OTR procurement
OTR Tyre Size and Application Guide for Buyers
How to organise an off-the-road tyre enquiry by machine, axle, size, construction, service conditions and rim details.
01
Start with the machine, not only the size
OTR tyres work across loaders, graders, dumpers, scrapers, rollers, port equipment and other specialised vehicles. A size alone does not describe the duty. Before comparing offers, identify the machine make and model, operating weight, rated payload, tyre position and current approved fitment.
Provide photographs of every sidewall marking. They help the supplier review nominal size, construction, tube or tubeless arrangement, load or speed information, pattern designation and other identifiers without relying on a manually retyped code.
02
Describe the jobsite and cycle
These variables affect the balance among traction, cut resistance, wear and heat management. A pattern that performs well on soft ground may not be the best answer for long travel on abrasive hard surfaces. Final selection should therefore be an application match, not a catalogue-image match.
- Material handled: rock, ore, sand, soil, aggregates or mixed site material.
- Underfoot condition: hard packed, abrasive, muddy, soft, sharp or uneven.
- One-way haul distance, loaded and empty speed, gradients and turning areas.
- Loads per shift, hours per day, idle periods and ambient temperature.
03
Read size and construction as a complete string
Depending on the category, a tyre may use inch-based or metric designations and may indicate radial or diagonal construction. The rim or bead-seat diameter must match the wheel exactly. Do not infer equivalence from one shared number; compare the complete designation and approved technical dimensions.
Tube, flap and valve requirements also need confirmation. Michelin’s earthmover technical data, for example, treats tyres, rims, tubes, flaps and valves as coordinated components rather than independent purchases.
04
A better RFQ format
- One row per machine, axle position, current tyre size and requested quantity.
- Current brand and pattern, sidewall photographs and reason for replacement.
- Destination port, target delivery period and preferred FOB, CFR or CIF term.
- Any certification, marking, packaging or private-label requirement.
Sources and further reading
External references support the general guidance above. Product fitment and legal requirements must be checked for the specific equipment, tyre and destination market.