Studded Tires: Good deal?

**bossass** · 01-13-2008, 08:20 PM

Thinking of getting some. Saw some on the CL for $200. Winter King, studded, on steel rims, "barely used".

**Cruiser** · 01-13-2008, 08:52 PM

Yup, if they fit your car, go for it! Studded snows will completely change the way you drive in the mountains. It's not that you can or should drive all crazy and agressive, but the traction you get with studded snows takes all of the stress out of it. I love being able to switch between regular tires and snows in 20 minutes in my garage at the drop of a hat. Do it!

**bossass** · 01-13-2008, 09:09 PM

Word. I'm a bit freaked out at my "new" subie's lack of traction on ice. I thought the AWD would do better and I have pretty nice, new all-weathers on there. Anyway, I had a little fender bender on the drive down to the highway from the meadows lot. I was going like 2 mph, cause there was a lineup to get out and the dude in front of me stopped dead. I slammed the brakes, the anti-locks kicked in, but I must've been on sheer ice. I think I actually accelerated. What should have been a little, "oh shit, I'm really sorry" bumper to bumper, ended up being the same thing, but me sliding under the bumper of his jacked up tacoma. Probably did at least $1000 of damage to my car, bent the hood, bent the fuck out of like two inches of the quarter panel, busted headlight and sidelight. At least nothing happened to his car and he drove off.

I'm thinking studded tires would've prevented this.

**uglymoney** · 01-13-2008, 09:17 PM

If your Subies new and your going to keep it I'd spring for a new set of good long lasting snows on some decent looking aluminum wheels? Even if you get steel take offs in the long run its only the cost of the wheels that you have to eat. The wear on my Yoko snows is no worse than the wear on the OEM tires that came with my car (shitty Bridgestone Potenzas that have already been retired). My Yokohama 'silica enhanced' snows are on their fifth winter and they still kick ass on ice and they still have enough tread to rally in the snow - though I'm sure studs do even better...

**uglymoney** · 01-13-2008, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by bossass

I slammed the brakes, the anti-locks kicked in, but I must've been on sheer ice. I think I actually accelerated.

BTW, I think the four channel abs on subies is actually too fast in some conditions. In slush and deep snow it doesn't stop the car very fast because the tires don't lock up long enough to pile snow up in front of them. While experimenting I sometimes turn off the key quick to disable it in deep snow/slush and notice that the car stops faster. On ice though it seems to work well with good tires. Hopefully I never have to pull the key trick in a real situation.

**Cruiser** · 01-13-2008, 09:30 PM

I've got to disagree with you here, uglymonkey. Boss, buy the cheap snows from CL and make a habbit of taking them off during periods of dry weather. Even cheap snows wil last half of forever if you swap them out with your regular tires for everyday dry-weather driving.

That sucks about the little "fender bender". I've been really pleased with my subie's abs since I switched to studs for the snowy / icy days. It's not that the car doesn't begin to slide, it does. It's just that it is so much easier to either stop it or correct it once the sliding starts...

**bennerlur** · 01-13-2008, 09:35 PM

^^^^agree with all of that, loved my studs last year, most of the time cheap studs work just as well as ssuper nice, expensive 'micro sype' winter tires.

One word of caution though, about using studs on a dry road. If you have to slam on your breaks going pretty fast, the studs can scrape along the road instead of the rubber. the studs dig in a little bit and throw sparks everywhere, but they are actually just keeping the rubber of your tire from finding the road.

**uglymoney** · 01-13-2008, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by Cruiser

I've got to disagree with you here, uglymonkey. Boss, buy the cheap snows from CL and make a habbit of taking them off during periods of dry weather. Even cheap snows wil last half of forever if you swap them out with your regular tires for everyday dry-weather driving.
.

Yeah, your not really disagreeing with me though since I don't really disagree with you

I'm just throwing out another option. Since his car is new now would be a good time to get new snows. $200 dollars is pretty cheap though, will probably work for him. Certainly doing nothing is the worst option of all. Having a Subaru with all season tires is like shooting a D2x with cheap glass.

BTW, I've got an impact wrench and a nice jack and can change my tires in minutes, but I only change them once a season because to do more would be pointless with the Yoko's. They live long happy lives even on dry roads.

