PC Tires — Buy Online. Get Installed Locally.

🌤️

All-Season

The default tire that comes on most vehicles. Designed for year-round use in mild climates — dry, wet, and light snow. They compromise between summer grip and winter traction, so they're not the best at either. Fine if you rarely see heavy snow or temperatures below -7°C.

Good for: Mild Canadian winters, mostly highway driving

🌨️

All-Weather (3PMSF)

A newer category — essentially a better all-season. Certified for severe snow service (the mountain snowflake symbol ❄️). Significantly better than all-season in snow and ice, while still being driveable in summer. The best one-tire option for Ontario drivers who don't want to swap seasonally.

Best for: Most Ontario drivers wanting one set year-round

❄️

Winter / Snow Tires

Dedicated winter tires use a special rubber compound that stays soft and grippy below -7°C, where all-season rubber hardens. They have aggressive tread patterns to channel snow and slush. Dramatically shorter stopping distances on ice. Swap in October, swap back in April.

Best for: Maximum safety in Canadian winters

☀️

Summer / Performance

Maximum dry and wet grip in warm temperatures. Use a softer compound optimized for heat. Never drive these below 7°C — the rubber becomes dangerously brittle and stopping distances increase massively. For sports cars, performance vehicles, or enthusiast drivers.

Warning: Not for use below 7°C

Condition

All-Season

All-Weather ❄️

Winter

Dry pavement

●● Excellent

●○ Good

Wet roads

●● Excellent

●○ Good

Light snow

●○ Moderate

●● Excellent

Heavy snow / ice

○○ Poor

●○ Good

●● Excellent

Below -7°C

○○ Poor

●○ Good

●● Excellent

Seasonal swap needed

No

Yes (2×/year)

PC Tires recommendation for Chatham-Kent: If you want one set of tires, go All-Weather (3PMSF certified). If you want the safest possible winter driving and don't mind the changeover, run dedicated winter tires from October–April and all-seasons the rest of the year. We'll store and swap your seasonal set — ask us about our tire storage program.

Every tire has a code on its sidewall. Here's how to read 225/65R17 102H and other markings:

225

Section Width

Width of the tire in millimetres, measured from sidewall to sidewall.

/65

Aspect Ratio

Sidewall height as a percentage of the width. Lower number = shorter sidewall = sportier look and handling.

R

Radial Construction

How the internal cords are laid. Virtually all modern tires are radial — this will always be "R".

17

Rim Diameter

The wheel size in inches. This must match your rim exactly — a 17" tire only fits a 17" rim.

102

Load Index

Maximum weight the tire can carry. 102 = 850 kg per tire. Must meet or exceed vehicle manufacturer's requirement.

H

Speed Rating

Maximum sustained speed. H = 210 km/h. V = 240. W = 270. Y = 300. Always match or exceed your original rating.

OWL / RWL

Outlined / Raised White Letters

Decorative white lettering on the sidewall. Popular on trucks and SUVs for a rugged appearance. Purely cosmetic — no performance difference.

BSW

Black Sidewall

Standard black sidewall with no lettering. The most common type. Cleaner look for passenger cars and crossovers.

❄️ M+S

Winter Certification Symbols

M+S = Mud & Snow (basic). The mountain/snowflake symbol (3PMSF) is the stricter certification — required for dedicated winter or all-weather tires.

Not sure what size you need? Use our Vehicle Lookup tool above — enter your year, make, model and trim and we'll pull your exact OEM tire size automatically.

Tread pattern affects everything from handling to noise to water evacuation. Here are the four main types:

〓

Symmetric Tread

Same pattern across the whole tire. Can be rotated in any direction. Quietest ride, good all-round performance. Common on economy all-season tires.

⟹

Directional / V-Pattern

V-shaped grooves point in one direction — designed to pump water out at high speed. Excellent wet-weather performance. Must be mounted so the arrow on the sidewall points forward. Common on performance and winter tires.

◨

Asymmetric Tread

Different inner and outer tread zones — outer for dry cornering, inner for wet grip. High-performance tires. Must be mounted with the "outside" facing out. Cannot be rotated side-to-side.

🏔️

Aggressive / All-Terrain

Large, widely spaced lugs for off-road grip and mud self-cleaning. Common on trucks and SUVs. Louder on highway than passenger tires. Some wear faster on pavement.

Treadwear indicator: Look for the small raised bars in the tread grooves — when your tread is flush with these bars, you're at 2/32" (the legal minimum in Canada). We recommend replacing at 4/32" for safety, especially in winter. Use a toonie: if the silver band shows above the tread, it's time to replace.

🛣️

Highway (HT)

Smooth, quiet ride optimized for pavement. Great fuel economy. Low rolling resistance. Best for trucks and SUVs that stay on-road. Most comfortable for daily driving and highway trips.

Best for: Daily commuters, highway driving

🌲

All-Terrain (AT)

The middle ground. Handles pavement well, but adds capability for gravel, dirt, and light off-road use. Slightly louder than highway tires. Very popular for pickup trucks in Ontario — great for cottages and work sites.

Best for: Trucks that see both road and occasional off-road

🪨

Mud-Terrain (MT)

Aggressive, widely-spaced lugs for serious off-road traction in mud, rock, and sand. Very loud on highway. Wears faster on pavement. Not ideal for daily driving unless you regularly go off-road.

Not ideal for daily highway commuting

⚡

Load Range Matters

Trucks and vans often require Load Range C, D, or E tires — these have stiffer sidewalls to handle heavier loads and towing. Never downgrade your load rating. If you tow a trailer or haul loads, confirm your required load range before ordering.

Check before ordering if you tow or haul

Lifted trucks: If your truck is lifted, your tire size will be different from stock. Tell us your lift height and we'll find compatible sizes. Larger tires may also require a speedometer recalibration — ask us about this at installation.

THE RIGHT TIRE. INSTALLED RIGHT.