studded tires

Studded Tires that pull in their nails

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The latest innovation in studded tires

Imagine you're driving along and notice that funny gleam on the road known as black ice... not only do you slow down, but you shake in your shoes. You've purchased good mud and snow tires, but without chains or studs on your tires, black ice or heavy ice on the roadway is like having no traction at all. You would use studded tires, but it's an infrequent occurrence in your area and the damage to roads as well as owning two sets of tires is just not something you're willing to do.

Innovations every day are coming available for the public, and one of the newest ones on the market that should be offered by the winter of 2008 are re-tractable tire studs. Yes, push of a button and you have studs on your car, another push of that button and you're no longer damaging the roads.

Use of studs

Tires with studs are used in many areas where heavy snowfall and heavy ice is a regular occurrence during the winter months. The problem is when the snow and ice disappear during warmer days the damage to the road surface from studded tires is immense. Plenty of research has gone on concerning the use of tires with studs and damage on road surfaces. Repairs amount to billions of dollars in tax funds for the Department transportation that could've been used in building new roads instead of resurfacing ones that haven't lasted but a few years.

Now, a South Carolina, USA, based company, Q. tires, has developed tires with retractable studs, reminiscent of the gadgets seen on early spy films. Q. tires calls its new invention, Celsius Tires, and really feel they are a safe way to save lives and the roads.

The new tire technology deploys studs on demand by extending the studs to the surface of the tread when needed and retracting them below the tread surface when no longer required. A secondary air chamber installed within the tire when inflated pushes the studs to the surface. The air in the main chamber is forced into the secondary chamber, putting pressure on the studs when a control switch (RF signal) in the interior of your car is activated. When retraction of the studs is required, the air is expelled via a valve attached to the second chamber. The amount of air is small enough that you'll only need to add air to your tires after 20 to 30 times of retracting the studs.

Celsius retractable stud tire

Legal Problems

The biggest obstacle Q. tires is facing is getting laws passed to allow these tires to be used where normal tires with studs are restricted or forbidden. Most existing laws designate a period during the winter months when consumers may use studs on their vehicle.

Because these are retractable, they're very advantageous to skiers, frequent travelers, and can be used as mud and snow tires on a regular basis. 12 states have already passed laws that allow retractable studs in tires all year and a major US retailer, Costco, has stopped selling studded tires to promote the "environmentally responsible" retractable ones.

Watch out James Bond

Many consumers are going to look forward to their new James-Bond-style retractable studs coming in the winter of 2008. Q. tires is approaching other independent tire dealers in addition to Costco to expand their distribution and allow more people to have the option of needing only one set of tires for year-round use.