Shop Open Shoulder Tires

Before buying open shoulder tires: what the open shoulder does

Open shoulder tires have grooves that run from the tread through the shoulder to the sidewall, separating the shoulder into individual lugs. The open grooves bite into snow, mud and gravel and throw debris out as the tire turns, which gives more traction than a closed shoulder on loose and slippery surfaces.

When to buy open shoulder truck tires

Open shoulder drive tires are the purchase for commercial trucks on regional routes, northern winter routes, mountain passes and job sites. Open shoulder drive tires with the 3PMSF (Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake) symbol are the purchase for trucks that run snow-covered roads all winter.

Open vs. closed shoulder tires

Open shoulder tires grip better in snow, mud and gravel; closed shoulder tires wear more evenly, run quieter and save more fuel on dry interstates. Linehaul fleets on southern routes buy closed shoulder drive tires; regional and winter fleets buy open shoulder drive tires.

Open shoulder truck tire sizes to check when ordering

Open shoulder drive tires are ordered in 11R22.5, 295/75R22.5, 11R24.5 and 315/80R22.5, commonly in load range G or H. The size on the truck's current drive tires decides the order.

Open shoulder tires for pickups, Jeeps and SUVs

Open shoulder designs also appear on light truck tires: mud-terrain tires and aggressive all-terrain tires use open shoulder lugs to clear mud and climb rock. Pickup, Jeep and SUV owners buy open shoulder light truck tires for off-road traction and accept more road noise on pavement.

Buying open shoulder drive tires as axle sets

Open shoulder drive tires run in dual pairs, and every tire in a dual pair should match in diameter within 1/4 in. Ordering the full drive axle set at once keeps every pair matched and the tread pattern consistent across the axle.

When to order open shoulder drive tires for winter

Open shoulder drive tires lose snow and mud grip as the shoulder lugs wear down, well before the 2/32 in. federal minimum for drive tires. Fleets on winter routes order new open shoulder drive tires before the season starts rather than mid-winter, when demand for popular sizes is highest.

Ordering open shoulder tires

Open shoulder tires are ordered by the size and the work: commercial drive axles for winter and regional routes, or light truck sizes for off-road driving. Search your truck or size on NeoTires, compare open shoulder tires by price and tread depth, and add the axle set or set of four to the cart. NeoTires dispatches open shoulder tires the same day to any US address, ships tires marked Free shipping at no cost, and offers Klarna, Affirm and Afterpay financing at checkout.