Can studs be removed from snow tires and still be safely driven?
If the tires are relatively new, with significant remaining tread depth (more than 7/32-inch), removing the studs will probably be worth the effort. It can be accomplished by lubricating the studs (best to make use of the same tire lube used to mount tires, since other lubricants may actually harm the rubber) on an inflated tire, grabbing the top of each stud with a pair of pliers, and twisting as you pull the stud out. If the tires are older, with less remaining tread depth (less than 6/32-inch), the studs can still be removed in the manner described above but the reduced tread depth will have already significantly reduced the tires’ ability to bite into snow to provide good winter traction. Once the studs have been removed, the tires should be submerged in a water tank (as done with tires to locate punctures) or have its tread area sprayed with a window cleaner to confirm the absence of bubbles (the presence of continuing bubbles would indicate that the removal process punctured the
