Siping Tires?

[Jupiter Rover]

has anyone Siped there tires? is it recommended?

[drewclare25]

thats mainly for like rock crawling and stuff i think?? You doin any rock crawling in fla?

[SCSL]

I run TrXus, which are already siped. But I've got friends running siped BFG MTs and GY MT/Rs. Siping helps maintain traction on slick roads, and also on rocks (though I'm skeptical as to how much this really helps.. don't see too many pro rock crawlers w/ siped tires). Typically, however, this is done for roads in places that are typically wet and/or icey. I haven't heard negative feedback or regrets from anyone who has siped MT-type tires for this purpose.

[300bhp/ton]

What is Siped??

[LR Max]

Ok, so, here is what I've gathered from what I've heard about siping. If I am wrong, correct me.

Overall, siping is good unless your tires are bald.

Sipings are the cuts perpendicular to the tread pattern on a tire. All siping is a knife cut on the tire tread.

This does a couple of things:

First off, improves traction ALL THE TIME. The siping is like little lugs and help with traction. Not just off road, but on road too. In fact, siping is mainly used in states with harsh winter weathers. Most tire shops have a siping machine in house and can sipe tires quickly. This is the origin of siping; driving on winter roads. Now when you think about traction, you mainly think about going forward. Traction also helps with turning and braking. Siping helps improve safety. Safety=good.

Another unusual, but logical benefit is that siping improves cooling of the tire. Everyone knows heat kills tires. And siping helps reduce this. This is another benefit of siping. They prolong the life of the tire. Me being cheap=good.

I haven't heard any negatives of siping. Only positives. Only catch is everyone I've talked to says to go have it PROFESSIONALLY done. Otherwise you might end up just cutting up your tire. From what I've heard, siping can be done at a shop (if they have a machine, of course) for a minimal price.

Go for it.

[KevinNY]

I siped my own Interco LTBs with an Ideal brand heated knife. You can get differnt heads and cut sipes or grooves to whatever depth you adjust the blade.

[TooSlowMonroe]

Part of my business is running about 11 18-wheelers and my drivers swear by siping. We ran a test, and the siped tires lasted longer and provided better traction, especially in snow and wet.

-Too Slow

[nfrey2]

There aren't any real disadvantages to siping other than its hell to do without the right tools, and even then its a very arduous and time consuming process.

[rmuller]

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...reSiping.shtml

When I get my next tires, I'm going to get them professionally siped I believe.

[300bhp/ton]

Cool, well this is something new to me. I don't think it's a very common practice here in the UK.

Only thing I wonder about is, if it's such a good thing why don't tyre companies supply tyres in this state in the first place?

[nfrey2]

alot of manufacturers so have some siping in their tires, but even by production standards it is a time consuming and costly task.

[Disco Mike]

After moving to Denver from Santa Barbara this year, I found my BFG MT's weren't cutting it on the snow and ice, went to Discount Tire and for $10 a piece they sipped my 265's and they are now pretty Damm good on those snow covered roads.
I have know for years that sipping helped on slick rock, now I am a firm believer in the process.
Mike

[Jupiter Rover]

oh k thanks MIKE your the man.

[dscwmitchell]

Originally Posted by 300bhp/ton

Cool, well this is something new to me. I don't think it's a very common practice here in the UK.

Only thing I wonder about is, if it's such a good thing why don't tyre companies supply tyres in this state in the first place?

Tire mfr's don't usually sipe M/T tires because they are typically used in a more harsh environment than an A/T or street tire. The siping can cause the lugs to chunk & thereby become less durable.

Siping is great for M/T's because it increases the tires effective footprint on the ground. It's hard to explain, but when you sipe the tires, (either manually, or have them mfr'd that way), it increases the square inches of "biting edges" that come into contact with the road surface. When the weight of the vehicle is put upon the tread of the tire, it causes the sipe to spread out or flatten against the road surface, thus increasing the area of the tire touching the ground.

Also, nowadays, the tire mfr's are doing some amazing things with rubber compounds in their tires. The Bridgestone Blizzak was the first snow tire to use a specific "ice" compound on the tread of their tires specifically to enhance icy & slick road conditions. That compound uses a combination of silica, (sand), & volcanic ash in it to increase the tractionablility of the tire in those conditions. What happens is as the tread wears down, the silica pops out of the rubber it's impregnated into & creates a microscopic void which acts as a tiny suction cup when placed on the road surface under the weight of the vehicle.

I know it sounds like B.S., but there is scientific evidence to support it. Plus it really works!

As a matter of fact, the GY TripleTred line of tires has THREE, (3), different compounds IN THE TREAD PATTERN specifically for the different conditions that those tires would be used in.

I got a little off-topic here, but just look at these different tread patterns, and maybe the siping question will start to make some more sense. The point is, mfr's do sipe, just not M/T's very often.

Wrangler s-a
wrangler mt/r
fortera triple-tred
eagle ultra-grip

Later,

Cliff

[Thor]

I want those Blizzak suction cup tires. I could drive up the glass and park on my 4th floor window!

Spider Rover!