[Cal Metal]

Try this link Carroll for the do-it-yourself studded snow tires. I think these were for a mountain biking, but you get the drift of how to do it.


How To Make Studded Snow Tires
Sent by Johan H. after the big snowstorm of March 2001:
Some of you asked for these directions. I was e-mailed these a while ago from Jonathan B. and I think he pulled them off the internet someplace. I have added some things that I like best (added duct tape, using rounded pan-head screws) and have had success with. If you need anything else, just let me know.

What You Need

2 Old tires with big Knobs (Something with some knobbies still left on are the best and wider is better than narrow)
1 cordless drill 1 small drill bit 1/16" has worked for me
1 Phillips head screw tip for the drill
1 Box 1/4" Sheet metal screws (size #10 or whatever looks good) ***rounded pan-heads are best***
2 Boxes 1/2" Sheet metal screws (size #10or so) ***rounded pan-heads are best***
1 Tube epoxy
2 old inner tubes with cut off stems, slit open
2 hours to kill
How To Do It
Pick a line of tread to either line of the center for the front tire, and pick the same for the rear in addition to a pair of treads right down the middle.
Use the drill and drill bit to drill from the outside towards the inside of the tire through the knobbies. Do this carefully and make sure you can see all of the holes on the inside of the tire.
Pour out a pool of the epoxy onto a plate and place the Phillips-bit in the drill.
Note: You will be putting the 1/2" screws on the front tire and on the sides of the rear tire. The 1/4" screws will be set down the center of the rear tire.
Dip each screw in the epoxy and screw it into the tire from the inside out (the Head of the screw will be on the inside of the tire).
After each screw is set (making sure that the screw pops up in the center of the knobs you drilled in the beginning, not on the casing), I line the inside of the tire with a layer or two of duct tape as protection against flats.
Cut the valve out of the old tubes (DH tubes work well but are not really necessary) and split them down the middle.
Paint the remaining epoxy onto the inside of the tire where your DH tube/liner will be glued into place. The Easiest way to make sure it sets up right is to use an inflated tube and put it inside of the DH tube, then stuff all of that into the spiked tire.
Let it sit overnight and check it the next day, all of the screws have to be covered on the inside, and the glue must be mostly dry.
Put them on your wheels (BE CAREFUL, they can hurt a lot!), and check your frame and fork for clearance. IF they hit either one, you can use a pair of side-cutters (AKA "dikes") to snip off a little of each screw.
NOW go have fun in the snow and watch out for bare rock (it can be VERY precarious).
These tires are meant for riding on ice or packed snow. They excel on snowmobile trails and in Vietnam where the ice and snow are always tough. These tires are really heavy and you definitely notice the weight, but when the trails are ice covered they can really propel you down the trail and give you good traction on turns. On hard packed snow, they are not as big an advantage, but still help add traction over plain unstudded tires.


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More info Phil K. sent back in the winter of '99:
Here's an excerpt from something I wrote many years ago for Dirt Rag about studding tires. Two additional tips not mentioned below:

Stainless steel screws last longer.
Drink plenty of beer while making the tire so you don't get bored!
SNOW SHOES FOR YOUR BIKE:
Studded tires aren't absolutely necessary for winter trail use, but they add a lot of security, and if you're hoping for some lake riding, they're a must. In the extreme, a big screw impales each knob, adding up to about 250-300 screws per tire (and a whole lot of rolling resistance). For general trail use, you can easily get by with a 100 or so. Select tires with big chunky knobs, and put the screws in from the inside out. IRC studded Blizzards are pretty wimpy, so make your own.

Here are a few "Don'ts"

Don't use a regular screw driver. Beg, borrow or steal one of those rechargeable power drivers. You'll remain considerably saner, and you might actually get to use the tires before spring thaw.
Don't use flathead screws. The driver too easily slips off, and you'll soon find yourself cursing incessantly. Phillips head screws work best.
Don't forget to line your tires with brown Mr. Tuffy's or an old sew-up cut to fit or you'll get about 10 feet on your maiden voyage before flatting.
As to the appropriate size of sheet metal screw: if you want ultra-bite go for 1/2" by 6, while 3/8" by 6 does fine for general use. Hey SRP, Is there a market for titanium sheet metal screws?
Most important: use your head, ride with buddies, fill bottles with hot water, and keep PowerBars warm to prevent tooth breakage!




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