Post by Reeper on Jul 25, 2007 20:47:03 GMT -5
Tire Grip, we know just how important it is while we are climbing a ledge or traversing down a large rock. But, not only is traction important while we are wheeling, but also while driving on the street. This leads us to our latest tech review on a very effective, yet inexpensive traction aid. It's called siping. We've seen this done before on various rigs and knew the benefits, but needed to try it first hand for ourselves.
Before we headed off to Moab for the '98 Easter Jeep Safari, I contacted Tony D'Oca and Jay Friedman at our local Discount Tire Company and spoke to them about the siping process. They invited us to watch the process as they set up our '87 Blazer and our '77 CJ5. The K5 Blazer runs 33X12.50 BFGoodrich Mud Terrains and the Jeep has the same size tire but in an Interco Super Swamper radial. With the two tires having completely different tread patterns and different rubber compounds, this should make a nice comparison.
As for the history behind siping, the process has been around since the 1920's and was developed by a guy named John Sipe (go figure). The idea behind siping was that John cut small slits in the bottom of shoes to give better traction while walking in adverse conditions. Now to present day, the SAF-TEE Siping and Grooving Company has developed a machine that cuts small slits perpendicular to the face of the tire, which in turn creates thousands of tiny edges that help with grip to improve traction and braking. Along with those two benefits, it improves tire life by 15 to 20 % and helps the tire run cooler. The National Safety Council performed tests on tires that have been siped, and found that there was a 22% increase in traction on snow and ice.
So, how does this all relate to the off road crowd? Obviously the traction is a benefit. The braking increase is a benefit, but I think that the increased wear is what makes me the happiest! Just think how nice it would be to have a set of tires
www.4x4review.com/tech/siping.asp
Before we headed off to Moab for the '98 Easter Jeep Safari, I contacted Tony D'Oca and Jay Friedman at our local Discount Tire Company and spoke to them about the siping process. They invited us to watch the process as they set up our '87 Blazer and our '77 CJ5. The K5 Blazer runs 33X12.50 BFGoodrich Mud Terrains and the Jeep has the same size tire but in an Interco Super Swamper radial. With the two tires having completely different tread patterns and different rubber compounds, this should make a nice comparison.
As for the history behind siping, the process has been around since the 1920's and was developed by a guy named John Sipe (go figure). The idea behind siping was that John cut small slits in the bottom of shoes to give better traction while walking in adverse conditions. Now to present day, the SAF-TEE Siping and Grooving Company has developed a machine that cuts small slits perpendicular to the face of the tire, which in turn creates thousands of tiny edges that help with grip to improve traction and braking. Along with those two benefits, it improves tire life by 15 to 20 % and helps the tire run cooler. The National Safety Council performed tests on tires that have been siped, and found that there was a 22% increase in traction on snow and ice.
So, how does this all relate to the off road crowd? Obviously the traction is a benefit. The braking increase is a benefit, but I think that the increased wear is what makes me the happiest! Just think how nice it would be to have a set of tires
www.4x4review.com/tech/siping.asp