Buy a Tire Groover...do it now
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How do they work? Heated blade or what.
I guess i can google that for me.
I guess i can google that for me.
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Heated blade. The one both of us posted here heats instantly when pressure is applied to make the cut. Sharp blades still matter so get extra.
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That's interesting. They must be puching a lot amperage into it to heat it so fast.
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Cuts like butter.
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Good thread, molshove! 
Thank you.
Just wanna' add that a quality grooving iron like molshove and LeftHandRubi are talking about is worth every penny.
Cheap ones are exactly that.
Buddy of mine got one made by prison labor in China (and it sucked).
He offered it to me for free. I said, "It's not worth the price".
Buy it right or buy it again. Hell, this one might even be made in America. :bounce:
Oh, and X2 on the extra blades - they are "worth their weight in time".
Just wanna' add that a quality grooving iron like molshove and LeftHandRubi are talking about is worth every penny.
Cheap ones are exactly that.
Buddy of mine got one made by prison labor in China (and it sucked).
He offered it to me for free. I said, "It's not worth the price".
Buy it right or buy it again. Hell, this one might even be made in America. :bounce:
Oh, and X2 on the extra blades - they are "worth their weight in time".
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Figured I should add an update.
After grooving and siping my tires, I have noticed a definate increase in snow traction. A couple weeks before I did this, I went snow wheeling and seemed to struggle following another jeep through snow. Last weekend, went snow wheeling again, following the same jeep, and noticed in places he struggled I rolled through easily. Now, both times, the other jeep was breaking trail, and I was either directly behind or two rigs behind. But I would say snow conditions were probly similar.
The other difference I have noticed is at the first stop sign on my street on the way to work, or well, any place. Stopping at this stop sign means your are stopping at a slight uphill. Before grooving and siping, in 2wd on a plowed but snow covered road, I would just sit there and spin my rear tires until I put it in 4wd. I mean I could sit there all day and go nowhere. After siping and groving, the tires still spin, but definately grab and slowly work their way up the hill.
I've also noticed that in hard stops on snow coverd roads I stop in shorter distances.
One thing I did notice that didn't change was road noise. I did a lot of reading before I did this (at least 30mins), and some sources said that they experienced a decrease in road noise after grooving. I didn't see this, but I will say it may be because I didn't groove the lugs in half. Meaning for each lug I grooved, there was a big side and a little side, so that the "slap" that makes the tire noise didn't really disapear.
All in all, I'm pretty happy I did this. I'm even happier that I only grooved to about half the depth of my lugs, so in a year or two I will get to try again with a more complex pattern. Definately worth a shot for those interested in getting more winter traction out of their MTs/
After grooving and siping my tires, I have noticed a definate increase in snow traction. A couple weeks before I did this, I went snow wheeling and seemed to struggle following another jeep through snow. Last weekend, went snow wheeling again, following the same jeep, and noticed in places he struggled I rolled through easily. Now, both times, the other jeep was breaking trail, and I was either directly behind or two rigs behind. But I would say snow conditions were probly similar.
The other difference I have noticed is at the first stop sign on my street on the way to work, or well, any place. Stopping at this stop sign means your are stopping at a slight uphill. Before grooving and siping, in 2wd on a plowed but snow covered road, I would just sit there and spin my rear tires until I put it in 4wd. I mean I could sit there all day and go nowhere. After siping and groving, the tires still spin, but definately grab and slowly work their way up the hill.
I've also noticed that in hard stops on snow coverd roads I stop in shorter distances.
One thing I did notice that didn't change was road noise. I did a lot of reading before I did this (at least 30mins), and some sources said that they experienced a decrease in road noise after grooving. I didn't see this, but I will say it may be because I didn't groove the lugs in half. Meaning for each lug I grooved, there was a big side and a little side, so that the "slap" that makes the tire noise didn't really disapear.
All in all, I'm pretty happy I did this. I'm even happier that I only grooved to about half the depth of my lugs, so in a year or two I will get to try again with a more complex pattern. Definately worth a shot for those interested in getting more winter traction out of their MTs/
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Glad to hear it worked out for you, rubi. The treps are still a bit sketchy in the snow (street driving), so I take my sweet time. Only drove the jeep through our latest storm because the suburban was down for a new distributor, fuel pressure regulator, and injectors. I prefer it an the cooper AT3s any day of the winter week (my FAV all terrain)
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404 Posts
OK, time for my silly question. This looks good and all and I'm sure it does help traction, but what does it do for wear? You're removing the contact area of the tire which means what is left has to pick up the slack. Right?
