Tire groving

[Ratpatator]

So I have 37 inch general grabber red letters and they are about 50% or little less and for obvious reasons they are horrible in packed snow and ice. i don't want to go buy snow tires that I will use for a few months and then have to store so I bought a tire groover and added some grooves and sipes to the tread has anyone done this? How did it turn out? any suggestions on best way/placement of sipes or grooves to gain the most traction?

 

[CoronaRaptor]

They will never be good in snow or ice, the tire compound is wrong for that temperature.

 

[Ratpatator]

They will never be good in snow or ice, the tire compound is wrong for that temperature.

That's what I was afraid of.

 

[2014RubyRed]

That's what I was afraid of.

Siping will help a lot. They won't be the best tire for the snow, but they will be A LOT better. I'd run them!!!

 

[Ditchplains1]

Ratpatator,
Siping gives razor blade thin cuts in the tread. These thin cuts pack up with snow and the snow packed siping gives better traction...much like packing a snow ball yields a snowball that is adherent to itself. The snow in the sipes grips onto the snow on the ground giving better adhesion.
Larger cuts in the tread prevents the snow from packing into the grooves and gives little help. Indeed it will allow the tire to clear itself of snow...exactly NOT want you are looking for....
The cuts in the tread you picture is NOT siping, rather cutting grooves in the tread. Siping removes no material.
Eddie

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siping_(rubber)

 

[WRCRaptor]

Grooving (wide cuts) is great for mud and different types of gravel. I groves tires on my rally cars but in the long run tire wear was worse. Siping (thin cuts) is great for snow. You may see some benefit from the grooving but they may be marginal. It can't hurt to try since the tires are old.

 

[ckanderson]

I have those tires too. about 50% left. just ordered KO2's cause I know how terrible they are going to be in the winter. **** those tires.

 

[Mike175]

Look at any snow rated tire and you can see the large number of small cuts or siping in them. Good place for a refrence on how to sipe your own.

I had a set of BFG KM2 MT's that I took a very sharp utility knife too. Set the depth and went to town cutting horizontal grooves in the tread. Night and day difference in winter traction.

 

[Ratpatator]

Ratpatator,
Siping gives razor blade thin cuts in the tread. These thin cuts pack up with snow and the snow packed siping gives better traction...much like packing a snow ball yields a snowball that is adherent to itself. The snow in the sipes grips onto the snow on the ground giving better adhesion.
Larger cuts in the tread prevents the snow from packing into the grooves and gives little help. Indeed it will allow the tire to clear itself of snow...exactly NOT want you are looking for....
The cuts in the tread you picture is NOT siping, rather cutting grooves in the tread. Siping removes no material.
Eddie

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siping_(rubber)

I think this picture is before I siped them they are now grooved and siped

---------- Post added at 09:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 PM ----------

I cut the grooves hoping it would help on ice and sipes for snow. I did look at some snow tires and they seemed to all have smaller lugs in square or rectangular shapes with a bunch of sipes so that's what I was shooting for. Not too worried about how it affects the wear. Plan on new ones in the spring. It did help alot they still don't compare to dedicated snow tire obviously just wanted to get the most out of these before I get new one.

---------- Post added at 09:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 PM ----------

I have those tires too. about 50% left. just ordered KO2's cause I know how terrible they are going to be in the winter. **** those tires.

I like these a lot except for snow. How may miles have you got out of them ?

 

[All The Way]

If you're really desperate you could get your hands on a multi blade siper.