Siping tires who has experience - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

john@thepier · 02-12-2012, 05:30 PM

Like the title says, anyone here with experience siping tires. I plan on buying some mud tires and want to do some siping on them for better snow and ice manners. Would like to go with manual siping over the machine siping. Anyone? John

CG · 02-12-2012, 05:48 PM

I don't know much about tires, but when I go in to Les Schwabs when its time for a new set they always ask me if I wanted them siped. I don't understand if its such a good thing to do why dont tires come siped from the factory?

Sorry I don't have an answer to your question, but I'm anxious to hear what comes up in this thread. Thanks for bringing this up.

Restrorob · 02-12-2012, 06:15 PM

Living down here I had to look it up to see what it was, this is what I found; http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...view/index.htm

**Stocker** · 02-12-2012, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CG

I don't know much about tires, but when I go in to Les Schwabs when its time for a new set they always ask me if I wanted them siped. I don't understand if its such a good thing to do why dont tires come siped from the factory?

Sorry I don't have an answer to your question, but I'm anxious to hear what comes up in this thread. Thanks for bringing this up.

Many tires do have factory siping (usually not mudders though). Adding more is a huge cash cow for tire shops, and Schwab is known to be one of the more aggressive dealers in marketing this service. I always decline...

Good question though... I'll be watching this too in case anyone has done theirs manually.

**fine69** · 02-12-2012, 07:40 PM

Never even heard of this??? I have bought a lot of new tires and have never had it offered.

jeffg1010 · 02-12-2012, 08:37 PM

I've done it to dirt late model tires. It's really simple. A lot of teams sipe their tires to get the desired "bite" for various track conditions. You use a hand tool that the tip gets hot and it cuts through the rubber ... like butta'. There is different tips you can use that will change the groove pattern. I am sure 4x4 tire companies sell their own versions with deeper groove options

I can't give much advice other than to tell you it's pretty simple. Never done it to 4x4 tires though.

Sub-versive · 02-12-2012, 09:45 PM

It will cause premature wear, may cause uneven wear(tires can feather).

Personally, I would recommend buying a set of Blizzak's for snow and ice, and save the mud tires for the mud. I would have never thought this before this winter, after running a set myself.

**edit

I forgot to mention, I was driving through 8" of snow with my 2wd Trailblazer. No chains. I never would have believed it.
Some ice in areas, these are the best winter tires I have ever had. I used to run studded tires, but they hydroplane when it rains.

Axle · 02-12-2012, 10:11 PM

I've done it with a utility knife to a set of mud tires I had. Made a world of difference on hardpack and slippery surfaces. I just cut ~1/8-1/4" deep, whatever I could muster and cut across the threads to get two or three cuts across each block.

I've also since switched to a winter tire. (Arctic Claw--off brand Cooper. Two thumbs up).

Alex.

Coley · 02-13-2012, 03:31 PM

We used to do this all the time for ice racing in Minden, Ontario.
It is very effective but you had to use new 'sticky' tires for it to be effective. As well the tires were usually pretty aggressive to start with....ie: snows for sure and the preferred victims were Blizzaks because of their soft outer compound.
We used a razor knife and took a whole bunch of time...but it worked like crazy. You have to get yourself a nice comfortable chair and a whole bunch of high quality razor knife blades and tuck in for several hours.
A 2wd car with fully siped (and tractionized) tires on a flat surface would outrun any 4wd with street tires....easy.
My two bits.
Coley

lyrikz · 02-13-2012, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john@thepier

Like the title says, anyone here with experience siping tires. I plan on buying some mud tires and want to do some siping on them for better snow and ice manners. Would like to go with manual siping over the machine siping. Anyone? John

Sub-versive has it right. I run a tire shop. We do not recommend siping or do siping. It speeds up wear, increases noise. Its just a service they push to up thier average sale. Its like when they do brakes and recommend replacing the rotors/pads/calipers when they change your brakes.. Just not needed.

Axle · 02-14-2012, 09:19 PM

Quote:

I run a tire shop. We do not recommend siping or do siping. It speeds up wear, increases noise.

I siped becuase I had a set of tires not up to my performance standards, and buying a replacement set of tires was not in the cards. So I'd rather improve what I already had.

Noise? Well, they did have an odd screach when I was getting every last cent out of them. =-)
Wear? Nothing out of the oridinary that I noticed. But, I'd rather put up with extra wear and a better performing tire than prolong the agony of a not as grippy tire.

But it comes back to what and why your are siping. Sounds like the OP was in the same boat I was in when I did mine: Had a set of mud tires that needed to get used up.

Alex.

