DIY Tire siping to tow vehicle

[fseventy]

Antbody use a homemade method to sipe the tires on your tow vehicle for better traction at the ramp? Most of the stuff I see on the net says to use a hot knife, but a utility knife with the blade cut down supposedly works as well. <br /><br />Cuts to be 1/4 inch deep on new tires, 1/4 inch apart, and not less than 1/2 inch from the front and rear of each tread block.<br /><br />Tomorrow I think I will modify a utility knife blade and start cutting. Everything I read about siping says it's a no loose proposition unless it invalidates your warrantee. Better traction in all road conditions, smoother ride, and decreased wear.

 

[rwidman]

Re: DIY Tire siping to tow vehicle

If there's no down side to siping, why aren't tires made that way to begin with?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: DIY Tire siping to tow vehicle

Wouldn't it be easier to take it to Les schwab, or Firestone and have it done right....JK

 

[fseventy]

Re: DIY Tire siping to tow vehicle

To answer both of your questions... cost. It costs the manufacturer to add siping, as it is not part of the molding process. It needs to be a seperate cutting process, and that takes time and costs extra for the machines.<br /><br />My place I bought my tires at wanted $15 per tire to sipe them. I don't make $60 an hour at my job, so I don't mind spending the time to do it myself. Plus, I enjoy doing the work myself vs. paying someone. This kind of stuff is relaxing to me.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: DIY Tire siping to tow vehicle

My last set of siped tires had cuts somewhere around 4 to 6 per inch, if I recall correctly. That's about your 1/4 inch spacing as you stated. That's a LOT of cuts! I can't imagine sitting there making all those with a single blade utility knife...much less straight and consistent in depth. But great patience can accomplish much. Let us know how they turn out!<br /><br />I will admit they worked well and offered a lot of traction. Most benefit I found was on icy roads...not so much at the boat ramp, but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: DIY Tire siping to tow vehicle

When I still raced stock cars we would sipe the tires. It wasn't legal but helped quite a bit. I did notice that the tires didn't last as long, some of the sipes tended to "chunk" out. We did it as you describe, with a blade.

 

[EZLoader]

Re: DIY Tire siping to tow vehicle

I had my new F250 tires "machine siped" at Les Schwab for $13 per tire. I wouldn't want to do this manually for that price. The machine cuts were perfectly uniform in depth and spacing. Les Scwab warrants the tires and siping. They told me there would be no loss in mileage, just improved handling in all road conditions. I noticed a difference in cornering and stopping which was a big improvement over my unsiped tires. If you do it yourself, what happens to your tire warranty?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: DIY Tire siping to tow vehicle

I just bought tires from Les Schwab a few months ago....I think siping was 10 bucks apiece....I'm handy with a knife having done lots of floor-covering, but it sounds like a awful lot of work to me.....I would get it done professionally, but if you have the time & a hankerin' to whittle....Git 'er done.. ....JK