Winter tires use a softer rubber compound and a tread pattern designed to bite into snow and clear slush, and they work in a way that all season tires cannot once temperatures fall. AutoTech Clinic fits winter tires and handles seasonal swaps at our Dearborn shop.
Book the swap early. The week after the first real snowfall is the busiest week of our year, and the drivers who called in October are the ones who get in quickly.
- How Long
- About 1 hour for a swap on wheels, longer if tires are changed on rims.
- Same Day
- Usually finished the same day.
- Vehicles
- Foreign and domestic, cars through trucks.
Signs You Need Winter Tires and Seasonal Swaps
- You commute through Dearborn winters and run all season tires
- The car struggles to pull away or stop on packed snow
- Temperatures are consistently below 45 degrees
- Your all season tires are below about 5/32 of an inch
- You park outside and face unplowed side streets in the morning
- Your winter set is already on rims and ready to go on
What We Do
- 01
Check What You Have
We measure tread on both sets and inspect your winter tires for age, cracking and uneven wear before fitting them.
- 02
Swap and Balance
Tires on their own rims swap quickly. Tires being changed on the same rims are dismounted, remounted and rebalanced.
- 03
Service the TPMS
A second set of wheels usually needs its own sensors, and sensors have batteries that eventually die. We check and relearn them to the vehicle.
- 04
Set Pressures for the Season
Cold weather drops pressure, so we set to the door placard with the tires cold and explain how to check through the winter.
- 05
Store or Return the Summer Set
We bag the set coming off so it travels clean and tell you how to store it properly to protect the rubber.
Why 45 Degrees Is the Number That Matters
All season tires use a compound that is a compromise. Below roughly 45 degrees Fahrenheit that rubber starts to stiffen, and a stiff tire cannot conform to the road surface, so grip drops even on dry pavement.
Winter tire compounds stay pliable well below freezing. That is why a winter tire out-brakes an all season on cold dry road, before you even consider snow. In Dearborn we are below 45 degrees for roughly five months of the year.
All Four or None
Fitting winter tires to the drive wheels only is a tempting way to save money and it creates a genuinely dangerous car. With grip at the front and none at the rear, the back end steps out under braking or in a corner with very little warning.
We will not fit a pair of winter tires to one axle. If budget is the issue we would rather talk through options than hand back a car that behaves unpredictably in a storm.
What Affects the Cost
We quote your vehicle specifically after inspecting it, because these are the things that move the number up or down:
- Whether the winter set is on its own rims or has to be changed on the same wheels
- TPMS sensors for a second set of wheels
- Balancing, which is required any time a tire is mounted
- The cost of the winter tires themselves if you are buying a first set
- Any valve stems or service kits that need replacing
Call (313) 277-7200 with your year, make and model and we will tell you what to expect before you come in.
Why AutoTech Clinic
AAA Approved
An inspected facility that has to meet AAA standards for equipment and training.
Photos First
You see what we found and approve the price before anything is taken apart.
Same-Day Service
Parts on hand for the vehicles we see most, so you are not waiting on a delivery.