What’s Do You Call Tires for Heavy Equipment?
Thursday, March 11th, 2010At various events, I am presented with the same query: So, what is it you do for a living? I’ve responded in different ways: “I work for a company that internationally.” or “We sell heavy equipment tires.” What I would prefer to explain, is that I sell mining tires, but honest to goodness, no one knows what those are.
So, I usually just frame the conversation this way: ” I sell big tires for construction equipment. Some of these tires are as big as 12.5 feet tall (~4m, for those who are on the metric standard).” It sounds bragadocious, but it is needful to broaden their thoughts to accept something with a wheel size that execeeds twenty inches.
Now, the truth is, most of the my organization sells are far less than 12.5′. In fact, many of them are only 4 feet high.
So, what is an OTR Tire? The definitions deviate greatly, but we will start with the acronym “OTR”. It stands for “Off the Road”, or in minuscule cases “Over the Road”. Generally, the accompanying types of equipment use it, and I won’t include every type here, because you would be reading all day.
The basic pieces of equipment that use these tires are: loaders(skid steer, front end, and wheel-), haul trucks (articulated dump and rigid frame, crash trucks, cranes(the tires are available in both on and off-road types), scrapers & road graders.
Now, some picky folks may say I am dismissing tractors & combines, but those are generally assorted as “agricultural use”, and don’t fall under the category of “OTR”, per se. Others will pronounce that the class is much larger. This is correct. However, I am giving you the basics you need to understand, not a doctoral dissertation on the tires.
These tires are obtainable in bias and radial stock, just like passenger tyres are. The essential deviation is in the size of the rims(20-63″ for the larger ), and the heavy duty nature of the lugs, and rubber compounds. These are tires that can take the abuse that gravel, large rocks, and mud throw at them.
As to roles, these tyres can be found in the most severe circumstances, from the Mines of South Africa, to the Tar Sands of Canada.
So, what is an OTR Tire? Very plainly put, it’s a tyre for construction, mining, or industrial uses, that maneuvers in harsh, off-road conditions, on very heavy equipment.
That’s the layman’s rendering. If are in need of more information on OTR Tyres, please call OTR Tire Supply, at 877-426-1090 .