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Maybe incrementally, but I can't tell. There is more wear in rounded edges on my rock crawling tires because there are more edges, but that is good for rock crawling.
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revived from the ignored threads of old, I bring this back . I do so, inquiring as to opinions on this.
I am not approaching this from a "try to re-claim life " from a Trepador Comp nor an Interco TSL needing deeper cuts because of being worn down;
I am approaching from a low mileage, AT of higher quality ( BFG) that could benefit from some more " MT" like grooves , opening it up a little.
I run 37" KO2s that are as tough as anything carcass-wise . Im on the line about spending for a decent groover to cut them - reasonably - so that they have more mud terrain like openings .
My other option is the painful and time consuming process of trying to coordinate the selling these KO2 ( that are perfect but have major rock rash from low psi wheeling; no cuts nor gashes but noobs won't know this ) so I wont wind-up being served divorce papers if I announce I want to buy new Maxxis Razrs and " need MTs " ,when the KO2s only have 8-10k miles on them and they were gonna be last big purchase for a few years.
They are Bad ass tires but just not for Tennessee unless the cond are completely dry (which never happens ).
The jeep sees only road travel to trails ; I guess I'd like to know how the tires those guys on this thread held-up to the grooving over time ?
was chunking or tearing a consequence of adding new grooves to them?
Y'all think I'm crazy for looking into this ?
I've seen race trucks groove KO2s but not for rocks. Don't misread; the KO2s are amazing radically different compound tires. You just gotta air me down to 9-12psi and have dry conditions. They stick all day like that or on the road.
Moist ground of any kind fill the voids and you can't always accelerator clean them so they need better grooving.
I guess trying to sell is wiser but I'm fearful those not as knowledgeable will see rash on side and think they are not structurally sound .
Kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place, if ya follow.
Thanks for opinions.
:jeep2:
I am not approaching this from a "try to re-claim life " from a Trepador Comp nor an Interco TSL needing deeper cuts because of being worn down;
I am approaching from a low mileage, AT of higher quality ( BFG) that could benefit from some more " MT" like grooves , opening it up a little.
I run 37" KO2s that are as tough as anything carcass-wise . Im on the line about spending for a decent groover to cut them - reasonably - so that they have more mud terrain like openings .
My other option is the painful and time consuming process of trying to coordinate the selling these KO2 ( that are perfect but have major rock rash from low psi wheeling; no cuts nor gashes but noobs won't know this ) so I wont wind-up being served divorce papers if I announce I want to buy new Maxxis Razrs and " need MTs " ,when the KO2s only have 8-10k miles on them and they were gonna be last big purchase for a few years.
They are Bad ass tires but just not for Tennessee unless the cond are completely dry (which never happens ).
The jeep sees only road travel to trails ; I guess I'd like to know how the tires those guys on this thread held-up to the grooving over time ?
was chunking or tearing a consequence of adding new grooves to them?
Y'all think I'm crazy for looking into this ?
I've seen race trucks groove KO2s but not for rocks. Don't misread; the KO2s are amazing radically different compound tires. You just gotta air me down to 9-12psi and have dry conditions. They stick all day like that or on the road.
Moist ground of any kind fill the voids and you can't always accelerator clean them so they need better grooving.
I guess trying to sell is wiser but I'm fearful those not as knowledgeable will see rash on side and think they are not structurally sound .
Kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place, if ya follow.
Thanks for opinions.
:jeep2:
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6,284 Posts
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6,284 Posts
but look at the depth of tread you regained . Example couldn't be better since I'm considering this for a KO2 and block/lugs on your SxS AT is not dissimilar to them. Really appreciate it.
I wanted to see someone that had just enhanced the lugs that were already there instead of just slashing some trenches across the tread design like they'll do in ultra4 and truck racing a lot
I am not looking to use and discard the tires,heh.just open a bit .
:jeep2:
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