Studded tire maintenance: when to repair and when to replace
When studded winter tires are in use, it’s common to lose some spikes. Experts advise that this is not a disaster and that repairing or replacing spikes is often straightforward. With decades of automotive reporting behind them, analysts explain that studs can be reinstalled using simple repair kits, and new studs can be inserted into the tire holes and secured firmly in place.
Before heading to a store or marketplace for a stud repair kit, drivers should understand a few essential points. Skipping these checks can mean wasting time and money on a repair that isn’t needed or will fail prematurely.
- First, assess tire wear. It matters whether the tires still have enough tread to justify studding. If the tread depth is too shallow, studding may not be advisable at all. For those calculating options in North America, a tread depth around 4.5 mm or less means new tires are a better choice, while studding might be reasonable only when tread depth sits roughly between 5.5 and 6 mm.
- Next, consider age and elasticity. Tires that have aged around seven to eight years lose elasticity and grip, reducing safety on winter roads. Spending effort on studded tires older than six years is often not worthwhile, and the tires can grip poorly in old rubber, with spikes becoming loose more easily.
- When the first two checks are satisfactory, determine the correct stud repair pin length. The required length depends not on tread depth but on the depth of the holes that hold the studs. A precise measurement can be taken with a caliper for accuracy.
- If only a handful of spikes are missing, it may not be worth restoring the entire pattern. In practice, re‑studding is usually considered only when a tire is missing a substantial portion of its spikes—typically around 15 to 20 or more.
Market options for studding devices exist, often marketed as doshipuns. A review of the seven most popular models has appeared in automotive publications, and readers can find detailed tests in recent issues of genre magazines [Za Rulem, Doshipuny review].
New issues and reviews for studding devices frequently appear on various marketplaces and automotive outlets.
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The information in this article draws from a feature by automotive writers Mikhail Kolodochkin and Alexei Revin on the topic of studding devices, originally published in a recent issue of Za Rulem.