Do-It-Yourself Studded Tires, Boots

Do-It-Yourself Studded Tires, Boots TIRES/WHEELS Miscellaneous 34-2-31 Why slip on ice when you can install your own studs on boots and tires? Maxigrip metal studs can turn any rubber surface into an ice-crunching cleat. "Maxigrip studs are the perfect answer for any vehicle that lacks the clearance for chains, such as skid steers, forklifts and the front ends of ATV's and tractors," explains Matt Noyes, Wallingford's Inc., U.S. distributor for the Swedish product. "Often you can put chains on the rear end of an ATV, but if you don't have them on the front, the steering is gone. You dig in with the back, but can't steer with the front. The Maxigrip studs eliminate that problem." The studs consist of a hardened and galvanized hexagonal screw with a special hard metal core. It's screwed into the tread of a tire and should always be shorter than the tread to begin with. When properly installed, a stud leaves about a 1/8-in. tip above the tire tread surface. The studs are available in 8 different lengths to fit nearly any tire and even boots. Noyes recommends checking for legal restrictions regarding studded tires. The studs can be removed as easily as they are installed. "You can take them out without any damage to the tire and then reinstall the following winter," explains Noyes. "The rubber closes up." The company recommends two to three studs per contact patch on a tire with most tractors requiring around 100 studs. A larger ATV or small tractor tire will require between 50 and 100 studs. A package of 200 is priced at $221.65. A pair of boots will use a package of 16, priced at $16.32. Prices vary by size. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Wallingford's Inc., 1010 Kennedy Memorial Drive, Oakland, Maine 04963 (ph 207 465-9575; www.wallingfords.com). In Canada: UDI Equipment Inc., 219-A, Boul. Talbot, Laurier-Station, QuÚbec G0S 1N0 Canada (ph 418 728-2050; toll free 888 728-2050; www.udi-equipment.com).

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