OTR Tires

OTR tires are tires that are designed and built for use on unpaved surfaces, installed on equipment such as wheel loaders, end dumps, scrapers, cranes, graders, haul trucks, and straddle carriers. Some tire specialists would differentiate between OTR tires and earthmover tires, but in most cases, the terms are used interchangeably. Every major tire manufacturer builds tires that fit on pick-up trucks, dump trucks, or tractor-trailers that are designed to be used off the road at some time. Farm tires, of course, are used almost entirely off the road. However, these types of tires are not considered OTR tires. The U.S. government has a definition for OTR and earthmover tires. If a tire falls under this definition, then it does not carry a D.O.T. (Department of Transportation) number molded into the sidewall. (Tires that are used on streets and highways must carry a D.O.T. number, to certify that certain standards have been met). In addition the manufacturer does not pay F.E.T. (federal excise tax) on tires that fit the definition of OTR tires. (All tires that can carry over 3,500 pounds and carry a D.O.T. number, are subject to F.E.T.)