Stud machine broke. Now what?

[Juanito84]

I took my Golf in for some studded winter tires. But before the shop could stud them their machine broke. I bought these winter tires online (Goodyear 155/80R13, proper size for the diesel model, very hard to find). The shop can still mount and balance them for cheap, but without the studs.

Now I can probably run down to the next town with a tire shop (a couple of hours away) and have them stud them. But my question is if there would be any sense in mounting and balancing them first. Do they insert the studs with the tire on or off the rim? Will they need to be rebalanced?
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If a water cooled engine cools its water with air, isn't it just an overcomplicated air cooled engine?

[ps2375]

Last time I saw studs inserted, it was done with a hand held pneumatic gun. Can't believe they only have one. They will def need to be rebalanced and I don't remember for sure, but I think they did them dismounted. You might call the other tire shop and ask them what they prefer, mounted or not and driven on or not. I know not driven on is the best as that means they don't have to clean out the stud hole.

[Juanito84]

It's a small 2 car 3 man shop. And I tried pricing one of those guns; over $600 was the cheapest I could find, although I can get 1,000 studs for less than $60. I don't think jabbing them in with some pliers is an option. What about those DIY screw-in type like Gripstuds?

The shop says they can find a way to do it, maybe getting another gun, but they don't seem to be too happy about it. I'm just trying to see what my best option is. So far, this is the only shop that has been honest with me. I'd like to keep a good relationship with them. I think they are trying their best to do the same for me.
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If a water cooled engine cools its water with air, isn't it just an overcomplicated air cooled engine?

[73sports]

When I lived in Colorado, I worked at a Goodyear for a while. I had to stud tires, tedious work for sure. I don't think it would be worth the effort to try to do it without the proper tools. If you do use the tires, and then want them studded later, the stud hole will probably be filled with stones and gravel, and then it would be twice the work for they person installing the studs. If you local shop is in the business of doing this kind of work, I'd think they'd want to repair or replace broken shop equipment. I don't think they be getting a new stud installer just for your tires. We did put the studs in before mounting the tire.
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I will never lie, but sometimes the truth changes.

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