Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow

   / Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow #661  
Based upon GarandMan's last picture maybe some sipes would improve snow traction as well. I always thought of them as a feature to improve wet road traction but you can see the snow packed into the sipes also.
 
   / Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow #662  
Don’t think siping would work as well on R4’s. Sipes bend forward or back under load to create additional edges into snow and ice. Then the wearing of the tire “resharpens” the edges.

The R4 blocks are so massive not sure you could get that to work. The local tire dealer recommended studs, which can be inserted if you don’t groove the tires. For folks running on paved drives that may not be an option. We ended up with chains so I could work in the woods.
 
   / Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow #663  
Garandman said:
Summary: you have not tried this yourself and thus dismiss the effort.

I have tried it, and have empirical proof the technique is an improvement: I couldn稚 push snow up the hill in my driveway before I grooved the tires. After grooving, I could. See where the snow is sticking?

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Winter tires have special tread compounds, but that is not the entire story. They also have different tread geometry.
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"like"
 
   / Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow #664  
Garandman said:
Don’t think siping would work as well on R4’s. Sipes bend forward or back under load to create additional edges into snow and ice. Then the wearing of the tire “resharpens” the edges.

The R4 blocks are so massive not sure you could get that to work. The local tire dealer recommended studs, which can be inserted if you don’t groove the tires. For folks running on paved drives that may not be an option. We ended up with chains so I could work in the woods.
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:thumbsup:
 
   / Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow #665  
I sure could have used something on my R4’s this weekend. We had a nice quack of snow, but underneath where is sheer ice, because it had rained earlier and then frozen before the snow came.

If it were not for the fact that the snow was very light, I would’ve gotten nowhere!

I do have chains, but they are such a pain to put on!
 
   / Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow #666  
I have been running Jeeps and trucks off road for years and started grooving and siping my mud tires. While not noticing any difference in mud, but definitely noticed a difference on hard packed, wet and snowy trails. After making it through obstacles that previously I coudn't, it told me it was the tire mods. I have been planning on trying this for some time on my r-4's. I am glad I came across this thread to reinforce my thoughts on this. I understand the softness of the winter tire, but it's also about adding more edges, which makes total sense. Great job on this mod guys, but my snow season is almost over. I will do this this summer.
 
   / Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow #667  
msdmopar said:
I have been running Jeeps and trucks off road for years and started grooving and siping my mud tires. While not noticing any difference in mud, but definitely noticed a difference on hard packed, wet and snowy trails. After making it through obstacles that previously I coudn't, it told me it was the tire mods. I have been planning on trying this for some time on my r-4's. I am glad I came across this thread to reinforce my thoughts on this. I understand the softness of the winter tire, but it's also about adding more edges, which makes total sense. Great job on this mod guys, but my snow season is almost over. I will do this this summer.
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I think me too... I'm too lazy to go back and find a link to a good tool. Could someone post?
 
   / Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow #669  
dnw64 said:
This is the one I got:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004AW7XYU/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I loaned it out to e fellow TBNer and just got it back today, in fact.

I am happy to loan it out to others for cost of shipping. PM me if interested.
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I will likely take you up on that offer... but I am going to wait for warmer weather. I think the snow is past us but this seems more appropriately, a summer time job. Thank you for the offer! I need to bookmark this somehow.
 
   / Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow #670  
dragoneggs said:
I will likely take you up on that offer... but I am going to wait for warmer weather. I think the snow is past us but this seems more appropriately, a summer time job. Thank you for the offer! I need to bookmark this somehow.
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The hotter the tire the better from my experience doing my old Kubota. Leave them out in the summer sun and then start in.
 
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