Best tire groover?

[Corbet]

Anyone with any experience with hand held tire groovers? I want to improve my Cooper ST Maxx tires for winter use. Would like to split all the inner lugs in half to double the bitting edges. Not just sipe them. $200+/- price range.

 

[Rzeppa]

@Uncle Ben had a really good writeup with pictures when he grooved his swampers some years ago. I don't know if he monitors our forum much any more, maybe contact him direct? This was WAY before MUD, maybe it was in Toyota Trails? LCML days for sure.

 

[DomOfTheDead]

I use a 120v model I have had for years and love it. Just recently, I cut my Cooper STT pro's and it brought new life to them

 

[ScaldedDog]

I've used one like this (https://www.amazon.com/Ideal-902-00...mzn1.fos.304cacc1-b508-45fb-a37f-a2c47c48c32f) on two sets of Pitbulls, and it's worked well.

Mark

 

[BritKLR]

I use a 120v model I have had for years and love it. Just recently, I cut my Cooper STT pro's and it brought new life to them

That right there is a good idea for a event demo or workshop. Would love to see this work in person.

 

[DomOfTheDead]

That right there is a good idea for a event demo or workshop. Would love to see this work in person.

Cool idea. I will look into setting this up

 

[Corbet]

I've used one like this (https://www.amazon.com/Ideal-902-000-Tire-Groover/dp/B004AW7XYU/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=tire+groover&qid=1701143209&sr=8-5&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.304cacc1-b508-45fb-a37f-a2c47c48c32f) on two sets of Pitbulls, and it's worked well.

View attachment 123702

Mark

were you able to make full depth cuts in one pass? And how long per tire if you recall.

 

[ScaldedDog]

were you able to make full depth cuts in one pass? And how long per tire if you recall.

I could across each lug, though my cuts weren't quite full depth. Probably something like 1/4 - 5/16" deep. I'm thinking each tire took 30-45 minutes, but that's a little fuzzy.

Heat is your friend when using one of these. Start with a fresh blade, let it get hot, and work on the tires indoors and in as warm a state as you can reasonably get them.

Mark

 

[Corbet]

my detached garage without heat then should be perfect this month.

 

[ScaldedDog]

my detached garage without heat then should be perfect this month.

LOL! You could do it, but I think it would take longer and require a little more muscle. Try one, though, as I could be wrong. I've always done them in the spring, on a warmish day.

Mark

 

[Corbet]

OK, I ordered this guy today with #2,#4 blades. We’ll see how it goes soon-ish.

Pistol Grip Groover / Siper Kit - Keyser Manufacturing

keysermanufacturing.com

 

[DomOfTheDead]

OK, I ordered this guy today with #2,#4 blades. We’ll see how it goes soon-ish.

Pistol Grip Groover / Siper Kit - Keyser Manufacturing

keysermanufacturing.com

View attachment 124656

this is the same model I have used for long time, quality product.

 

[ScaldedDog]

@Corbet, you inspired me to work on my Pitbulls some more, since tons and stickies are losing out to all the other things that need money around here. I deepened the existing grooves, and grooved every lug I had just siped before.

View attachment 20240104_184407.jpg


I'm not a weight weenie, at all, when it comes to tires, but this effort did put them on a diet:

View attachment 20240104_183751.jpg

I was doing it in my 50* shop. I could have gotten it warmer, but was having to work hard enough that I didn't want the heater on. You'll figure this out, but a respirator is your friend, as is ventilation. No pun intended, but you're literally burning rubber, and only a few inches from your face.

Mark

 

[Corbet]

Just cut my first tire. Added grooves to interior lugs and on the exterior I ran a double sipe line on the lugs opposite the studs. Those are hard to see.