Stock 99 CTD

I need new tires and I always try and put them on before winter. I have decided to go with the Toyo Open Country M/T. Currently I am running the Toyo open Country A/T. I have ridden in several different vehicles that have the M/T on them and I cannot tell that much difference between the M/T and the A/T in terms of highway noise and road noise, so this time I am going with the M/T. My question is about tire sipping. I buy tires from Les Scwab and some of the managers encourage it while others managers so no way on a truck that tows and hauls. On Saturday I spoke with a manager that seem to be reasonably knowledgeable and not just trying to sell a product. He said that the sipping will allow large chunks to be torn out of the tire on trucks with loads of torque that is used to tow with. Picture the tire turning and the edges grabbing and then chunks of rubber comming out. Well this morning I spoke with another manager at a different store, he said he sipes tires at his store all the time. So far I have two managers for and two against sipping the M/t's. Seems a chain like Les Scwab would come out with a policy on something like this. Anyone out there have experience with the Toyo open Country M/T and sipping while using the vehicle to tow with. Don't usually tow real heavy, about 8K two to three times a week.

Thanks

apprentice

super swamper Irocs are sipped and are hands down a better winter tire than toyo's ... ive ran ice roads, fresh powder "roads'. cut lines, logging roads and highway snow covered and not. with toyo and Iroc's. i don't think toyo is even in the same game. look into it, ive never felt as confident driving in a blizzard as i do with irocs

apprentice

as far as lugs tearing, that could happen to any tire under extreme conditions.

Utundra

Don't know what to think...Les Scwab sure promotes their siping in all of their advertising. IMO I would look for a tire siped from the factory before I let a tire dealer do it.

D45

I would definately have the tires siped, unless you tow alot.

Siping works great on M/T tires.

2006Mega

the local discount tire said for me not to sipe them if i tow heavy. the siping allows the tire to wander around more since the tread is cut into smaller pieces.

apprentice

your not towing 25k your talking 7-8k. tounge load 1k. i roll around with 3k in the back no problems with tires being sipped. i also tow A 7k tt some times with the truck still having 3k in the back. the only thing i see is premature wear say 30k/ set. where as friends that run those same tires but empty claim 60k/set again this is on my 92 with irocs... when my toyos are gone on the 07 it will get irocs as well

bob4x4

I had my 315 bfg ats siped,truck has roughly 1klbft torque.I tow a 25ft trailer and do a bit of wheelin with it.I have had no tread chunking.The secret is to not sipe all the way out to the shoulders that get the most abuse.The sipping added a lot of dry road traction too.

Bob

baileyram

I am a manager for Discount Tire in Colorado, if the truck is a diesel we do not sipe the tires regardless of towing. Diesel trucks have too much torque and siping takes the support of the tread block away and leads to premature tread wear. I seen diesel trucks come back with tires worn out after only 10k on name brand tires, witch is why BFG all terrains in 10 ply ratings have less siping than other ply ratings in BFG KO.

Stock 99 CTD

Thanks for all the replys. I looked at the Cooper M&S and it comes with factory sipes. I also understand that on heavier trucks they do not last very well. I have had real good luck with Les Schwab standing behind their products. I think I will go with the M/T's and no sipping. Maybe put the original Michelins back on the truck for the summer months. Took them off and kept them at about 1500 miles. Price of tires for these trucks make it challenging at times. Thanks again for the replys.