Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Is tire siping worth it?

Due for a new set of tires before hunting. Last set were 40,000 mile siped tires, but never drove in much water on highways. Noticed that the sidewalls are really dry checking with 48,662 miles on them and about 1/4 tread remaining so going to bite the bullet. So sipe again or not on an all season tread?

siping increases tire life, decreases tire running temp, increases grip on ice. I know of no negatives, other than cost.

New set of tires if you have them siped, do three and fourth free. Think I will just spring for it again. Just hate having to do this right at hunting season, but for piece of mind am just going to bite the boolit tomorrow.

Lots of trucking companies sipe all of their tires. They must know something. Siping doesn't help offroad but it definitely does on slick pavement.

I always have my tires siped and notice the different on icy roads.
Only downside I know of is if you drive primarily on gravel roads the gravel can/will break the tire down prematurely.

Most driving I do on gravel is during hunting. Highway within six miles of our cabin in OR so twice a month, May-Nov. Went out and looked at the tires again and now that end of life the gravel/rock seems to be peeling at the siping in some places. Thanks for the info RC,FC and Dutch!

As I understand it, alot of truck tires come that way. The Michleins I bought a couple of years ago do. The Cooper AT3's I have on my Jeep Wrangler do as well.
Without a doubt, they help a good bit when driving icy, paved roads. I haven't had to chain up yet where I live. We get lots of snow and ice here.
I also understand that the type of rubber used in tires designed for such conditions, along with siping, do not wear well on rocky, off pavement types of driving. However, your typical mud terrain off road tire doesn't do well on icy roads. So make sure you understand the tradeoffs of whatever you buy. E

If this is true, then why don't they sipe all tires from the factory? I assume we are talking about siping a tire with little to no factory siping, like an MT.

Because it costs money to do so

Not really, they can just build the sipes into the mold, right? AT's are siped, HT's are siped, there must be a reason MT's are not.

I have had several sets siped and in both cases the rears began to tear chunks of rubber off the tire. I wont do it again.

I wonder if it was done incorrectly. I've been having my tires siped for longer than I can remember and have never seen that. mtmuley

A friends truck is currently doing the same thing. I will snap a pic tommorow.
One thing I should add is the statment made earlier pertains to 3/4 ton trucks. Not sure how it works on 1/2 ton and smaller rigs.