Seasonal Tire Changeover in Aurora, ON
Winter tires on before the cold sets in, summer or all-season tires back on in the spring — swapped, balanced where needed, and torqued to spec.
Ontario doesn't require winter tires, but most Aurora drivers run them anyway — York Region winters are long, and below 7°C a winter compound grips, steers, and stops in a way an all-season tire simply can't. That leaves two changeovers a year: winters on in late fall, and back off in spring. At Terron Tire we handle both, whether the tires came from us or not.
Two Kinds of Changeover
What your visit involves depends on one thing: whether each set of tires has its own set of wheels.
Your seasonal set is already on its own wheels
The quicker visit. Your off-season tires are mounted on a second set of rims, so the changeover is a wheel swap: the current wheels come off, the other set goes on, and every lug nut is torqued to spec with a calibrated tool — not left to an impact gun's guess.
One set of rims, two sets of tires
If both sets of tires share the same rims, each tire has to come off the wheel and the other set has to be mounted in its place — which means a full mount and computer balance on all four wheels, every season. It's longer, but it's the same workmanship as a new-tire install.
What a mount-and-balance changeover includes
- Professional mount & computer balancing
- New valve stem or TPMS reseal
- Torque-to-spec lug installation
When to Book
The rule of thumb is 7°C — the point where a tire's rubber compound starts to matter more than its tread pattern.
Fall: winters on
Once daytime highs sit consistently below 7°C — usually mid-to-late November in Aurora — all-season tires harden and lose grip, snow or no snow. Booking a week or two ahead of that beats the rush that follows the first snowfall.
Spring: winters off
When temperatures stay above 7°C, swap back. A soft winter compound wears quickly on warm, dry pavement, so taking them off promptly is the easiest way to get more seasons out of the set.
Tired of changeovers? All-weather tires carry the same winter rating as a dedicated winter tire and stay on year-round.
Changeover FAQs
No — Terron Tire doesn't offer tire storage. You take your off-season set home with you after the changeover, so plan for somewhere cool and dry to keep it, stacked flat or standing upright, away from sunlight and anything that gives off ozone, like a furnace or electric motor.
Go by temperature rather than the first snowfall. Once daytime temperatures sit consistently below 7°C — usually mid-to-late November around Aurora — all-season rubber starts losing grip, and that's the time to switch. Book ahead of that: changeover appointments fill up fast once the first cold snap hits.
Once temperatures are consistently above 7°C in spring. A winter compound is soft by design, so running it on warm pavement wears it down much faster and gives up some dry-road handling — swapping back promptly makes a set of winters last more seasons.
For most drivers who keep a vehicle more than a couple of winters, yes. A second set of wheels turns every changeover into a quicker wheel swap instead of a full mount and balance, and it spares your tire beads and your nicer summer rims from being dismounted twice a year.
Yes. We'll swap or mount and balance any brand, whether the tires came from us or not. If one of your sets is close to worn out, we can also help you choose a replacement while your vehicle is already in the bay.
No — unlike Quebec, Ontario doesn't legally require winter tires. But Ontario insurers are required to offer a discount to drivers who use them, and below 7°C a proper winter tire stops noticeably shorter than an all-season one. If you'd rather skip changeovers altogether, an all-weather tire is the middle ground.
Related Services & Resources
Ready for your changeover?
Let us know whether your seasonal set is on its own rims, and we'll book the right amount of time.