[Shotimes] Tire Siping

[Donald Mallinson]

Carl,

Just to be sure, I think the original comment was about 
putting the sipes (cuts) in a tire for traction in summer? 
If so, then more cuts, grooves etc is bad for both traction 
and heat.

Then when you start adding in the realities of street 
driving...rain, snow ice, then the rules change.

For standing water, more fairly big grooves is a good thing.

Then for snow, ice, you want LOTS of small sipes, grooves 
and a squirmy tread is actually a good thing.  The tread 
movement allows the tread to throw off packing in snow/ice, 
and more edges equal better traction.

As with anything, life is a series of compromises.  Only on 
a totally dry day at a smooth race track is a slick good, 
then the compromises start!  :)

Don Mallinson

Carl Prochilo wrote:
> Ken,  I heard the same thing when I was in chat session with one of
> the people at Discount Tire.  The more grooves in the tire, the less
> structural strength you have in the tread, the less traction you
> have.
> 
> So the correct answer is buy the tire right the first time.
> 
> BTW, these Nitto NT 555s are pretty neat.  I haven't fully tested
> the limits of adherence with the new setup, but yesterday when I was
> coming back from Miami with my family in the car, I did one of the
> off-ramps at 60 MPH and the car felt really planted and secure. 
> Like someone said, "on rails".  I like.