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ANSWER: |
Dear Martin,
The Signature Series Stainless Steel is a good and durable stud for the price. There are some differences between the Gold Digger and the Signature Series. The Gold Digger has the patented 1" diameter cupped head which traps rubber in the cup area when installed. The Signature Series has a standard 15/16" flat head. The difference in head design is one of the main reasons for the difference in price. The Gold Digger is made from hardenable steel where the Signature Series is made of a hardenable grade of stainless steel. The Stainless Steel as a material is not as hard as the hardenable steel, but it is very close. The wear factors for both styles of stud will reflect this. They will be close in wear factors, but the Gold Digger will be slightly better because of the material. Both studs use the same 60 degree carbide pin in them. Another big reason for the price difference is that we incorporated almost all of the processes in house on the Signature Series to reduce cost. Where on the Gold Digger still has outsourcing costs. The last thing I want to mention is what each stud/stud design is intended for. If you take a look at the profile of each part you will notice a big difference in the taper from the pin down to where the threads start. On the Gold Digger this taper is very aggressive and on the Signature Series it is very blunt. The blunt taper of the signature series will not let it penetrate as well as the Gold Digger. Basically the Signature Series stud was developed with the intention of being used by a cruising rider. If you have an aggressive rider I recommend steering him or her towards the Gold Digger because it is a more aggressive stud. Both studs will last and be durable as long as the correct quantities and patterns are used, they are used with the correct Woody's backers, they are installed correctly, and they are maintained correctly. I know this is quite a bit of information and it covers some different aspects, but I hope it will help you make an educated decision on which studs to sell to which customer. If you have any further questions or concerns please reply to this e-mail or contact me on our Tech Line @ (989)689-4911.
Thanks,
Rod
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