Winter tire questions?

[Jens]

With ice climbing season here,

 

I'm trying to get another year out of my tires. They were sipped for snow and ice about 35 thousand miles ago. Can I get them re-siped? Should I? How much will it help (I can't afford new tires right now). Will they re-sipe the same slits or sipe in a new place? How much does sipping really help on snow and ice? I know.. I really should buy new tires.

any comments would be much appreciated.

thanks

[mccallboater]

If you can afford them, Nokian's are the best. Depends upon your tire size. I'm using the Nokian WR's, since one can drive them year-round. The perfect set up here in McCall. Siping will help a little bit on ice, but the cost probably won't be worth the effort. Bruneel tire carries the Nokian brand in Idaho. No, I don't own a franchise.

[DPS]

I think siping definitely improves traction in snow and ice. Used tires can be siped, Les Schwab will do it for $15.00 per tire, I think.

[catbirdseat]

Ask Schwab if they can "re-sipe" a tire. I think they have some tread depth standard they apply. I am almost certain that they cannot deepen existing cuts, because their machine is automated. It would make new cuts. Unless the old cuts are mostly gone, it wouldn't make sense to resipe.

[jmace]

cant you just have them re-treaded? then if you want re-sipped?

[catbirdseat]

No one retreads tires anymore except for truckers. It's not really worth the cost.

[Dr_Crash]

If you can afford a dedicated set of snow tires/wheels for winter, it's the best thing. Especially if you drive the way I drive (too bad the Miata was crashed---by someone else, I swear!---a nimble RWD car on snow is oh so exciting!).

 

You also get the additional advantage of being able to pick the tires profiles specifically for snow; typically this means you go down 1" in rim size, and end up with taller and slightly narrower tires, which go better through snow.

 

drC

[Bronco]

Jens:

 

If you really think you should get new tires just do it. It ain't worth the stress and lost time in digging out/waiting for a tow or worse.