Let's talk about tire grooving

[Wildman]

Let me start this by saying I have NEVER done this before so I have no knowledge about how or in what way to cut a tire. A few (6-8) years ago I got a tire groover for Christmas but never got a chance to use it. Now that I am able to I am looking at the how and why of cutting my tires. I have 38X12.5x16.5 TSL SX tires that have a ton of tread still on them and while they work pretty good I've seen people who had grooved their tires before and they seemed to work better.

Here is the tire groover that I have. Ideal Tire Groover Cutter http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5337789113&icep_item=270665174651

I have a bunch of different sized blade but right now couldn't tell you what they are.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...3BF6BC3253D93FB897703BF6BC3253D93&FORM=VDQVAP
So I'm curious to hear from anyone who has grooved their tires before and any tips or pointers as to what to do and not do.

 

[Rick Flair]

Lots of work! Never did it, watched it once on some boggers. Keep us up to date, I’d like to see what you end up with. TSL’s can be made to flex more with a smart cut.

I’d say you want to avoid too small of lugs as they would chunk easier, that’s all I can offer.

 

[Mr. Bills]

I own a tool similar to that, acquired in a group buy. Still new in the box after 20 years.

It was the hot thing in my jeep club for a while. Some guys siped their tires to get better grip on rocks, others did it to eek a few more miles out of their tires. I decided that it was much too much trouble for me whatever the benefit might be and never used the tool.

I should look for it in the garage and pass it on to someone who will use it.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Let me start this by saying I have NEVER done this before so I have no knowledge about how or in what way to cut a tire. A few (6-8) years ago I got a tire groover for Christmas but never got a chance to use it. Now that I am able to I am looking at the how and why of cutting my tires. I have 38X12.5x16.5 TSL SX tires that have a ton of tread still on them and while they work pretty good I've seen people who had grooved their tires before and they seemed to work better.

Here is the tire groover that I have. Ideal Tire Groover Cutter http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5337789113&icep_item=270665174651

I have a bunch of different sized blade but right now couldn't tell you what they are.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...3BF6BC3253D93FB897703BF6BC3253D93&FORM=VDQVAP
So I'm curious to hear from anyone who has grooved their tires before and any tips or pointers as to what to do and not do.

Cutting/grooving/sipping tires kind of lost its popularity with the advent of red labels.


To me, its an old school way of thinking. It does look cool in some cases like on the TSL.


Most guys did it to provide a little more wet surface traction. However SuperSwamper provided buyers a solution with the TSL/SSR which is a new generation built off of the TSL with the thought of wet traction added in the design. So its sipped from the factory.


IIRC, they came out with another version of the TSL called the SXII which again, addressed wet traction performance with
sipping and a new tweaked, “TSL,”tread design.

And finally they released a few red labels which are night and day difference in the rocks.

I have personally ran some red label Falcons and can tell you, they just bite the rocks and slick surfaces like magic.

Some old school type builds with home-brewed grooved TSL’s pics for ya.

 

[Rick Flair]

There are times I miss things from 20 years back. Thanks for the memory lane trip!

 

[Wildman]

The grooving on the red Jeep is what I was thinking I would do to my tires. I'm not going to dump $3000+ on new tires and wheels just becasue they are not what is offered now. I have the tools to make what I have work so I'll wait until my TSL SX tires are worn out.

Yes red label tires are awesome but only for trail only rigs. If you drive it on the street also then you need something a little better. Plus for me I don't remember ever seeing any red label tires in 16.5.

There are times I miss things from 20 years back. Thanks for the memory lane trip!

You and me both. 30 years ago I built an YJ on 33" tires and though it was an amazing rig at the time. Then I had a Samurai after it that was a great little rig.

 

[Fouledplugs]

The grooving on the red Jeep is what I was thinking I would do to my tires. I'm not going to dump $3000+ on new tires and wheels just becasue they are not what is offered now. I have the tools to make what I have work so I'll wait until my TSL SX tires are worn out.

Yes red label tires are awesome but only for trail only rigs. If you drive it on the street also then you need something a little better. Plus for me I don't remember ever seeing any red label tires in 16.5.



You and me both. 30 years ago I built an YJ on 33" tires and though it was an amazing rig at the time. Then I had a Samurai after it that was a great little rig.

I say go for it, I am a big fan of the old school type grooved tires.

 

[WallyWest]

Huh, interesting. I always liked the look of tires like that but didn't know it was a homebrew mod.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Huh, interesting. I always liked the look of tires like that but didn't know it was a homebrew mod.

