OMTarga4S

Is a wheel alignment required after every winter to summer tire swap? Same tires from the previous year.

jbl16

No, but not a bad idea to check the alignment every other year though.

detansinn

Nope. You don't need an alignment every time you swap wheels/tires, but tire places and dealers love that upsell.

Biohazard

Maybe take a look at the tires you just removed to insure they aren't giving you concerns from the way they are wearing.

Ikone

No alignment. Wheels are not aligned, suspension is. If you are swapping tires only (not wheels/rims), then you'll want to re-balance though.

detansinn

It's good to have a dedicated winter wheel/tire set and a dedicated summer set. Swapping tires on/off the same rims is dumb -- it can lead to tire issues and you dramatically increase the chances of cosmetic damage to your rims with such frequent changes. Plus, you're exposing those wheels to the harsh winter conditions. A winter wheel set should be approached as something sacrificial.

Added bonus of the spare set is that you can do the swap at home yourself. If you don't have room at home, it's a cheap swap at your dealer and most dealers will store your wheels/tires.

If you're spending six figures on a car, you can afford investing in a dedicated winter wheel/tire set.

Ikone

Agreed 100%. I personally would have (and have had) dedicated wheels, but some don't, so wasn't sure what setup the OP has. Thanks for adding this info.