With winter inbound, it is time to change your tyres from summers to winters. Most people will pay someone else to do the changeover, which is all good. But did you know this is an easy DIY job that will take less than 30 minutes?
Here’s everything you need to know about changing your tyres from summers to winters.
Get a Dedicated Set of Rims (Wheels)
The secret to easy changeovers is having a complete set of wheels and winter tyres. Besides eliminating the need to mount and dismount your wheels every time, changing a complete set of wheels is easy. It’s like changing a flat tyre and can be done with basic tools.
Invest in the Right Tools
While a tyre kit is enough for the job, it is not the ideal toolset. You’ll eventually need a service jack, lug wrench, breaker bar, safety stands and a compressor to inflate the tyres. These tools also come in handy when doing other DIY jobs. So the investment will pay off after some time.
Get Cracking
Once you have the car in a good spot, shift to parking or put it in gear (manual), then pull the parking brake all the way. This will secure the car so it cannot move in any direction. Now loosen the nuts with a quarter to half turn. Then lift the car off the ground and loosen the tyres all the way. This should allow you to remove the wheel setup.
At this point, check the pressure on the winter set before mounting them. Tyres that have lost 10-15psi during storage might be leaking.
You might also want to mark the tyres with chalk or tyre marker, so you know where they came from. Go with F and B for front and back and D and P for driver and passenger side.
Finally, fit in your new tyres and remember to fasten them before driving off.