If you don't have the snows on when you need them, they are pretty worthless, and if you have snows that wear out in a season or two like the original Blizzaks did your probably going to wear out on the idea of having snows after one pair.

Really, I have no personal experience with studs other than what I have heard. Some people love them. A suby with good snow tires without studs is still pretty damned bomber.

**Platinum Pete** · 01-13-2008, 10:12 PM

Bossass - I've replaced body panels and headlights on your vintage of Subaru several times. It is not hard, and Portland's plethora of Subarus means that the U-Pull-It is pretty well stocked with parts in descent shape and many colors. If you want a hand getting your ride back in shape, I'd be happy to help.

**sfotex** · 01-13-2008, 10:24 PM

Had studs on my Forester last winter in Montucky. I was really really happy with them. Only got the car to slide once, in the front of my house, which was literally a sheet of ice, and even then I was able to come to a controlled stop...

Got snow tires on my outback this winter, they ain't studs by any means, but I'm in Salt Lake vs. Montana now, so the driving conditions are different...

**pointedem** · 01-13-2008, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by bossass

Word. I'm a bit freaked out at my "new" subie's lack of traction on ice. I thought the AWD would do better and I have pretty nice, new all-weathers on there. Anyway, I had a little fender bender on the drive down to the highway from the meadows lot.

I'm thinking studded tires would've prevented this.

Studs would have prevented this. Remember AWD does absolutely jack shit for you when braking in the conditions you describe. AWD's advantage is for going, not stopping.

I have Yoko ice guards on my subie, they rule.

**plugboots** · 01-14-2008, 12:15 AM

Get studs and you won't go back. I'm partial to Hakkapeliittas, but it probably doesn't really matter. Getting the steel rims you can swap yourself is a plus. Done.

Hugh Conway · 01-14-2008, 12:20 AM

just drive like a gaper and save $300.

-signed someone who was almost plowed over in a PDX crosswalk with a walk sign when someone with studs couldn't stop.

**bossass** · 01-14-2008, 12:23 AM

I should clarify. The quotes around new meant new to me. It's a 99, I got it for about $3k. And now that it has a lazy eye in the front, I don't give two shits about how steel rims look. I'd probably leave them on all winter and pull them in late march or april. My concern is taking my ride to some out of the way places like Baker and BC.

**bossass** · 01-14-2008, 12:28 AM

Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

just drive like a gaper and save $300.

-signed someone who was almost plowed over in a PDX crosswalk with a walk sign when someone with studs couldn't stop.

I was driving like a gaper, pretty much in the parking lot. I have to say my 96 Tacoma 4wd (no anti-lock) stopped soooooo much better on ice/snow. They other thing I'm not feeling with the subie is turning the wheel on ice. The wheels turns, but the car keeps going in the original direction. There was some invisible ice at the market in Welches this morning. Went to turn into a parking spot and had this happen. I wasn't going fast at all. I can deal with being very cautious at speed, but the super low speed poor grip is fucking with me.

**Aenigma** · 01-14-2008, 11:23 AM

I used to just have all-seasons on my Outback, but when I switched to studded snow tires last winter it was a night and day difference. From what I've felt, acceleration and cornering benefit more from the switch, but braking is still noticeably better. As long as you're in the snow or ice, everything is better, and the only drawback I can see is the noise on dry roads and the cost. But if they save you from one fender-bender or get you to the trailhead a few more times it's all worth it.

**Toadman** · 01-14-2008, 12:31 PM

I would think that a decent set of snow tires would be sufficient for your AWD Subie. Certainly a vast improvement over the OEM Potenzas that come stock.

**kokomas** · 01-14-2008, 04:56 PM

i just put some snow king tires and steel rims off of CL onto my xterra. same price, would do it again. made it much easier to get through idahos luge runs on a recent trip. (although they have their limits, i came around a bend about 60 mph onto deep ice and ended up in a potato field.) after i learned my lesson it is not to bad doing 40-50 on most roads and 30-40 on twisty ones. i had to drive them on dry roads for a 1000 miles or so and they seem to be holding up. the studs are still good although a bit of the tread is starting to get eaten away