Seasonal Services

Seasonal Tire Changeover

Winter tires are not just for snow. Below about 45°F, their rubber stays flexible where summer rubber goes hard.

  • 1 hr typical
  • At every branch
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What is seasonal tire changeover?

Winter tires use a softer compound and a tread pattern designed to bite into snow and clear water. Summer and all-season tires harden as the temperature drops, and a hard tire grips less, whether or not there is snow on the road.

The usual trigger for changing over is a sustained temperature around 45°F rather than the first snowfall. Changing back in spring matters just as much - winter compound wears quickly in warm weather.

If your winter tires are on their own wheels the changeover is quick. If both sets share one set of wheels, the tires have to be dismounted and remounted each time, which takes longer and adds balancing.

What we do

  • Bring your stored set out and inspect both sets
  • Check tread depth on the set coming off and the set going on
  • Swap the wheels, or dismount and remount tires where sets share wheels
  • Balance where tires have been remounted
  • Set pressures for the season
  • Reset the TPMS where the vehicle requires it
  • Torque the lug nuts to specification
  • Prepare the set coming off for storage

When do you need this service?

  • Temperatures are consistently around or below 45°F
  • Before the first forecast snow
  • In spring, when temperatures are consistently above 45°F
  • You have just bought a second seasonal set

How it works

  1. Retrieve Your stored set is brought out and inspected.
  2. Check Tread depth and condition are checked on both sets.
  3. Swap Wheels are changed, or tires remounted if sets share wheels.
  4. Balance Wheels are balanced where tires were remounted.
  5. Pressure and torque Pressures are set and lug nuts torqued to spec.
  6. Store The set coming off is prepared for storage.

Important information

Winter tires should be fitted as a full set of four. Fitting them to only one axle gives the car very different grip front to rear, which makes it behave unpredictably in exactly the conditions you bought them for. Leaving winter tires on through summer wears them out quickly and lengthens braking distances in the heat.

Frequently asked questions

When should I change to winter tires?

When temperatures are consistently around 45°F or below, rather than waiting for snow. The compound is the point, not just the tread pattern.

Do I need all four?

Yes. Winter tires on one axle only leaves the car with very different grip front to rear, which is genuinely dangerous on a slippery road.

Is it cheaper to have winter tires on their own wheels?

Over a few seasons, usually. A wheel swap is quicker than dismounting and remounting tires twice a year, and it is easier on the tire beads.

Can I leave winter tires on all year?

You can, but you will wear them out quickly and give up braking performance in warm weather. It is a false economy.

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Ready to get your vehicle back on the road?

Book a slot at your local branch and we will have you sorted.

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