I've got a 02 2500 Duramax that has finally worn out the stock rubber. I decided to go with a Les Schwab tire (the TXR) in a 285/75 R16. My question is on tire siping, some of the Schwab stores have said that siping on the Duramax trucks can lead to faster tire wear due to the torque.


I guess my question is: Is the tire wear concern valid? What is the cost-to-benefit reality (it's about a $50.00 difference)? Will I really notice a difference in road noise and/or performance?


Thanks in advance for any input!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley5.gif

The grip is better, but the wear is much faster. If you buy a high quality tire, like Michelins, you shouldn't need siping to have good traction and low noise.

They will tell you to sipe them if you live in wet conditions, rain, snow etc. But otherwise leave them alone. They will last longer not being siped from what I have been told...

I run 285 BFG T/A's and I have about 35K on this set (this is the 1st
set on this dmax/ally). Currently, I look to be on target for
around 50K miles & that is about what I got on the 3 previous sets
on other trucks.



I don't think that siping has accelerated the wear. My brother
& I have run these tires on Dodge 4X4's (diesels) & can always
expect about 50K miles with or without siping.



I do know that the tires have MUCH better traction in rain/snow with
siping than without siping. It is well worth the money for me.



Just my $0.02

I used siped tires for years in the winterwhen I lived on the Oregon Coast and the Willamette Valley before I moved to the ice and snow of Central Oregon which requires studs in the winter. Siping tires will give you much better traction on wet pavement, but the tires will wear a lot faster. It you are on wet pavement all winter, it is worth it for a winter tire. I finally got smart and said to heck with all the wet, cold, ice & snow and spend winters in Mexico and Guatemala at 80+ with beautiful latin senortias who take great care of me.

Thanks for all the replies so far. I do live in the Tacoma (rainforest!) and commute roughly 65 miles round trip in stop and go traffic.....mostly stop!


It's sounding like siping does have some wet weather traction advantages.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley32.gif


I'll keep reading replies. I've got 2 days to figure it out.

I have always siped my tires, (on my trucks, not the street rods), I currently have 285's on the HD. Traction is much improved in wet weather. I don't know about the tread wear, I normally get new tires every two years, needed or not. I can tell you that on a heavy truck, the siped tires can make the steering feel a little "mushy" at freeway speeds. You get used to it quickly though. Edited by: jpekarek

Siping increases tred block 'squirm' and provides more tractive biting edges.


As such, tire wear is accelerated. IMHO run the best tire for the season you are driving in.


I run 2 sets of tires. 1 Winter set on stock PYO's Traction King 235-85-16E Stud capable


Summer tires on ALCOA LTS 235-85-16E Either Michelin LTX-AT or LTX-M/S





So far it pays off, although it is a hit to the wallet in the first year.


My summer tires i get roughly 2 seasons from, and this is the 3rd year for my winter tires!


Food For Thought.


J

ok guys i cant believe no one has asked this yet but what is siping? or are you guys just messing with the rest of us?


dogboyEdited by: DOGBOY

ok guys i cant believe no one has asked this yet but what is siping? or are you guys just messing with the rest of us?


dogboy





Siping are 'cuts' you make in the treadblocks of the tires usually 1/8" deep and at 90 degrees to intended direction of travel.


This results in increased traction due to more 'biting' surfaces in the treadblocks, but at the cost of accelerated tire wear.

Thanx Dogboy.



Michelin tires are made like that. Sure others are aswell.



Like Juice says......get a winter set and summer set. Just an opinion.



2 or 4 wheel drive, Drakaba?

on my old truck (1500 4x4) i only ran wild country tires. they were siped and i got over 60k miles out of mud grips so i cant see how the siping makes em wear faster. they did handle much better in the rain than my roommates non-siped wild countrys.

Thanks for the feedback...I'm driving on the new 285's now and opted not to sipe. I figured I can always do it within the first couple of months if I don't like the way they handle.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley32.gif

There's a little advertisement thing at discount tire that shows how siping can increase tread life because the tire runs cooler or some BS like that. Dunno if it's true or not just thought I'd throw it out there.

Thanks for the feedback...I'm driving on the new 285's now and opted not to sipe. I figured I can always do it within the first couple of months if I don't like the way they handle.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley32.gif


Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda.

A new non-sipped tire will have pretty good traction and last a long time. However, as the tire wears, the wet traction will greatly diminish. The sipped tire will wear the first 40% of tread very quickly do to the weight and torque but mainly the weight that makes the tread squirm (see Got Juice). Although the first 40% of tread wears quickly, the last half is still more affective for traction than a new non-sipped tire. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley3.gif So, it depends on your driving style, conditions and safety. Unless I'm in dry hot country, I'd get the sipped. There is nothing worse than pulling that chair out of your arse after you hydroplane your 40K truck.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/hihi.gif





Burner------------------> http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley4.gif

There is nothing worse than pulling that chair out of your arse after you hydroplane your 40K truck.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/hihi.gif





I know, I just got back from hunting, I did a complete 360 on an icy road up in the hills in central WA, WITH siped tires! Scared the living bjezus out of me.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley5.gif

i am an avid reader of peterson 4-wheel and off road, they have had a few articles on it and always say there going to have big one and havent yet. anyways they say that the tires will last longer becuase there is more surface area so the heat wont build as bad. 30% more traction, i think that true because you have more bitting edges as said but the tire can now conform over the object a little better now. i do have to say that you guys are the first i have heard say that they dont last as long, but petersons said they you will see more chunks come off but the extra tractions out weighs that. i can see they may wear faster because theres more bitting edges but i can also see that they will last longer becuase it will not allow to spin your tire as much-depending on the right pedel. i had my brand new 285 bfg mudders sipped but didnt beat on them too bad, now i got a used set of 265 bfg mudders and can say that it take a lot to spin them on wet pavement! once these wear out i plan on doing it to my new set of bfg all-terrians or to the nitto terra grapler. i think the $10/tire is well worth it. but thats my opinion. i also think it seems to make them a tad quieter, maybe its just me?

thanks juice for the expanation.

dogboy