OK... I just found out about siping tires (making small cuts into the tread to increase performance).

I'm wondering what people think about it here?

I've read all about the benefits, better ytraction, better braking
and longer tread life sound GREAT... but what (if any)
are the drawbacks?

I'm going to get some Continental ContiExtrmeme Contacts and I need to decide if I should get them siped or not?

Thanks.

 

The one downside I can see to adding addition cuts to the tire is a decrease is all-out dry traction. If the tires still have enough grip for you with the extra cuts, then go for it!

 

siping, or hand cutting tires is a bit of an art. typically, it's done to slick, or intermediate race tires to get them to perform better in wet or cold conditions. doing it to a street tire with as much tread as the Conti Extreme Contacts isn't going to net you much. however, doing it to something with the tread pattern of Falken Azenis, Bridgestone RE070s, or something of that that nature might yield very worthwhile results on the street and in the rain.

 

How much is siping?

 

It would be done at Discount Tire
by a machine (Saf Tee Sipe)

I think its about $13/tire...

 

links to some info I've found so far....

http://sipers.com/sipers/index_large.asp

http://www.tirefactory.net/saftee_siping.htm

Everything seems so one-sided...

I'd just like to get a "counterpoint" or opinion from someone that has had this done

 

okay, here is a pic of the Conti's tread pattern. notice all the small grooves, or sipes in the tire. it's going to be hard to get more in there, since it's an all season tire that's already designed to move a lot of water (which is what sipes are for).

 

now compare the tread pattern of the conti to an R-compund tire with a very aggressive dry tread pattern. this is the Pirelli Corsa tire.

 

looking at the Pirelli corsa, there is a lot of room between the tread blocks for additional cuts or sipes. the additional sipes would allow the tire to move water more effectively, thereby increasing traction on wet surfaces.

siping the Corsa would yield an increase in wet traction, at a slight expense in all out dry traction. siping the Conti would not yield the same increase in traction and performance, simply because there are already plenty of tread blocks to move water.

 

also would they wear more like a snow tire, becaue i have seen this in alot of snow tiires the more edges it has the better it grips at expense to wear.

 

ok i ama les schwab empoyee. we sipe tires, we have a machine that does it all. if you plan on going to tahoe or any snow, even in the rainy season here it does help emensly. it costs about 10 -13 dollars per tire. i recomend it i have it done on my 04.


Giligan

 

yeah, they would.