02-12-2012, 05:30 PM	#1
john@thepier Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Posts: 970	Siping tires who has experience Like the title says, anyone here with experience siping tires. I plan on buying some mud tires and want to do some siping on them for better snow and ice manners. Would like to go with manual siping over the machine siping. Anyone? John

02-12-2012, 05:48 PM	#2
CG BlahBlahBlah Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wa. Posts: 20,044	Re: Siping tires who has experience I don't know much about tires, but when I go in to Les Schwabs when its time for a new set they always ask me if I wanted them siped. I don't understand if its such a good thing to do why dont tires come siped from the factory? Sorry I don't have an answer to your question, but I'm anxious to hear what comes up in this thread. Thanks for bringing this up. __________________ … … … … … … … … ... … … … … … … … … … … …

02-12-2012, 06:15 PM	#3
Restrorob The One And Only !!! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hole in the woods Florida Posts: 4,567	Re: Siping tires who has experience Living down here I had to look it up to see what it was, this is what I found; http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...view/index.htm __________________ 93 Jeep XJ 88 Buick La Sabra Toys; 88 TA-GTA in the works.... 97 GMC Ext. Cab 502 Crate 5 Spd......Sucks Gas But Haulz Azz ! The primary function of an Engineer is to make it difficult for the Fabricator and impossible for the Mechanic. *"Why go out preserved when you can go out beat up, worn out, sliding in sideways screaming, Holy Sh!t What A Ride" !!!*

02-12-2012, 07:40 PM	#5
fine69 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Urbana,Ohio,USA Posts: 4,618	Re: Siping tires who has experience Never even heard of this??? I have bought a lot of new tires and have never had it offered. __________________ 2008 Chevy HHR 1/2 panel. 1949 Chevy Panel truck(just sittin, waiting) Board member #6

02-12-2012, 08:37 PM	#6
jeffg1010 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Mooresville, NC Posts: 2,677	Re: Siping tires who has experience I've done it to dirt late model tires. It's really simple. A lot of teams sipe their tires to get the desired "bite" for various track conditions. You use a hand tool that the tip gets hot and it cuts through the rubber ... like butta'. There is different tips you can use that will change the groove pattern. I am sure 4x4 tire companies sell their own versions with deeper groove options I can't give much advice other than to tell you it's pretty simple. Never done it to 4x4 tires though. __________________ Jeff 1972 Blazer CST 2wd- My son Sam's Project "S" Project "S" 1970 Suburban - SOLD "One Bad Burb" Photobucket Album 1986 C30 Crewcab - 63K original miles, original paint Members I have met: mikey531, gcburdic, bashed, burbman69, TonyPieras, Blazester, GCncsuHD, custombuilt67-72, tsnow678, highrpm, PanelDeland, tanman722001, 47thriftmaster, babyblueoval, 68stepbed, JesseWebb, Andy4639, xs-style, TobyArnot, BigOrange, frednoah, brn_agn, k5hart, Graham57a, bhelton, AJohn6, SilverC10, 69CST, '71 Flame, RaceAGMC, Liz, Josh, MattPSU, 68corvair, Chevy350V8, mdeal, ccrorymc, mrhurt73, dmxxpert, Custom68, 84GMC, BionicABs1, BigBlockBurris, Ebfabman, ATP...

02-12-2012, 10:11 PM	#8
Axle Registered User Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SW Ontario Posts: 1,214	Re: Siping tires who has experience I've done it with a utility knife to a set of mud tires I had. Made a world of difference on hardpack and slippery surfaces. I just cut ~1/8-1/4" deep, whatever I could muster and cut across the threads to get two or three cuts across each block. I've also since switched to a winter tire. (Arctic Claw--off brand Cooper. Two thumbs up). Alex.

02-13-2012, 03:31 PM	#9
Coley Registered User Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Victoria, B.C Posts: 3,794	Re: Siping tires who has experience We used to do this all the time for ice racing in Minden, Ontario. It is very effective but you had to use new 'sticky' tires for it to be effective. As well the tires were usually pretty aggressive to start with....ie: snows for sure and the preferred victims were Blizzaks because of their soft outer compound. We used a razor knife and took a whole bunch of time...but it worked like crazy. You have to get yourself a nice comfortable chair and a whole bunch of high quality razor knife blades and tuck in for several hours. A 2wd car with fully siped (and tractionized) tires on a flat surface would outrun any 4wd with street tires....easy. My two bits. Coley __________________ ....for some men, there is experience, skill and effort....for the others...there is visa and UPS LOL 1966 Chevy 1/2 ton (Florida- Red/white) 1972 Chevy 1/2 ton (California- Blue/white) 2005 Chevy Silverado HD2500/Duramax 2000 Dodge Ram 1500



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