Find original tread depth by tire brand, size and pattern.
OTD Finder
What Is Original Tread Depth?
Original Tread Depth (OTD) is the tread depth of a new tire as specified by the tire manufacturer. It represents the starting tread depth before the tire begins accumulating wear in service.
For commercial truck and bus tires, original tread depth can vary significantly by tire brand, pattern, size, application, and configuration. A long-haul steer tire, for example, may have a different original tread depth from a regional-drive or mixed-service tire, even when the tire sizes are similar.
Original tread depth is normally measured from the bottom of the main tread groove to the top of the tread surface. Manufacturers may publish this specification in inches, such as 20/32 inch, or in millimeters.
OTD vs. Current Tread Depth
Original tread depth should not be confused with the tread depth measured on a tire currently in service.
OTD is the baseline condition of a new tire.
Current tread depth is the tread remaining at the time of inspection.
The difference between the two can be used to estimate how much usable tread has been consumed:
Tread Used = Original Tread Depth − Current Tread Depth
For fleet tire inspections, establishing the correct original tread depth is therefore important before calculating tread wear, remaining tread, or wear rate.
Why Does Original Tread Depth Vary Between Tires?
There is no single standard tread depth for all commercial tires. Tread depth is engineered around the tire’s intended application, casing design, tread pattern, expected operating conditions, and performance requirements.
For this reason, the original tread depth should be taken from the manufacturer’s original specification whenever available, rather than estimated from tire size or tread pattern.
The OTD Finder provides a structured way to look up original tread depth by brand, tire size, and pattern.
How to Find a Commercial Tire’s Original Tread Depth
The most reliable way to find a commercial tire’s original tread depth is to identify the tire brand, pattern, size, and configuration, then check the manufacturer’s published specification.
Use the OTD Finder above to search the database.
Step 1: Select the Tire Brand
Choose the manufacturer of the tire, such as Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Hankook, BFGoodrich, or another commercial tire brand available in the database.
Step 2: Select the Tire Size
Enter or select the complete tire size, such as:
- 295/80R22.5
- 315/70R22.5
- 315/80R22.5
- 11R22.5
- 12R22.5
The tire size alone is not always sufficient to determine original tread depth because the same size may be available in multiple tread patterns and applications.
Step 3: Select the Tread Pattern
Select the exact tire pattern whenever possible.
Different patterns from the same manufacturer can have different original tread depths, even when they share the same tire size.
Step 4: Check the Original Tread Depth
The OTD Finder displays the manufacturer’s original tread depth when a matching specification is available.
The database preserves the original published unit and may also display a converted value for convenience. For example:
20/32 in = 15.9 mm
The converted value is provided for reference; the original manufacturer specification remains the primary data point.
Why Tire Size Alone Is Not Enough
Searching only by tire size can produce inaccurate results. A 295/80R22.5 tire may be available in different steer, drive, trailer, regional, long-haul, or mixed-service patterns.
Load index and other configuration details may also distinguish two tires that otherwise appear to have the same brand, pattern, and size.
For accurate fleet tire analysis, always match the complete tire specification rather than assuming that all tires of the same size have the same original tread depth.
Commercial Tire Original Tread Depth Database
Browse original tread depth specifications for commercial truck, bus, and fleet tires by brand and tire size.
The database is organized around the manufacturer’s published tire specifications, allowing fleet managers, tire dealers, technicians, and researchers to find the original tread depth of specific commercial tires.
Commercial Tire OTD by Brand and Size
- Michelin 295/80R22.5 Original Tread Depth
- Michelin 315/70R22.5 Original Tread Depth
- Michelin 11R22.5 Original Tread Depth
- Continental 295/80R22.5 Original Tread Depth
- Continental 315/70R22.5 Original Tread Depth
- Hankook 295/80R22.5 Original Tread Depth
- BFGoodrich 11R22.5 Original Tread Depth
- Goodyear 295/75R22.5 Original Tread Depth
Select a tire brand and size above to find available tread depth specifications and matching tread patterns.
Why Pattern Matters
A commercial tire size does not identify a single tire model. Manufacturers offer multiple tread patterns within the same size for different positions and operating conditions.
For example, two 295/80R22.5 tires from the same manufacturer may be designed for different applications and may therefore have different original tread depths.
The database therefore uses Brand + Size + Pattern as the primary lookup criteria whenever the manufacturer’s specification allows this level of identification.
Why Original Tread Depth Matters for Fleet Tire Management
Original tread depth provides the baseline required to understand how much tread a commercial tire has consumed during its service life.
A tread depth measurement by itself tells you how much tread remains. It does not tell you how much tread has already been used unless the original tread depth is known.
For fleet tire management, this distinction matters.
Measuring Tire Wear
If a new tire has an original tread depth of 20/32 inch and an inspection records 16/32 inch, the tire has used 4/32 inch of its original tread depth.
This creates a more meaningful measurement of tire wear than looking only at the current tread depth.
Comparing Tire Performance
When the correct OTD is available, fleets can compare tread wear between tires more consistently.
For example, two tires may both measure 14/32 inch during an inspection, but if their original tread depths were different, they have not necessarily experienced the same percentage of tread wear.
Supporting Tire Inspection Programs
A fleet’s inspection program can combine:
- Original tread depth
- Current tread depth
- Tire mileage
- Tire position
- Inflation pressure
- Wear pattern
- Removal condition
This creates a historical record of how each tire performs in actual fleet operation.
Calculating Tread Wear Rate
When inspection data and mileage are available, fleets can also estimate tread wear rate:
Tread Wear Rate = Tread Depth Used ÷ Distance Traveled
This can help identify differences between tire positions, vehicles, routes, operating conditions, and tire models.
For this reason, accurate original tread depth is more than a specification lookup. It is the starting point for condition-based commercial tire management.
Frequently Asked Questions About Original Tread Depth
The original tread depth of a new truck tire varies by manufacturer, tire pattern, size, and application. There is no single OTD specification for all commercial truck tires. The manufacturer’s published specification should be used whenever available.
New commercial truck tire tread depth varies by tire model and application. Some tires may have relatively shallow tread designs for long-haul applications, while regional, drive, or mixed-service tires may use deeper tread designs.
Original tread depth is generally measured from the bottom of the main tread groove to the top of the tread surface. Manufacturer specifications may be published in inches or millimeters.
Is 20/32 tread depth new for a truck tire?
20/32 inch can be the original tread depth of some commercial truck tires, but it should not be treated as a universal new-tire specification. The correct OTD depends on the specific tire brand, pattern, size, and application.
Tread used can be calculated by subtracting current tread depth from original tread depth:
Tread Used = Original Tread Depth − Current Tread Depth
For example, if a tire started at 20/32 inch and currently measures 14/32 inch, 6/32 inch of tread has been consumed.
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