Tire Siping - Any Good?

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Went into my local tire dealer to inquire about tires for my DC. He recommended that no matter what tires I choose, they should be "siped", that is, cut fine across the tread at intervals of about 3/4" if I remember correctly. Claims that it helps with better braking and road grip on rain or ice. Also claims longer tire life due to cooler running. Has anyone tried this? What are your results? Any and all replies gratefully appreciated. Cheers, Pete.


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'97 2500 CC 4x4 5spd 3. 54LSD all stock except K&N Air, EGT&Boost Guages - next Psychotty & 4" exhaust

 

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I've been getting all my truck and car tires siped for five years and feel it's well worth the $7 per tire that my local Les Schwab charges. It's sort of scarey to watch them put a $180 tire thru those spinning blades though,the cuts are rather deep. I haven't run studs since I started siping and have had no winter traction problems. My oldest siped tires have about 60k on them and look good for 40k more. I'll continue to get all my tires siped.

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95' 25004X4,AT,Driftwood,Banks,Warn fender flairs and running boards(Play truck)95 3500,5 speed,driftwood,Banks&phscotty,34,000 GCVW apple and tractor hauler(work truck)

 

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Jack,
the claims are right on! Been doing this with my jeep for years (to extreme rock crawling) and the tires really hook up.

 

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Bill and Mike: Thanks guys for the feedback. I expect I will try the siping on my next set of tires. Cheers, Pete

 

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Call me skeptic, but... If siping is so good, why don't the tire manufacturers do it at the factory? If siping is not just a bunch of hipe, they could advertize and prove that their tires are better than all the others.

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98. 5 2500 QC LB 4x4 5spd, white. BFG 285x75x16
Cummins 24v w/ TST PowerMAX w/EGT and Boost gauges on A-Pillar. VanAaken CPC. K&N In the factory air box. Stock Injectors, Stock Exhaust (complete with rattling baffles in muffler). Re-routed breather stink tube, 2WD-low kit, SnugTop, JJ Stainless Running boards, Tow Hooks, Bushwacker Street Flares, and a Cup Smoothie.
70,000 miles (8/25/00)

 

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Sean,many tires in Europe are factory siped,many cars there run on diesel. Maybe we're missing something here in the US.

 

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Several years ago I used to ice race cars. The hot set up was to take a new pair of snow tires and get them siped. Being snow tires (soft open tread) the quickly "opened up" when driven on the road. The first set I had siped lasted about 10,000 miles. We learned our lesson and didn't drive them on the street anymore.
But, if you are considering a "hiway" type of tread, you may experience different results. The place that siped our tires does alot of big truck tires. Several new ones come that way.

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'94 3500 4x4, 201,000 miles, Never had a cat, Auto w/shift kit (currently under remodification), 3. 54 Gears, TST #5 plate, 235-85-16s, Rancho 9000s w/remote, Isspro gauges inplace of cupholder & Amsoil Bumper to Bumper. NRA member.
"Warrantee? We don't need no stinking warrantee!"

 

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Sean,
Most tires do have sipes. Mud and performance street tires generally do not.
Ever notice all those little slits in the middle of each tread block of your tires?? Those are sipes. BFG's A/T for example have em, M/T's do not. Factory siping is far less than what you get when you have em done on a siping machine. Too many sipes compromise dry performance and increase tire squirm. Which is probably why mud and performance tires do not have em. Mud tires suffer enough from this problem. And performance tires need all the rubber they can get. .

On the other hand, you'll notice a ton of em on snow tires. ie. . Bridgestone BLIZZAKS, Michelin Alpines. These tires even go so far as to offer multicell rubber compound. Which is a billion tiny air bubbles injected into the soft rubber while its still in a liquid form. Sorta like oxygenized fuel.

The downfall again. . is wear and dry performance.

The concept of multicell or sipes is to allow the film of water between your tires and the ice to be "Wicked" away... thus putting the rubber in direct contact with the surface... Sounds odd, but rubber can actually have adequite traction if this principal is done effectively.

And all this time... you thought it was the ice itself that kept you in bed on a monday morning #ad
When all this time it was that thin layer of water on top of the ice. .

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98. 5' 24v 2500 Auto/3. 54 4x4 SB QC. Everything but leather. PIAA 1200's, AMSOIL dual filter relocation system, Smittybuilt Stainless Steel Nerfs, Rhino Liner(Junk), K&N air filter(For Sale)15 year AMSOIL dealer. Time permitting, Soon to include Ultra-lite Pyro,0-50lbs boost, Trans temp in the pillar. Rancho 9000's with in cab adjustment.

 

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www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/bz1_bz2_aa.htm

 

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My 245/70-19. 5 Michelin XZE's are siped and came that way.

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98. 5 3500 QC 4x4, Driftwood/Mist Grey, 5 spd, 3. 54, 19. 5 Alcoa's, Ranchhand bumpers, DeeZee toolbox, "Scotty Air", TST PowerMax2, VA, 275's, Autometer Gauges, Centerforce clutch, Upgraded fuel lines (JRE and Aeroquip), MagHytec Diff Cover, PacBrake, Cowl Induction Hood