Learn About 11R22.5 Open Shoulder Drive Tires for Trucks

An Overview of 11R22.5 Open Shoulder Drive Tires

Truck tires are a critical component for commercial trucks and trailers. They provide load-carrying capacity, traction, handling, and ride quality. 11R22.5 tires are a common size used on tractor trailers and straight trucks. Let's take a closer look at 11R22.5 open shoulder drive tires and why they are a popular choice.

What Does 11R22.5 Mean?

11R22.5 is a tire size designation. The 11 refers to the rim diameter in inches. The R stands for radial, the type of tire construction. 22.5 is the nominal cross section width of the tire in inches.

So an 11R22.5 tire is designed to fit on an 11-inch diameter wheel rim and has a cross section width of approximately 22.5 inches when properly mounted and inflated.

Open Shoulder vs Closed Shoulder Tires

11R22.5 tires are available in open shoulder and closed shoulder designs. The difference lies in the shoulder ribbing.

Open shoulder tires have continuous lateral grooves across the tread. Closed shoulder tires have solid shoulder ribs without lateral grooves.

Open shoulder tires provide better traction in mud, snow, and soft surfaces. The grooves allow the tread to flex and bite into soft ground. However, they can be louder on pavement.

Closed shoulder tires offer a smoother, quieter ride on paved roads. But they lack the biting edges in soft conditions provided by open lateral grooves.

Benefits of 11R22.5 Open Shoulder Drive Tires

Here are some of the advantages of choosing 11R22.5 open shoulder tires for drive axle positions:

• Better Traction - The open shoulders provide extra grip in mud, snow, and loose dirt, especially when pulling heavy loads.
• Increased Mobility - The flexible tread lugs allow the tire to keep moving through soft ground where a closed shoulder tire might get stuck.
• Self-Cleaning - Open shoulder tires shed mud and debris better, allowing the tread to maintain traction.
• Durable Construction - 11R22.5 tires feature rugged casings and tread compounds to handle demanding truck applications.
• Load Capacity - Larger 11R22.5 tires offer high weight and air volume capacity for heavy loads.

For these reasons, open shoulder 11R22.5 tires are ideal for drive axle positions where maximum traction is needed, especially in vocational applications.

Drive Axle Positions

On heavy trucks and tractor trailers, the drive axles are the ones that propel the vehicle. They need to generate the most traction to move the heavy loads.

On a tandem rear axle setup, the forward axle is the drive axle. The rear axle only follows and supports load.

On single drive axle straight trucks, the single rear axle serves as the drive axle. Open shoulder tires offer the grip needed to get these heavy trucks moving, loaded or unloaded.

Vocational Truck Applications

Vocational trucks operate in some of the most demanding environments and require maximum traction. Examples include:

• Construction - Dump trucks, cement mixers, etc. operating on loose dirt and muddy job sites.
• Mining - Haul trucks operating on unpaved roads in quarries and mines.
• Logging - Trucks navigating muddy logging roads and soft soil conditions.
• Oil Fields - Tanker trucks and service vehicles driving on uneven, rugged terrain.
• Agriculture - Grain trucks working in muddy fields and farm roads.

11R22.5 open shoulder tires thrive in these vocational applications where traction trumps ride comfort on pavement.

Considerations When Selecting 11R22.5 Tires

Here are some things to consider when specifying 11R22.5 open shoulder drive tires:

• Application - Match tread design and compound to the operating environment.
• Load Capacity - Choose a load range to suit axle weight and cargo.
• Position - Use open shoulders in the drive position for maximum traction.
• Retreads - Consider traction retreads to lower costs.
• Climate - Choose tires suited to regional conditions like snow.
• Warranty - Select tires backed by mileage or time based warranty.

Consulting with a qualified tire dealer is recommended to get the right 11R22.5 tires specified for your trucks.

Major Brands of 11R22.5 Tires

Popular tire brands offering 11R22.5 drive tires include:

• Michelin
• Bridgestone
• Goodyear
• Continental
• Yokohama
• Toyo
• Hankook

Each brand engineers tread designs and compounds targeted at different applications and conditions. Get to know the flagship tires offered by each brand.

The Takeaway on 11R22.5 Open Shoulder Tires

11R22.5 open shoulder drive tires provide unmatched traction in soft ground and heavy load conditions. That makes them ideal for vocational trucks and drive axle positions.

Consider the operating environment, load requirements, retreadability, and warranty specs when selecting tires. Choosing the right brand and tire design contributes to optimum truck performance and lower operating costs.

FAQs

What is the difference between an open shoulder and closed shoulder tire?

Open shoulder tires have continuous lateral grooves across the tread which provide additional traction. Closed shoulder tires have solid shoulder ribs without grooves for a smoother highway ride.

What truck applications benefit most from open shoulder tires?

Vocational trucks operating in mud, snow, loose dirt, and other soft terrain see the biggest benefit from open shoulder tires which provide maximum traction.

Should I use open shoulder tires on all axle positions?

Open shoulder tires are ideal for drive axles but closed shoulder tires can be used on trailing axles which follow rather than drive the truck.

What tread life can I expect from 11R22.5 open shoulder tires?

Tread life will vary based on application, driving habits, and tread compound. In vocational use, open shoulder tires may see 50-70% of the tread life compared to highway tires.

What tire brands are popular for 11R22.5 drive tires?

Major brands like Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental, and Yokohama all offer leading 11R22.5 drive tires for trucks.