I'm taking a detour from my chronology of events to discuss my "toads" bald tires. When we lived in Colorado, I had a set of 4 studded snows put on my toad. Then had them removed and the street tires put back on which are now bald. If it were not for the austere times we live in, I would just buy new tires, but I've got these snows with plenty of tread and studs! Normally, I would just have them mounted and be on my way, but the wife won't ride with me in Phoenix with studs clickety-clackety-ing as we go. No problem. I'll just have Discount Tire "de-stud" them. Well, no such thing exists here in Phoenix anyway. Ok, I'll pull them out my self. Here is a picture for your enjoyment -
Plier's or vice grips will not work. Some web-site recommended softening them up with soap which I didn't try. Imagine trying to pry a slippery stud out. The best method is shown below:
Yep, a small regular slot screw driver and a good padded glove. You've got to dig down along side of the stud and get the end of the screw driver under the flange of the stud - see below:
Then pop them out. Make sure your wear safety glasses as they can fly out and hit you in the eye causing you to spend all you saved doing this job on the doctor. Figure about 40 minutes per tire. I recommend doing 1/2 of the tire with one hand and the other 1/2 with the other hand. This way both hands are equally sore the next morning.
I'm off to Discount Tire to have them put on the old "toad".
Well it took another day before I got the tires on, but here it is... and a picture of old "Gumby" the Toad.
Gumby has 135,000 miles now. I'd say she's a 10 X 8, that is a "10" at 8 feet. :O)
Plier's or vice grips will not work. Some web-site recommended softening them up with soap which I didn't try. Imagine trying to pry a slippery stud out. The best method is shown below:
Yep, a small regular slot screw driver and a good padded glove. You've got to dig down along side of the stud and get the end of the screw driver under the flange of the stud - see below:
Then pop them out. Make sure your wear safety glasses as they can fly out and hit you in the eye causing you to spend all you saved doing this job on the doctor. Figure about 40 minutes per tire. I recommend doing 1/2 of the tire with one hand and the other 1/2 with the other hand. This way both hands are equally sore the next morning.
I'm off to Discount Tire to have them put on the old "toad".
Well it took another day before I got the tires on, but here it is... and a picture of old "Gumby" the Toad.
Gumby has 135,000 miles now. I'd say she's a 10 X 8, that is a "10" at 8 feet. :O)
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