Why ask Henry about tires?

Thursday, May 6, 2010 by Henry Carlson
Hi! I have worked at Tire Rack for over 13 years. Part of my job is to test the tires we sell on both the highway and on our test track where I push the tires to their limits in both dry and wet conditions. I test all kinds of tires from Standard Touring All-Season tires, High Performance All-Season tires to Extreme Performance Summer tires. Some of my favorites are the Bridgestone and Firestone performance tires that handle great even in wet. By testing tires I am able to inform customers about the differences in handling as well as noise and comfort levels. I have even tested snow and ice tires in an ice rink!

If you drive a BMW, Porsche, Acura, Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, SUV, mini-van, pick-up truck or anything in between, I can put you into the best tire and price for you and your vehicle.

Tire Rack also carries a large selection of aftermarket wheels that will enhance the appearance and handling of your vehicle in addition to brake pads and rotors as well as suspension parts.

So why ask Henry about tires? The answer is his over 13 years of tire testing experience. During those 13 years I have seen great improvements in all brands of the tires we sell. Visit our website and if you have any questions please contact me at 800-461-5527 ext. 351 and I will be happy to discuss your tire needs.

Comments on Why ask Henry about tires?

Thursday, November 17, 2011 by Tom:
I have 96 Jepp cherokee with 3" lift would like to put 31 10.5 15's rims and tires not sure of rim size
Wednesday, October 10, 2012 by geno adams:
i drive a 2006 dodge charger srt-8. i want to purchase chrome wheels & tires for summer come. it comes with 20'' wheels factory. i really like 24'' wheels they fill wheel well gap nice.but my question is would that mess up my front end & would i go threw wheel bearings.i know 22'' would work fine. but i really like 24''
Thursday, October 11, 2012 by Henry:
Hi, Thank you for your email.

I have been advised by our Hardware Support Department that a 24" wheel on your SRT-8 will require a fender lip roll. So just for that reason you might want to stay with the 22" wheels.

Thanks, Henry
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 by Haywood Jyablome:
Does the asymmetrical tread pattern of a tire affect stopping distance?
Wednesday, March 27, 2013 by Henry:
Hi Haywood, Thank you for your question. As you know, the main benefit of the asymmetrical tread pattern is to improve cornering. Please be advised that all tire manufactures take into account the braking ability of all of their tires so the asymmetrical tires will
also have excellent braking.

Thanks, Henry
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 by Gary L.:
I'd like to get an explanation of Tire Rack test results of Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires, specifically - stopping distance on dry and wet surface. In years 2009 and 2011 (See http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=119 and http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=147 ) you declared that wet stopping distance was almost identical to dry, for Continental DWS wet even shorter than dry! In 2012 (see http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=165) the wet stopping distance is about 30% longer than dry - how I expect it to be in real life.
What was wrong with the tests in years 2009 and 2011? Can we rely on these tests at all?
Monday, May 20, 2013 by Tire Rack Team:
A variety of factors influence the results for each of the three tests.

We use standard industry procedures to normalize external variables during a specific test, but we make no effort to control or account for variables between different tests, or from day to day/week/month/year. Experience with our format has revealed it is not practical to do so. Our track surface and methods are designed to duplicate the findings if done on a similar public road. The asphalt surface is a typical road mix. Across the three year span of these tests is the influence of a repave of the asphalt surface of our test track, a change in test vehicles, and a change in tested tire size.

Certainly the results from the 2012 test are the most typical, but the results from each of the other two tests are valid for the conditions that existed on those days.

The 2009 test had wet and dry braking each done on different parts of our track and on different days with a 20 degree swing in ambient temperature, with it being colder on the wet day (51 degrees). It was also fairly windy on the wet test day which can limit the water coverage somewhat. Our test track surface was near the ends of its life, and was becoming fairly aggressive with lots of the aggregate exposed. This test used 225/45R17 tires on 2011 BMW 328I coupes.

The 2011 test was the first on our repaved test track, and we had begun but not completed burnishing of the surface to bring the grip level down to more typical for well-used public roads. Again the dry and wet tests were done on different days and again there was a 20 degree spread in ambient temperature, with the colder day when wet testing was done (59 degrees). This test used 225/45R17 tires on 2011 BMW 328I coupes.

The 2012 test was done on the same surface and the same area of the track as the 2011 test. But this time we now have plenty of burnishing done to bring the surface grip level more in line with typical "used" roads. The ambient temperature for both dry and wet was within 5 degrees, hovering in the upper 70s. This test used 245/40R18 tires on 2012 BMW 328I sedans.

We believe the comparison is valid for the four tires evaluated in each of the tests, but the variance from one test to the next underscores the importance of not attempting to compare objective test results across different tests conducted at different times.
Monday, May 20, 2013 by dwayne:
I need a good summertire for 2009 maxima sv . I only drive my car in the summer what should i get. I need something that handles great.

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