Double Coin OTR Tire Selection Guide for Mining, Construction & Ports

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Off-the-road (OTR) tires are the single most expensive wear item on heavy equipment. A loader operating in a quarry can burn through a set of tires in less than a year if the wrong compound or tread pattern is specified. Getting OTR tire selection right means understanding your terrain, your equipment duty cycle, and the tire codes that manufacturers use to classify their products.

Double Coin's OTR tire lineup spans earthmovers, loaders, graders, cranes, and skid steers — all manufactured at the company's state-of-the-art facility in Thailand. This guide explains the OTR tire code system and maps each Double Coin REM-series tire to its intended application.

Understanding OTR Tire Codes: E3, L3, L5 and Beyond

OTR tires use a standardized classification system that combines a tread depth letter and an application number. The three most common codes you will encounter are:

• E3 / L3 — Standard Depth: The workhorse classification for earthmoving and loading operations. Tread depth is approximately 1.5 times the E2/L2 equivalent, providing a balance of traction and wear life. Most general-purpose loader and haulage tires carry this rating.
• E4 / L4 — Deep Tread: Roughly 2.5 times the standard depth for extended wear life in abrasive conditions. Common on loaders in hard rock quarries where cut resistance is critical.
• L5 — Extra Deep / Smooth Tread: The deepest tread classification, typically 3.5+ times standard depth. Designed for maximum cut and wear resistance in severe rock conditions. L5 tires sacrifice some traction for longevity — they are the go-to choice for underground mining loaders and quarry face loaders.

The "E" prefix (Earthmover) and "L" prefix (Loader) often overlap in practice. Many manufacturers, including Double Coin, use the designations interchangeably for tires that serve both earthmover and loader applications.

Double Coin REM Series: Tire-by-Tire Guide

REM-1 — Multi-Purpose OTR Tire

The REM-1 is Double Coin's general-purpose OTR tire designed for versatility across multiple equipment types and surface conditions. Its tread pattern provides reliable traction on both hard-packed surfaces and loose material, making it suitable for backhoes, small wheel loaders, and telehandlers operating in mixed-duty environments. The REM-1 is an entry-level OTR tire that delivers dependable performance at a competitive price point for equipment that sees varied daily use — from landscaping and agriculture support to light construction and municipal maintenance.

REM-2 — E3/L3 Earthmover Tire

The REM2 is one of Double Coin's most widely specified OTR tires and the default choice for general earthmoving applications. Rated E3/L3 standard depth, it features a non-directional tread design with wide lug spacing that delivers strong traction in both forward and reverse — critical for loader applications where the machine cycles between the pile and the truck dozens of times per hour. The REM-2's reinforced sidewall construction resists cutting from sharp rocks and demolition debris. It is commonly fitted to wheel loaders, articulated dump trucks, and rigid haul trucks in quarry, mining, and heavy construction operations.

REM-2S — All-Weather / Snow Variant

The REM-2S adapts the proven REM-2 platform for operations exposed to winter weather and snow. It incorporates a specialized tread compound that remains pliable at low temperatures and a sipe pattern that improves grip on packed snow and ice. For mining and construction operations in northern latitudes — Canadian oil sands, Scandinavian quarries, Alaskan infrastructure projects — the REM-2S extends the operating window through months when standard compounds harden and lose traction.

REM-3 — Skid Steer Tire

The REM-3 is engineered specifically for skid steer loaders and compact track loaders used in construction, landscaping, and demolition. Skid steers subject tires to extreme lateral scrubbing forces during zero-radius turns — the primary failure mode on machines in this class. The REM-3's tread compound and sidewall construction are optimized to resist this unique wear pattern while providing reliable traction on loose material, concrete, asphalt, and turf. The heavy-duty sidewall guards against punctures from rebar, demolition debris, and sharp aggregate commonly encountered on skid steer job sites.

REM-6 — Industrial Lug Tire

The REM-6 features an aggressive industrial lug pattern designed for equipment that operates on soft, muddy, or unstable ground. Its deep, widely spaced lugs provide maximum self-cleaning capability — as the tire rotates, centrifugal force ejects mud and debris from between the tread blocks, maintaining traction through each revolution. The REM-6 is commonly specified for backhoe loaders, telehandlers, and compact equipment in agricultural support, pipeline construction, and landfill operations where surface conditions are consistently soft or saturated.

REM-8 — Mobile Crane Tire

Mobile cranes impose unique demands on tires: extreme static loads when the outriggers are retracted, highway-speed travel between job sites, and high lateral stability requirements during transit with a suspended load. The REM-8 addresses all three with a reinforced casing structure, highway-capable tread pattern, and optimized footprint that distributes weight evenly across the contact patch. The REM-8 is designed for all-terrain and rough-terrain mobile cranes where the tire must perform reliably at highway speeds while carrying a 60-80 ton chassis.

REM-9 — Grader Tire

Motor graders require tires with exceptional lateral stability and resistance to side forces generated when the blade is angled at full offset. The REM-9 is purpose-built for grader applications with a low-profile tread design that maximizes surface contact and minimizes tread squirm under lateral load. The flat tread radius and reinforced shoulder provide even wear distribution across the tire face — critical on graders that spend hours running at a consistent blade angle. The REM-9 is specified for road construction, site preparation, and mining haul road maintenance operations.

REM-10 — Loader and Haulage Tire (E3+/L3+)

The REM-10 represents Double Coin's E3+/L3+ offering — an enhanced version of the standard E3/L3 classification with deeper tread depth and improved cut resistance. It is the recommended choice for medium-to-large wheel loaders and rigid dump trucks operating in abrasive conditions where the standard REM-2 would deliver acceptable but not optimal wear life. The REM-10 bridges the gap between general-purpose earthmover tires and the ultra-deep L5 classification, giving mine managers an option that extends tire life without the traction compromise of a full L5 pattern.

REM-12 — L5 Mining Loader Tire

The REM-12 is Double Coin's L5-class ultra-deep tread tire for the most severe mining loader applications. With tread depth approximately 3.5 times standard, a specialized cut-and-chip-resistant compound, and a smooth centerline for reduced rolling resistance under heavy load, the REM-12 is engineered for underground mining loaders and quarry face loaders that operate exclusively on sharp, abrasive rock surfaces. The REM-12 prioritizes casing protection and wear life above all other performance characteristics. For operations where a loader tire is replaced every 800-1200 hours, the REM-12 can extend replacement intervals to 2500+ hours under the same conditions.

Thailand Manufacturing: Quality You Can Rely On

Double Coin's OTR tires are manufactured at the company's advanced production facility in Thailand, which operates under the same quality management systems and engineering standards as the parent operation. The Thailand plant utilizes automated mixing, building, and curing equipment to ensure consistent compound dispersion, ply alignment, and cure uniformity across every tire produced. Each OTR tire undergoes X-ray inspection and endurance testing before release, providing the quality assurance that mine and construction site managers depend on when equipment uptime is critical.

OTR Tire Selection Summary

For help selecting the right OTR tire for your specific equipment and operating conditions, reach out to an authorized Double Coin dealer. Browse the Double Coin blog for more technical guides and industry insights, and stay current with product updates on the news page.