because you have studs....