Some are, some are not. Like I mentioned Interco (Superswamper) does build a few dofferent versions of of the TSL’s that adobt the sipped tread pattern to increase traction. Like the TSL SSR and the TSX SXII.

 

[Wildman]

Some more old school grooving...……..

Just some ideas for thought.....

 

[Wildman]

Some are, some are not. Like I mentioned Interco (Superswamper) does build a few dofferent versions of of the TSL’s that adobt the sipped tread pattern to increase traction. Like the TSL SSR and the TSX SXII.

Yes but sipping is different than grooving. I've been having my tires sipped when I buy new tires now for years. I learned about tire sipping when I was a truck driver and they would sip the tires. Found out it worked great for playing on the rocks but some tires would chunk more from having it done. The added traction was worth it and I still have the tires sipped even on my DD.

This is a pretty good read on the subject.

https://www.onedirt.com/tech/the-beginners-guide-to-grooving-and-siping-your-tires/

 

[Wildman]

Wow this guy is just going to town on this tire.....

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...890845BA5BF173B5BDB5890845BA5BF17&FORM=VDQVAP

 

[Rick Flair]

You and me both. 30 years ago I built an YJ on 33" tires and though it was an amazing rig at the time. Then I had a Samurai after it that was a great little rig.

Right?! When I bought this TJ, it took me back 20 years. I guess I understand where my father was coming from when he hit his 40’s and bought a 20 year old bronco and loved that thing!

I remember Sami’s kicking our asses on some 30’s and MAYBE 31’s and doing it cheap! Like a old flat fender GPW rolling in! Good times!!!

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

I say go for it, I am a big fan of the old school type grooved tires.

I say go for it too. Start out Old school and who knows, maybe someday you'll be doing stuff like this.

Size Matters Offroad posts some of their work on Facebook. I never heard of them but found out thru a friend of a friend that they're about 10 miles from where I live.

 

[someguysjeep]

i got several soft compound tires, that are factory cut for sand or loose surface dirt. the tread is plenty thick enough to cross pattern. i'd thought about giving it a shot, the tires were cheap and my rigs not a DD. way low on the list of things to mess with. and i fear the lugs might chunk easily as mentioned. these suckers don't hum down the road they sing.

 

[Wildman]

i got several soft compound tires, that are factory cut for sand or loose surface dirt. the tread is plenty thick enough to cross pattern. i'd thought about giving it a shot, the tires were cheap and my rigs not a DD. way low on the list of things to mess with. and i fear the lugs might chunk easily as mentioned. these suckers don't hum down the road they sing.

The chunking only happened with the sipping because you are cutting into the tread with like 10 razor blades 1/4" apart so then when you are on rocks or tree roots the edges can catch and some tires would then chunk. I'll try to get a picture of my tires that are sipped.

 

[someguysjeep]

The chunking only happened with the sipping because you are cutting into the tread with like 10 razor blades 1/4" apart so then when you are on rocks or tree roots the edges can catch and some tires would then chunk. I'll try to get a picture of my tires that are sipped.

my MT baja claws are factory siped, i'm familiar with what it is. and those are getting older and chuck fairly easily now, OR wheels only now impossible to balance right.

either siping or cutting diagonal grooves those tires would chunk or tear easily, the material is real soft. i'd have to keep real shallow to avoid this.

 

[someguysjeep]

some lady almost T boned me last summer, blew right through a stop sign. forcing me to lock up and stop she never touched her brakes never saw me.
i was pissed and stomped this pig to the floor and to my surprise it spun the tires, as i hauled ass and tried to catch her. this is the results of that.

 

[Wildman]

some lady almost T boned me last summer, blew right through a stop sign. forcing me to lock up and stop she never touched her brakes never saw me.
i was pissed and stomped this pig to the floor and to my surprise it spun the tires, as i hauled ass and tried to catch her. this is the results of that.

View attachment 149304

Yep your tires were sipped. I'm just trying to clarify what the difference is between sipping and grooving a tire.
Semis have been having their tires sipped for years to increase traction on snow and ice. Sipping creates multiple edges of the tires to help with traction.

Grooving the tires is a different thing.

 

[Mumblewood]

Some more old school grooving...……..

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Just some ideas for thought.....

My friend used to groove his 38” Swampers like your first 3 pics but his last couple sets were just like your top pic, he said that worked best and was easier to groove than the other ways. He also has the same groover as you and wheels the same terrain in a similarly built TJ as you. I can’t remember how long it would take him but he’d get a new set and do a tire a night although I don’t think it took him long to do it. He used to groove his iroks also after Bobby Long showed us what lug to take out for awesome snow grip . He stopped because he’s on pitbull rockers now