35" BFG's To sipe or not to sipe

[_AJ_]

I'm running a set of 35x12.5 BFG KM2's on my 7.3 Excursion and have about 5000 miles on them. Tires are wearing well and run quiet but I'm looking for a bit more traction on the ice. I tow a 4 place enclosed and find myself chaining up alot to be on the safe side. Some say yes and some say no way but I haven't really heard any good explanations as to why.

My thought is that siping the center tread blocks could provide a bit more traction and possibly extend the tread life.

Any thoughts??

AJ

 

[STAFFORDIRT]

yep sipe em, you'll be happy you did!

 

[rmk2112]

I'm running a set of 35x12.5 BFG KM2's on my 7.3 Excursion and have about 5000 miles on them. Tires are wearing well and run quiet but I'm looking for a bit more traction on the ice. I tow a 4 place enclosed and find myself chaining up alot to be on the safe side. Some say yes and some say no way but I haven't really heard any good explanations as to why.

My thought is that siping the center tread blocks could provide a bit more traction and possibly extend the tread life.

Any thoughts??

AJ

I am a huge fan of siping. More so for winter traction than the cooling it allows in summer driving. The cuts allow the tread to spread out a bit and grip uneven surfaces better ad well as more flex and give for more grip on the ice. I've ran unsiped tires before on a friends rig in the winter with the exact same tires as mine ( BFGoodrich A/T 295/70 17 ) and there was a definate difference in the amount of traction and handling that I could feel.

 

[H20SKE]

This should not be a question--but a statement----SIPE'M

I use to have a set of these exact tires on my 72 chev 3/4 4x4 and never slipped a tire!!

H20SKE...

 

[chas6663]

sipem, I got toyo works real good till I get about 30,000 but that is another topic, think I will go with bfg next time

 

[tomx]

I had my BFGs sipped on my last truck, can't tell you what it was like without'em sipped but with they killed it.

 

[hughesfoundation]

I have those same tires and would agree with all here to SIPE. At 25k I think I will go in and re-sipe, does anyone have good or bad to say about a second sipe????

 

[adrenaline junkey]

I have the same tire a winter set and a summer set. I had mine drilled and studded couldn't believe the difference it made and i pull a 28 foot enclosed

 

[_AJ_]

Called up Discount Tire here in Burlington and they got me right in. It took 1 hr to sipe and balance all four tires. $12 bucks each. Got it done and they look great. So far, can't feel a difference on the road. I will load up the trailer this weekend and put them to the mountain.

Thanks for the feedback. I much appreciate the real world opinions on this forum.

AJ

 

[hornson3]

sipe em

 

[mrquick68]

flame away, but i'm not a fan of sipping on Diesels. Too much torque with diesels = chunks missing on sipped tires. Just what i've heard and read. I personally run 36" Goodyear DuraTracs on my 08 Duramax and they are animals in the snow. Best snow tire i've ever run bar none big truck. lots of full depth factory sips, which seem to hold up better than the Discount Sips.

 

[STAFFORDIRT]

flame away, but i'm not a fan of sipping on Diesels. Too much torque with diesels = chunks missing on sipped tires. Just what i've heard and read. I personally run 36" Goodyear DuraTracs on my 08 Duramax and they are animals in the snow. Best snow tire i've ever run bar none big truck. lots of full depth factory sips, which seem to hold up better than the Discount Sips.

HMMMMM........I have a diesel putting out 800ftlbs of torque, run off road alot, with no problems of chunking on my 37's.......I am very sold on siping, and when they are 50% gone sipe them again!

 

[JETJOHNSO]

extreme winter tire test

for those of us who ride greenwater ALOT, we know siping works, we've had many a night doing tires test to get back out over the "matterhorn". I personally sipe the centers and stud the outsides, I pull a 29" triton with 5 sleds in it, Only had to chain up twice in my 30 + years of riding, both times at greenwater, The matterhorn seperates the drivers, those that can and those that "think" they can, LOL I think staffordirt will agree

 

[sidehil]

Siping is the only way to go, I have it done on evey rig we drive.

 

[Seeyacop]

Why aren't they siped from the factory? If there is no downside to it then why don't all season tires come this way with lateral sipes instead of just the tread design sipes? Just curious....seems like it works and is a good idea but it doesn't make sense to me why they don't come that way.

 

[RAMBOB]

Sipe the middle, stud the outside x2

 

[mrquick68]

Why aren't they siped from the factory? If there is no downside to it then why don't all season tires come this way with lateral sipes instead of just the tread design sipes? Just curious....seems like it works and is a good idea but it doesn't make sense to me why they don't come that way.

exactly my thoughts! is it a tire mfg conspiracy not to sipe?

 

[harf69]

im a really big fan of buckshots have them drilled for an extra set of studs so you have 4 rows per tire if your going to run on ice ie the matterhorn then get 2 sets of tires winter and summer when you sip a tire your wear goes roght out the window jmho

 

[idaho ride]

i used to work for les shwab, and i agree with most of the guys here by saying SIPEm!! but i think your a missing the whole point of siping, and doing it could screw the life on your tire, instead of prolonging. yea it does give you a bit (very small) more traction but this is mostly concerning CARS with closer tread patter on wet roads NOT icy roads and not your BFG's.
the main reason you would sipe your tires, is to reduce heat caused by friction. by doing this you would get more miles out of the tire. (not a hard concept lol)

i have 37" toyo mt on my 6.4 and would NEVER sipe them. the pattern is too far apart, and although i do drive a healthy amount of highway miles, i do occasionally put it in the rocks and stuff. take a set of siped tires in the rocks and it will smoke em. dont call BS on this, i have seen it a ALLOT! also as one guy mentioned, if you put out a bit more power, as most diesels do (mine is 597hp/1050flbs) then you should NOT sipe your tires.

i have never had or needed a set of studed tires but if you really need more, that may be the way to go.
those are facts.

 

[idaho ride]

I have those same tires and would agree with all here to SIPE. At 25k I think I will go in and re-sipe, does anyone have good or bad to say about a second sipe????

the second sipe in alot of cases (depending on tread patter) could be more influential than the first time if your driving style and tire/vehicle match has agreed with the siping so far, i would hit em agian at your 50% mark. for the guys that are not sure where the 50% mark is, go get a tread measuring tool from auto zone $1.99 and measure it with that. might have to stop by the tire shop to see what the measurement is band new.