I'm getting ready to put new tires on my X ... a change out for something more suitable to getting off road ...

My tire dealer has recommended that I 'sipe' the tires before installation ... apparently, that's cutting tiny grooves across/through (?) the tread to enable the tire to lessen its aquaplaning tendencies ...

Because of terrible draingage here in the Dallas area, there is always lots of water on the roads, whether on the surface streets or the freeway system, after our normally heavy downpours ...

Would doing this 'sipe' job be of any benefit and worth an additional $10.00 per tire ? ...

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Pepper Kay
"All my X are belong to me"
SWXC #39

[This message has been edited by pepper kay (edited 04-30-2001).]

In terms of water performance, siping is good. In general, the more sipes a tire has the better the tire's ability to dissipate water from the tread. Water will collect in the grooves and the centrifugal force of the spinning tire will fling the water away from the tire.

What kind of tires are you getting? I know certain tires such as the BFG AT K/O & Goodyear AT/S already come with siping and tires like the BFG MT T/A & Yokohama Geolandar MT do not.



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Paul Crescini
http://www.lil-pino.com/xterra.html

Yeah, I'd just as soon get tires that come siped already than to to the trouble and/or cost to have 'em siped afterwards. The new Interco TruXus tires are pretty agressive and siped. They're something between an AT and a full MT, more towards the MT persuasion though. Looks like what I'll be after when my BFG AT KOs wear out in a coupl e more years.

Brent

i have the BFG MTs that are not siped and they are pretty bad in the rain. if you are intent about getting that tire that isn't siped, i would pay the money to have it done. that or break down and look at other tires.

BTW, i saw the Truxus tires this weekend on SEXterra's X and they look to only be 2 ply sidewall and 6 ply tread. which is not how they are being advertised. strange.

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Synchro (aka Kirk)
2000 Alpine Green 4x4 Auto, ARB, Warn XD9000, 32" BFG MTs

I noticed that different size trXus tires have different ply rating. The 31x10.5 has a 6 ply rating. the 235/85R16 and 285/75R16 have a 10 ply rating. The other two are 8 ply. See http://www.tyres1.com for more info.

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Gary
MMI Alpine Green XE IIIpk IVxIV V-speed
Xterra Galactica

I've not made a decision yet on replacement tires ... I know that if I were to ask, I'd get a gazillion different opinions ... so I'll wait just a bit, then ask ... gonna do something though within the next 2 weeks ...

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Pepper Kay
"All my X are belong to me"
SWXC #39

I've been "debating the tire question" for months now... I'm still not any closer to deciding. Heh.

I'm starting to like the Mickey Thompsons with the gnarly sidewall tread, though - as overpriced as they are, so are BFG's.

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01SE 6cyl 5spd SolrYelow

from reading the side of the tire this weekend it specifically says that the 31x10.5R15 has a 2 ply sidewall. it does have 6 ply on the tread.



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Synchro (aka Kirk)
2000 Alpine Green 4x4 Auto, ARB, Warn XD9000, 32" BFG MTs

About the siping thing, A buddy of mine just put 33x12.50 on his rig and had them siped.
They are great for on-road durability,rain,etc.
However if you do plan on doing a lot of wheeling,rock crawling in particular, I would suggest from his experience on not doing it just because everytime we go we count all the new chunks he's spun off. These tires aren't going to last long at all.
I would rather have big tuff lugs too dig in rather than all the little wimpy sipes that just get torn off.
This is just one opinion great on-road, horrible off-road.

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2 ply sidewall. That barely makes them an LT. They say the carcass is the same used in other tires, but they don't say which ones. Very interesting. Still waiting to see a review on them in a 4-by mag.


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Gary
MMI Alpine Green XE IIIpk IVxIV V-speed
Xterra Galactica

FYI, if you read TSL Radials or SSR's very closely, they say the same thing--2 ply sidewall. It's just two very, very thick plies.

If you notice on Interco's website, the plies are not listed by number, but rather by rating. I don't know how the TrXus compares to SSRs or other Swampers in that regard.

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Vikram/gothamist -- MAXC member
http://www.4x4LO.com

P.K. -
Siping can improve wet weather traction but there is a trade off. The tread blocks are 'softened' and will break up under hot, high speed driving or dry, extreme traction (off road) use.
If you lived in a cool, wet climate siping might be OK - not how I would describe Texas.

dave and Xtoy - tire manufacturers know more than tire stores

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In my experience extra siping is a rip-off. The store is just padding their profit out of your wallet. Buy a tire with sipes already cut by the manufacturer. Don't get suckered.

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"You are talking about the non-sensical ravings of a lunatic mind."
-Frederick Von Frankenstein-

My BFG MT's came siped by BFG. No additional charge from Discount Tire.

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C6H5OH

Did you ask Discount tire to sipe them for you or did they already come with them?

I'm considering the MT, but I drive through a lot of snowy/icy conditions in the winter and need a tire that's siped.

I'm also considering the Trxus or Thornbirds since they are already siped, but the Trxus doesn't come in the size I need since I have a 16" rim.

Do It Yourself siping and lots of good info.

Steve

I wouldn't sipe and AT tire and only sipe an MT if you are going to be driving on the road a lot with them and in water. As other noted, extra siping makes the tread blocks easy to break off when offroading. Siping will also likely make your turn-in response int eh dry a bit more mushy and less responsive.

If you are determined to have MT's and drive on them all the time you could consider just having part of the tread siped. The tire shops can just sipe certain sections of the tire if you want. I run Pirelli Scorpion AR's and can tell you there is absolutely no reason to put extra siping into them. Same with the BFG AT's. I don't know about all the different tires but the Yokohama Geolander AT's aren't highly rated for rain driving so they could maybe use some siping anyway.

Whatever you do, don't base your decision on what the tire people say. If siping were as great as they make it sound the tire manufacturers would do it in the factory.

When I got new tires I was looking for a good MT that would handle well in the rain and snow too. I live in Oregon and it Rains a lot, but I also do a lot of skiing in the winter and was looking for the best all around tire. I went with the Goodyear MT/Rs because they are a mud tire that comes pre siped and they got better ratings than both the BFG Tires.

I have a set of TrXus and they do not work very well on wet pavement. They are much more like an MT than AT and the large lugs to do provide as much surface area contact as an AT. Also because they're more like an MT, they're loud and suck gas. I only use mine when I offroad and during the winter when I go into the mountains a lot. They actually work fairly well in soft snow. Again, not so well in companct snow/ice where lots of surface area is better than big lugs.