On rims or off rims
There are two ways to do a seasonal tire change, and the price is different for each.
- On rims, $50 before tax. Your winter tires and summer tires each have their own set of wheels. One set comes off, the other goes on, and the lug nuts are torqued to spec.
- Off rims, $100 before tax. You have one set of rims. The tires on them are taken off, your other set is mounted onto the same rims, and the wheels are balanced before they go back on the car.
If you keep your car for a few years, a second set of rims usually pays for itself. Two swaps a year on rims cost $100 less than two off rims, and the tire beads are not stretched over the rim every spring and fall. Plain steel rims are a good choice for winter in Ottawa. They are cheaper, they shrug off salt better than alloys, and a pothole on Innes Road in March bends them rather than cracking them.
When to put winter tires on in Ottawa
The rule of thumb is 7 degrees. Below that, the rubber in all season tires stiffens and loses grip, while winter tire rubber stays soft. In Ottawa that usually means late October through November, and the first real snowfall tends to arrive before a lot of people have booked. The week after the first snow is the busiest of the year at every tire shop in the city, so booking ahead is the easy fix.
Winter tires are not required by law in Ontario, but insurers here have to offer a discount if you run them, so it is worth asking yours. Quebec is different. Passenger vehicles registered in Quebec need winter tires from December 1 to March 15, which matters for anyone who lives in Gatineau and works on this side. There is more on timing in our post on when to put on winter tires in Ottawa.
Taking them off in spring
Most people swap back in April. Winter tires wear fast on warm, dry pavement, so leaving them on into June costs you tread you will want next winter. Going too early has its own risk. Snow in the first week of April is not unusual here, so wait until the long range forecast stays above freezing at night.
What to look at while the wheels are off
A tire change is one of the few times the wheels are off the car, and it is worth using.
Tread depth is the first thing. A winter tire loses a lot of its snow grip once the tread gets down to about 4 mm, well before it reaches the legal wear bars. Look for cracks in the sidewalls of tires that sat in a garage all summer, and bulges from pothole hits. Wear on one edge usually points to alignment, which we don’t do in house, or to worn suspension parts.
With the wheel off, you can also see the brakes clearly. If the pads look thin or the rotors are scaled with rust, a brake check on the same visit saves a second trip.
Salt causes two more problems. Aluminum rims corrode where they touch the hub, so a wheel can be stuck on hard, and the hub face should be cleaned before the next wheel goes on so it sits flat. Rusted wheel studs and seized lug nuts also turn up, and it is better to find them in a shop than at the side of the 174.
Lug nuts, lock keys and the first 100 km
If your car has locking wheel nuts, bring the key. It usually lives in the glove box or under the trunk floor, and without it the lock nut cannot come off. After any tire change, have the lug nuts checked after the first 50 to 100 km. Wheels can settle slightly once they have been driven on, especially alloys.
Storing the other set
Store the off season set clean, dry and out of the sun. Tires on rims can lie flat in a stack, while tires without rims are better standing upright. Mark where each one came from, front left and so on, so they can be moved around next season to even out the wear.
Booking your tire change
Book online any time and pick tire swap on rims or tire change off rims. Add the car by VIN or year, make and model, and choose drop off if that suits you better. Last drop off is 2pm. Saturday hours run 9:30am to 2pm, which helps if weekdays are full.
Fall is also rustproofing season. If you are coming in for winter tires, rustproofing on the same visit is $140 for a car and $180 for an SUV. If one of the tires keeps losing air, mention it, since a flat tire repair is $20 and easy to do while the wheel is already off.
SA Auto Repair is at Unit 1, 1541 Star Top Road in Ottawa, ON, a right turn off Innes Road just east of Highway 417 Exit 112. Service in English and French.
Questions people ask
How much is a tire change in Ottawa?
At SA Auto Repair on Star Top Road, swapping tires that are already on their own rims is $50 before tax. Changing tires off rims, where the tires are mounted onto your rims and balanced, is $100 before tax.
When should I put winter tires on in Ottawa?
Once daytime temperatures stay below about 7 degrees, all season rubber stiffens and loses grip, and winter tires start to work better. In Ottawa that is usually late October into November. Booking before the first snowfall avoids the rush.
Are winter tires mandatory in Ontario?
No, but Ontario insurers have to offer a discount if you use winter tires, so ask yours. In Quebec they are required on Quebec plated passenger vehicles from December 1 to March 15, which matters if your car is registered across the river.
Is it worth buying a second set of rims for winter tires?
Usually, if you keep the car a few years. A swap on rims is $50 against $100 off rims, so two swaps a year save about $100 a year, and the tires are not stretched over the rim every season. Steel rims also handle salt and potholes better than nice alloys.
Do I need to retorque my wheels after a tire change?
It is good practice to have the lug nuts checked after the first 50 to 100 km, especially on alloy rims. Wheels can settle slightly against the hub once they have been driven on.
