Repairing stair tread with dowels

[Dauph]

Hi,
I have to repair a stair tread that has split along the front edge.
I'm thinking of putting glue in the split, then putting a couple of screws in to close the split. Then using five dowels to reinforce the join. Finally removing the screws and filling the holes.
The split is about 3 cm from the front of the tread, so I figure I'm going to need 6 cm dowels.
I've never made a dowel joint so was wondering how tight a fit they are, and whether I'm going to have a problem inserting the dowels? What would be the best glue to use?
Does this sound like a sensible solution? Any recommendations/advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Dauph

 

[foxhole]

Glue and screw. Dowelling unlikely to improve it.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

Wood glue is extremely strong so I would expect dowelling to work fine. I suggest Gorilla glue. (but you might as well leave the screws in anyway, and fill over the heads)
Why would you have trouble inserting a dowel? Drill hole, insert dowel! it should be 'gently tight'.

 

[Dauph]

Thanks for the replies.
I was worried that if I just used screws and the filled over the heads, the filling would drop out sooner or later, as it's a high traffic area? The stairs are bare wood, not carpeted so there is an aesthetic element here as well.
I figured I would leave a bit of dowel protruding and then file/sand it down to match the profile of the tread's front edge.

 

[lostinthelight]

I figured I would leave a bit of dowel protruding and then file/sand it down to match the profile of the tread's front edge.

you do the same to cover the screw heads , you need a plug cutter and countersink where the screw are going same size or fractionally smaller than the plug.
litl