Improving NDCC traction military style

[cranetruck]

I have several examples of tires with groves and sipes to improve the traction on wet pavement in particular. Does anyone know when this practice began or if it was ever specified? I have retreads as well as original tires with this treatment.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Bjorn, all the tires I have had with that tread pattern were OLD Goodyears. Must not have helped much as the newer ones don't have it. I understand the possible advantages, sometimes in application it peters out. Maybe a different pattern is needed.

 

[roscoe]

Dosn't look like enough grooves to make a difference. With the typical speed I drive the regular tread pattern seems to hold the road pretty well. Any idea how many miles the NDCC tread life is typically good for?

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Some mold maker just thought it would make the tires look cooler...

And/or his brother that owns a windshield plant was disappointed that NDT's don't pick up and throw rocks, as that would sell alot of windshields...

I had a couple on my 105 and boy did they like to pick up and dispose of rocks rather dangerously...

 

[cranetruck]

....... Any idea how many miles the NDCC tread life is typically good for?

On a non-driving tire, I have found that it wears about 1/32 per 1,000 miles.

 

[dittle]

Bjorn,

Have you ever noticed if a certain manufacturer holds up better than another one? For example I've heard some people say that the Goodyears have a tendancy of dry-rotting the sidewalls faster than some of ther other brands.

 

[cranetruck]

Roscoe, there is also lengthwise siping visible in the center of this very worn tire....it's a retread with marking "REOR 5080". Don't know who did the recapping, but the original tire is a BF Goodrich.

 

[cranetruck]

Bjorn,

Have you ever noticed if a certain manufacturer holds up better than another one? For example I've heard some people say that the Goodyears have a tendancy of dry-rotting the sidewalls faster than some of ther other brands.

The Goodyears on my 8x8 are holding up much better than the BF Goodrich ones. Unfortunately, it's not possible to tell the actual date by a 3-digit date code, so the Goodyears may be newer, but they were not made after 1990, so all my tires are old....

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Bjorn, do you have wear data on driving tires?

 

[cranetruck]

Bjorn, do you have wear data on driving tires?

More or less, but I didn't mention it since it's rather un-typical with the stub axle removed and heavy haul. The wear on the single driving axle was perhaps 5/32 per 1,000 miles (five times as much as the front or rear non-driving tires).
With duals and less cargo, less wear no doubt.

 

[98hd]

Horizontal siping will do alot to improve wet and ice traction. I've done it several times on mud tires that had no siping, and the difference was amazing.

They went from an unsafe tire in the snow/ice to the best tire I've ever driven on ice. I even pulled a car from the ditch on a glare ice road surface.

 

[cranetruck]

I believe in siping too, all tires on the deuce were siped for that trip, so the wear info above is for siped 1100-20 NDCCs....

 

[roscoe]

So what is the prefered method of siping the tires?

 

[Recovry4x4]

Take them to Meadows of Dan VA and bring lots of mil surplus electronics stuff to trade. LOL

 

[NDT]

To answer your original question, the NDCC tires with the extra grooves or sipes is a European thing. Tires procured or recapped in the NATO countries look like that. I believe it helps on icy autobahns.

 

[MilitaryRestoration]

the 'rain grooves' was also something requested by the dot of the US... Also all of my blow outs have been the good years so I tend to stay away from them as a personal opinion. Big fan of the titan t-hawks though as never had a problem with them what so ever (fingers crossed) and you can tell a tire date from a three digit code, buddy showed me how but I forgot again, i'll ask him when I see him tomorrow

 

[SGTStewart]

A truck tire guy told me that the small cuts are to help get rid of the heat generated by driving down the road at highway speeds. Less heat = slower tire wear.

 

[Nonotagain]

Roscoe, there is also lengthwise siping visible in the center of this very worn tire....it's a retread with marking "REOR 5080". Don't know who did the recapping, but the original tire is a BF Goodrich.

Is the cage that covers the lug nuts designed as a step or does it have another use?

Very interesting design.

 

[cranetruck]

Is the cage that covers the lug nuts designed as a step or does it have another use?

Very interesting design.

They are steps....

The 3-digit date code gives you the week and the last number of the year, not the decade, so it's okay as long as you don't keep the tires on the truck for more than ten years. After 1999, a 4-digit code is used.
The recapping date code (I'm assuming that's what it is) has 4 digits, which helps establish the date of the tire as well (second image).

 

[59apache]

till 1990 3-digit DOT
till 1999 3 digit DOT with a triangle

example
a tire with DOT-No. 347 was made in week 34 year 1987.
a tire with DOT-No. 489 with triangle was made in week48 year 1999
a tire with DOT-No. 4503 was made in week45 year 2003

wikiwikiwiki

this is 11x20 nato tire