To Sipe or not to Sipe.......
- Thread starter bskey
- Start date
I only worked for goodyear for about 2 years, so take this with a grain of salt. ADDITIONAL siping is only for poorly designed cheap tires, or those that you are using for a different purpose than originally designed. i.e. siping the middle blocks of mt'r's to get more block flex. However, you take away some of what you bought the mt'r for, but you have to decide if the trade off is good for you.
Tread compound is also really important, as that is what gives a good deal of the traction in lower temps. That is why blizzaks are so successful. They stay soft to lower temps.
The T/A is a GOOD all-round tire, and is hard to beat. However, find the lower mileage rated one if you can, as it has the softer compound. I would never sipe a tire, but that's me. I figure that those companies have huge engineering budgets for a reason!
j
Tread compound is also really important, as that is what gives a good deal of the traction in lower temps. That is why blizzaks are so successful. They stay soft to lower temps.
The T/A is a GOOD all-round tire, and is hard to beat. However, find the lower mileage rated one if you can, as it has the softer compound. I would never sipe a tire, but that's me. I figure that those companies have huge engineering budgets for a reason!
j
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
BFG MTs, yeah, siping takes them from scary unsafe to pretty darn good. They will chunk a bit though. DAMHIK.
GY MT/Rs, totally unnecessary. You will only make them chunk. They are a great winter tire.
BFG ATs, not really necessary but probably would help a bit.
Be SURE to have a good tech sipe them should you elect to do it. Some of the high school dropout variety tire guys over-sipe which damages the tire and lowers tread life.
All based on experience with these particular tires.
GY MT/Rs, totally unnecessary. You will only make them chunk. They are a great winter tire.
BFG ATs, not really necessary but probably would help a bit.
Be SURE to have a good tech sipe them should you elect to do it. Some of the high school dropout variety tire guys over-sipe which damages the tire and lowers tread life.
All based on experience with these particular tires.
Bill mirrors my experiences with these tires and syping exactly! I have heard of folks in states with a lot of freezing rain issues syping AT's with much success but for here it will cause serious chunking.
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Be at the December meeting!
I personally wouldn't sipe BFG A/T's. More cons than pros, not worth the effort.
Rzeppa
Rising Sun Member
I wouldn't sipe BFG A/Ts, waste of money. They already have siping molded in. M/Ts are another story altogether. Makes a world of difference on M/Ts.
meeting: Wednesday December 5 Stevenson Toyota West I-70 & Colfax 7:00 pm
tires: I used to think BFG A/T's were the best, but that's really not the case any more. There are lots more out there to consider, and in fact BFG's have even developed an unwelcome side with some... Those Nitto's Nay mentions are worth thinking about. Also Yokohama Geolanders do really well, but you may have a problem balancing them. If I were to buy another all terrain, it would almost have to be Toyo Open Country AT's at this point.. they wear well, balance well, and from what I've heard do great in all conditions. They're not free though but a lot of that depends on what size you're going for.
tires: I used to think BFG A/T's were the best, but that's really not the case any more. There are lots more out there to consider, and in fact BFG's have even developed an unwelcome side with some... Those Nitto's Nay mentions are worth thinking about. Also Yokohama Geolanders do really well, but you may have a problem balancing them. If I were to buy another all terrain, it would almost have to be Toyo Open Country AT's at this point.. they wear well, balance well, and from what I've heard do great in all conditions. They're not free though but a lot of that depends on what size you're going for.
Rzeppa
Rising Sun Member
Heh. My friend Lance Williams at Iron Pig Offroad has an expression he likes to use - "If they don't say 'Interco' on the sidewall they're not real off-road tires". Personally, I think siped BFG M/Ts are pretty decent all-terrains that wear better than Intercos.
