siping tires

[rfuree11]

i know that it involves making grooves in M/T's, but ive never seen it done...does anyone have pics? I might get it done on mine (even though it IS fun going sideways in the rain) because i do a lot of snow wheeling and in some places it is pretty hard-packed, plus it could help me out in the rain in the summer

 

[MattStarr]

cant remember if it was on this site, but im pretty sure it was.... there is a pic of BFG mud terrains siped... i would suggest a search... i KNOW there is definately a pic somewhere

 

[glfredrick]

I used to run a bulk milk truck in western Wisconsin rural country. It is very hilly there (one drive had a 260 foot drop at 18.5 % grade!) and I had to run 7 days a week, year around, no matter the weather.

I ran tire chains for about 100 days a year just to make it up and down the hills... AND, I ran siped tires.

Siping made all the difference in the world on that truck, and with it I could pull off an ice covered hill from a dead stop without tire chains. Without it, I was dead in my tracks.

It also tends to let the tread last longer on tires (because they run cooler) and it gives a better contact patch on the road surface.

Here are a couple links - incliuding one where the guy did his own at home.

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/TireSiping.shtml#Introduction

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/sipe/

http://www.can4x4.com/articles/siping.html

http://www.kaltire.com/retail/services/siping.php

http://www.4x4review.com/tech/siping-install.asp

http://www.rockcrawler.com/features/baldwin/jan98/jan98.htm

 

[rfuree11]

thanks for the links

 

[james t]

Sipping can also increase the life of the tire, although it really isnt enough to notice.