When and How to Change Your Winter Tires

Welcome to another winter in Manitoba! Before you hit the road in that warmed-up vehicle, it’s a good idea to think about road safety during the longest (and coldest) of seasons.

With frigid temperatures and icy driving conditions, winter tires enable Manitoban drivers to have better control throughout the season.

People often ask: When should I change out my summer tires for winter ones? Let’s look at the best time to swap to winter tires, how long they last and how to change them!

WHY DO I NEED WINTER TIRES?

You might be thinking, “Why can’t I just use my all-weather tires all year round? Why would I need winter tires at all?”

Even though all-weather tires are considered suitable for winter driving, winter tires are still superior. For example, winter tires have a much better braking distance average. For the best traction in the cold and icy conditions we experience here in Manitoba, dedicated winter tires are always the way to go.

Having two sets of tires that you swap out every six months (we recommend one all-weather set and one winter set) means you are going to double the life of both sets. Even though this means a higher cost upfront, you will see those costs balance out over a few years. Both sets of tires will last a lot longer and you won’t have to replace them nearly as often!

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN WINTER TIRES?

According to Transport Canada, winter tires should feature the mountain/snowflake logo on their side (also known as the ‘Alpine’ logo). If you see this symbol (see below), it means that the tire is certified and will meet certain performance criteria when it comes to winter driving conditions.

WHEN SHOULD I PUT ON MY WINTER TIRES?

Once temperatures reach below seven degrees Celsius, you should change to winter tires. In warmer weather, winter tires are prone to overheating, wear out faster and provide less control than all-season tires. That’s why it’s important to not swap them out any earlier.

HOW LONG WILL MY WINTER TIRES LAST?

The average Canadian drives 20,000 to 25,000 kilometres per year. This leads to winter tires lasting four to five winter seasons. You may drive more or less and in different conditions, so it’s important to know what signs to look for. Cracking, discolouration and shallow tread depths are all signs that you should swap out your winter tires for a new set.

HOW DO I SWAP MY WINTER TIRES MYSELF?

You can change winter tires on your own by following these simple steps!

1. Turn the vehicle off. On level ground, set your parking brake and turn off the ignition. You don’t want your car going anywhere during the swap!

2. Set wheel chocks. As a safety precaution, you should have wheel chocks set around all the tires you’re not working on.

3. Loosen lug nuts. After removing the hubcap, use a lug wrench (also called a tire iron or tire tool) to turn the lug nuts counterclockwise.

4. Raise the vehicle jack. Jacking points refer to reinforced metal ribs made to withstand the weight of a car on the jack. When placing the jack, make sure you’re aligned with these to prevent damaging your vehicle. Consult your owner’s manual to find these. After jacking up the vehicle, place jack stands under jacking points and lower the vehicle onto them. Your tires should now sit around six inches above the ground.

5. Remove nuts, tire and wheel. Since you’ve already loosened your lug nuts, they should come easily as you continue rotating from where you left off. Sit them in a spot where they won’t get lost! You can now lift the wheel/tire and place it to the side.

6. Put on the new tire. Make sure the mating surfaces (the metal area of the wheel hub that will sit against the new wheel) are clean. The easiest way to do this is with a wheel hub cleaning tool, which is sold in tool stores like Princess Auto or online on Amazon. Once the area’s clean, you can place the new wheel and attach the nuts, just as you did to remove the old wheel.

7. Lower vehicle. After removing your jack stand, lower the vehicle back to the ground.

8. Tighten nuts. Tighten your lug nuts with a torque wrench in a star formation. This pattern prevents wheel flexing. Uneven lug nut torque can cause all sorts of issues when driving, including bolts breaking. Refer to your owner’s manual to find the torque specifications of your vehicle’s lug nuts.

At Birchwood Credit, we want every driver to feel safe and comfortable on the road. That’s why we offer an extensive inventory of high-quality vehicles to suit almost any driving need. Browse our online inventory today to see our selection of cars, trucks, SUVs and minivans. If you need financing to make your next car purchase, we work with buyers from almost every credit background. Whether you’re new to Canada and still building credit or rebuilding credit after a bankruptcy or divorce, we can help. Get the loan process started by completing our online application today!