Tire sipping/cutting pics/info. Add yours

[Krakker]

I did some tire sipping recently and compared each set on the same rock surface using the same rig setup (and close to same wheel weight/widths)
I had 2 sets of each tire to compare except the flat irons, but they were much improved over stock in both rock and (light) mud.

Sipping the lugs or blocks of the tires both on the tread surface and side bit areas makes the tires more "plyable" therefore enhancing it's conformity to the rock surface. It will make a rigid tire much easier to conform to thr rock which is what you want the tires to do to maintain and grab the most traction they can. You basically give the tire a bunch of fingers to grab the rock surface. Each little ledge is one more grabbing edge and it will greatly increase your side hilling cappabilities.

I've found sipping can greatly effect the foam setup as well, but each tire has performed better with sipping than with out.
Rovers have natural lines already molded into them, The best advantage of this is that it gives you the sipping patern already in the tire. After they have worn, just sipe them (or do it to a new pair like I did) and you will bring the tire back to life, and better than new.
I sipped the Chisels with both horisontal and lateral cuts on almost every tread block. Thier flexible suface and "heavy" lipped lugs are the best performing tires I now have.

Here's some pics of the tires I currently have pics of. I'll add some Panther cougars I've done but need to photograph yet.

[jwo]

i siped my rovers. the outer solid lug and the center ones. it helped out big time. its weird how something as little as that improves the performance so much.

[2500hdon37s]

Use a dremel and cut off wheel, it will get messy so pick a good place to do it, do it uniformly on the tire(s), and I try to avoid diagonal cuts (I don't think they work as well) I go across the tire and parallel to the tire direction of rotation

[prairieshaul]

Nice tips. I'm thinking of sipping my lizards. What would be the best pattern?

[Sverref]

would a scalpell or exacto knife do the trick or do you have to remove as much as the dremel cuttoff disk?

in Rally they just use some kind of exacto knife(just better i think) and sipe the tires if needed

[Krakker]

Originally Posted by prairieshaul

Nice tips. I'm thinking of sipping my lizards. What would be the best pattern?

Just look at the tire and see where you might get the best or most cuts into the lugs. try and stay lateral and horizontal with out cutting into the "corners" where two edges come together.

Originally Posted by Sverref

would a scalpell or exacto knife do the trick or do you have to remove as much as the dremel cuttoff disk?

in Rally they just use some kind of exacto knife(just better i think) and sipe the tires if needed

The razors, or X-acto knives will dull pretty fast. You could use cutters to make the slices into the treads. (even making larger voids) The dremel is much faster and easier. If you pinch the tire tread where you are going to cut, the slice opens up when you dremel it. It's pretty cool actually when you start sipping to see how the tire seems softer and more plyable.
On some lugs, the center open area of the lug is actually raised and I've cut into it as well. (only slightly)
I did a pair of stock Slash tires where I cut some deep sipes and made some shallow lines in the tread.

[djjiz]

Dremmel is dirty yet FAST when you get your pattern figured out. I like to have two or three disks stacked to mix it up a bit. Just use a mask or if your ghetto like me tie a sweatshirt around your face.

[prairieshaul]

Thanks for the help on the pattern. It will be interesting to try on a cheap set of tires.

[Krakker]

Here's my Panther sipe ( a standard one and an extreme sipe), I cut into the inside lug surface as well, it's a bit taller than the body of the carcas. And one I did as well on some stock Slash (2wd) tires. Got a lot more bite in the dirt and less sliding around corners but on pavement they bite too much and flip if you push into the turn too hot. "The Yellow lines re where I made only a small line in the tire, not a complete cut."

The Panthers great for courses that don't need a tall tire. I use stock foams in mine. I'm also experimenting with using an X-lock stock foam in the rears. It makes the tire taller and narrower as well as supporting the weight of the Bully rig really well when it's on a vertical ledge or climb.

[Krakker]

Couple pics of Rover EX's I did. 1st pic is the rear, then the side, and then the front.

[trailduster79]

I can't wait to sipe my rovers!

[rottenbelly]

Originally Posted by Krakker

Couple pics of Rover EX's I did.

Those look familiar!!
Great info, i am gonna go get dirty..... and do some siping too!!

[Krakker]

Originally Posted by rottenbelly

Those look familiar!!
Great info, i am gonna go get dirty..... and do some siping too!!

EX's courtesy of "rottenbelly". (great deal I might add.) I'll post up a pi of the wheels I'm using as well. I'm gonna try the "thin" ceramic wheels to do some light siping grooves that won't be as deep.

[The_REDRASCAL]

Question........So what did you do to the flat irons and what difference did it make. From the pic it looks like you just snipped of ever other coner lug.

I have a set and would like to improve them. Even though they are beter than my last tires.

[Krakker]

Originally Posted by The_REDRASCAL

Question........So what did you do to the flat irons and what difference did it make. From the pic it looks like you just snipped of ever other coner lug.

I have a set and would like to improve them. Even though they are beter than my last tires.

I just used a standard set of side/wire cutters and snipped every other outer lug at an angle. The "Flat" like and iron surface makes the tire buckle upwards, and most of the traction goes to the outer surfaces and not the middle. Just snipping every other lugs lets the middle of the tire conform to the rock surface. It also grabs ledges A LOT easier. I'm contemplateing running them on my lathe or drill and sanding down the outer edges of the other lugs as well or siping them. I think rounding the edgess would make the trie look more like the BFG Crawler.

[The_REDRASCAL]

Thats a good idea. I will have to look at them this weekend. Thanks for the reply

[Krakker]

Figured siping a set of Claws would be good to show as well. I was surprised how well the tires conformed after the sipe. Super great mod for those running claws . I siped one set for the rears (single sipe in the large void) and a pair for the fronts (double sipe through the large void.)
Great if you'r running a sportsman comp rig to gain side bite and grab ledges.

[MadForce]

Hey Rory I am about to blatantly copy your sipping pattern for the chisels .
Hope you don't mind.

[Krakker]

Here's the sipe job on the Sedonas. I might use a thinnier disk on some other spots but we'll see how these work first.

[crawlinnTN]

anyone got a pattern for rock stompers?