Re: STT's

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Jeff Tarquinio wrote:
> 
> Tom said:
> "You weren't paying attention to my complaints about my Cooper Discoverer STTs, were you? :-)"
> 
> Nope, I just put a set on the Yota, the seem so far to be the best tires I have owned as far as traction goes.  I know they are soft and will wear quickly, taht's why I plan on getting some usedies for Spring, Summer and Fall.


Well, if you have toe-out and put 10k on 'em in a couple months, you'll
wear 'em about half out... :-)

I have two tires (from the rear, now up front) that have loads of
tread... and two that are about half gone..

First day I had 'em I wasn't impressed when I got stuck in some soft-wet
soil... but then again, they had 30psi in 'em, and I blew a front
hub...  

I'm happier now that I've used 'em a bit.. (and added a motor than can
turn 'em)

> "If they're anything like my STTs, or the less-agressive BFG MTs, they're just big lugs with no siping or anything... siping helps a bunch on hardpack."
> 
> WTH is siping anyway?  I've heard it mentioned, but never knew what it was.  Honestly, I thought it was a typo taht I couldn't translate. ;)


Siping... look at your STTs.  Big, solid chunks of tire.  Look at the
pic on my homepage for those that don't have a set handy.

Now look at a regular AT or a snow tire.. there's a lot of little
grooves in 'em.  Grooves hold snow, snow sticks to snow/ice better than
rubber does = better winter traction.

My STTs are now siped.  A siping "knife" or machine was used to cut
small slits *across* the tire on the tread blocks.  Even smaller than
the "snow tire" sipes since they're hand cut..

The little grooves hold snow and "squirm" when you drive.. some say it
yields better tire life, but for a wheelin' rig, you'll tear a few
pieces off on rocks (already done that)

Made a very noticeable improvement in my Scout's on-street hardpack/ice
handling.

-Tom
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout