Eagle’s OTR Debeader hooks the scrap tire market

Off the road (OTR) tires are used for the most rugged jobs in the world, such as construction, excavation and mining. These tough conditions require a tire that will hold up to anything that’s thrown at it. And when it comes time for these massive tires to be retired—they sit. They’re piled in mile long rows awaiting their next life, if only today’s recycling equipment could handle them or if it wasn’t too costly to ship them to the shredder or kiln. But there is a solution. Eagle International Tire Recycling Equipment is made in the center of the United States and is the only provider of the fully portable OTR Downsizing System, consisting of three machines that make these massive tires ready for downstream processing. In this article we’ll discuss the OTR Debeader.

The patented Eagle OTR Debeader is designed to safely and efficiently pull both beads from the same side without flipping the tire. The steel bead can be sold for scrap, making the tire more profitable and easier to shred, burn for pyrolysis or any other downstream use.  

Waste Initiatives is Eagle International’s certified dealership in New South Wales, Australia. They’ve worked with environmental sustainability expert Veolia to bring an Eagle OTR Debeader into South Australia to manage the disposal of approximately 10,000 used OTR tires for mining giant BHP. This equipment acquisition is in response to a recent study by Tyre Stewardship Australia in 2023 that found 130,000 tons of OTR tires reach the end of their lifespan each year in Australia, but less than 15 percent is recovered. Recycling programs are voluntary and burial is permitted.

According to the customer, within its first year of operation the Eagle OTR Debeader has debeaded over 4,100 scrap OTR tires in the R63 range and smaller. Removal of the beads has resulted in reduced wear on shredders and increased the throughput. 

The Eagle OTR Debeader can pull the beads from tires ranging in sizes from 20.5/R25 through 59/80R63, the largest tires on the market. While other debeaders claim similar capabilities, the Eagle OTR Debeader is the only one with a hydraulic tire lift and safety cage that surrounds the tire and keeps it from popping off the machine once the tension from the bead pull is released.

“The operator doesn’t have to flip the tire around with our design, either,” says Joey Brehmer, owner and president of Brehmer Mfg., Eagle International’s parent company and Eagle product designer. “Both of the beads can be pulled from a single side, one at a time. This capability is a huge time saver and results in more stock moving down the chain. That’s a bonus for the whole system.”

Another selling point for the Eagle OTR Debeader is its portability. OTR tires are massive, sometimes 14 feet in diameter and thousands of pounds. The fact that the OTR Debeader can be moved from stockpile to stockpile reduces the hauling time, fuel and wear and tear on equipment that would normally be moving tires from point A to B.

Specifications for the Eagle OTR Debeader include remote control capabilities; hydraulicly adjustable tire cage, lift and crane to move the bead after pulling; and adjustable die plates to allow for different size bead bundles. The average cycle time is 8 to 10 minutes, with an average hourly production of between six and eight tires per hour.