OTR Tire Recycling Equipment: What Are OTR Tires and Why Are They Hard to Recycle?

As demand grows for sustainable solutions in heavy industries, OTR tires recycling machine manufacturers are gaining attention from mining companies, construction sites, and recycling plants. But what exactly are OTR tires—and why is it so difficult to recycle them?

This blog will help you understand the challenge and explore the right OTR tire recycling equipment for the job.

What Are OTR Tires?

OTR tires, or Off-The-Road tires, are large, heavy-duty tires used on equipment like:

• Mining trucks
• Earthmovers
• Loaders and graders
• Harvester equipment tires
• Farm implement tires
• Giant dump trucks
• Forestry equipment tires
• Port and quarry vehicles

These tires can range from 1.4 meters to over 4 meters in diameter, and are often reinforced with thick steel wire, strong rubber compounds, and multi-layered treads for durability under extreme working conditions.

How Big Are OTR Tires?

The following table introduces the common OTR tire sizes and applications for you reference.

Tire Type / Model	Approx. Diameter	Typical Application
General OTR Tires	1400mm – 2000mm	Loaders, bulldozers, road rollers
R35	≈ 2100mm	Medium dump trucks, mining loaders
R49	≈ 2700mm	Heavy duty quarry and haul trucks
R57	≈ 3400mm	Large rigid-frame mining dumps
R63	≈ 4000mm+	Ultra-class mining trucks

These tire sizes far exceed the handling range of standard tire processing machines, and require heavy-duty OTR tire recycling machines like bead removers, dismantlers, and double-shaft shredders built specifically for giant tires.

Why Are OTR Tires Hard to Recycle?

If you’ve ever worked with OTR tires, you’ll know that recycling them is far more complex than processing standard car or truck tires. But why exactly?

They’re Massive and Heavy

OTR tires can weigh several tons and exceed 4 meters in diameter. Their sheer size makes them difficult to transport, handle, or load into regular machines. Standard shredders and cutters simply aren’t strong enough.

Reinforced with Heavy Steel

These tires are built for extreme environments like mines and quarries. That means extra-thick steel bead wires and multiple steel belts, which require powerful OTR tire recycling machines to extract and process properly.

Built to Resist Damage—Even from Shredders

OTR tires are designed to be incredibly durable, with multiple rubber layers, chemical reinforcements, and dense tread. Ironically, the same qualities that make them reliable on job sites also make them extremely hard to break down in recycling.

Lower Volume, Higher Handling Cost

Because OTR tires are not used in everyday transport, the volume of waste tires is relatively low—but the processing cost per unit is high. That’s why dedicated OTR tire recycling equipment is so important for efficiency.

What Kind of Equipment Is Used for OTR Tire Recycling?

Recycling OTR tires requires a dedicated line of heavy-duty machines designed for strength, efficiency, and safety. A typical OTR tire recycling line includes:

• OTR Tire Bead Wire Drawing Machine – for extracting thick steel rings
• OTR Tire Dismantling or Section Cutter – to separate the tire into parts
• Double Shaft OTR Tire Shredder – for shredding sections into smaller pieces
• Tyre Granulator Machine – to process rubber chips into granules or powder
• Magnetic and Fiber Separators – for purity improvement

OTR Tire Recycling Equipment for Sale

Looking for Reliable OTR Tire Recycling Equipment?

If you’re dealing with large industrial tires, standard tire shredders simply won’t work. Our specialized OTR tire recycling equipment is designed to help you:

• Reduce labor and manual cutting
• Increase steel and rubber recovery
• Produce clean granules or rubber powder
• Comply with environmental disposal regulations

Contact Shuily, professional OTR tires recycling machine manufacturer today, we will provide you a free layout design and quotation for your OTR tire recycling project.