Why you should be getting your winter tires torqued

As drivers swap their tires in preparation for the upcoming snowy season, CTV’s Ashley Bacon has an important reminder that could save a life.

Mechanics are reminding drivers to get their winter tires torqued.

Automotive shops, including Fowler Tire on Fairway Road in Kitchener, are already busy preparing for the change of seasons.

“A lot of people put [installing winter tires] off just because of the weather and everybody thinks that it’ll only be 10 minutes,” owner Chris Tsegas said. “There’s a lot of people out there that have winter tires that we have to get them on.”

So, when should you make the switch?

“The general rule that we follow is seven for seven,” suggested Nadia Matos, the manager of external communications for the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). “That’s seven consistent days of seven degree [weather].”

Some insurance policies require drivers make the switch by a specific date to receive a discount on their rates.

The seasonal swap is a two-step process. First, the mechanic puts on the winter tires. Drivers are then advised to come back to the shop to have them retorqued.

“The biggest thing is a lot of people don’t think that they need to clean the back of the hubs, and that’s why tires come loose,” Tsegas explained. “We clean the back of the hubs, the surface of the rotor of the drum to put the tires on, torque them, and then [have the driver] come back in about 100 km to check them again.”

That second step is often skipped.

“Maybe 50 per cent if we’re lucky,” Tsegas said.

It does make a difference on the roads.

“This is the time of the year where we see a seasonal spike in wheel separations and often that is as a result of improper installation,” said Sgt. Kerry Schmidt with the OPP’s Highway Safety Division.

A dislodged wheel can have devastating results.

“It can enter the windshield, into the occupant compartment, in a flash, in a blink of the eye,” Schmidt continued. “The other driver usually has no time to react or to respond or take any evasive action. It can be absolutely devasting and the outcomes can be fatal.”

“We come across incidents all the time, where poor installation of tires is a factor,” Const. Chris Iden, with the Waterloo Regional Police Service, said.

He suggests seeking out an expert.

“Get it done now and you don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the year.”

Tsegas also advised drivers book winter maintenance on their vehicle at the same time, including an oil change, topping up of fluids and checking the wipers to make sure they are in good working condition.