Over the Tire (OTT) Tracks Fitment Guarantee: How to Measure Wheel Spacing Before Ordering 

Getting over-the-tire tracks fitment right comes down to one measurement: the distance between the inner sidewall of your tire and the nearest point on the skid steer's frame. That number needs to be at least 2.5 to 3 inches, depending on whether you're running steel or rubber OTT tracks, and the only way to know it is to measure the machine yourself before you order.

What Over the Tire Tracks Fitment Actually Means

Fitment comes down to whether the track system has enough room to wrap around your tires and operate without hitting the frame rails, engine cowling, fender guards, boom arm stops, hydraulic hoses, or attachment edges. A track that clears the frame at center span but contacts a gusset plate near the rear axle is still a bad fit.

The core measurement is side clearance-the distance from the inner sidewall of your tire to the nearest point on the chassis. Most manufacturers specify 2.5 to 3 inches of free space here. That gap accommodates the track's side plates, allows for lateral movement during turns, and prevents grinding against the machine under load.

There is also circumference clearance-the gap between the tread face and the fenders, boom arms, and engine cover. OTT tracks add height to the tire profile, and Camso's installation guide applies the same standard here: 3 inches of recommended clearance with a minimum of 2.5 inches between the tire circumference and mudguards, fenders, or lifting arms.

How to Measure Wheel Spacing on a Skid Steer

Accurate measurement starts with putting the machine in the right position. Lower the boom completely and rest the bucket or attachment on the ground. This is critical because the boom arms, their guards, and the boom stops sit closest to the wheels when the arms are down. Operators who measure with the boom raised get artificially generous numbers that vanish the moment they start working.

Inflate your tires to the maximum pressure listed on the sidewall. OTT tracks perform best-and create the least sidewall wear-when tires are at full rated pressure. An underinflated tire bulges outward, eats into your clearance, and flexes under the track in ways that accelerate damage. For a deeper look at how inflation affects tire life and machine handling, the article on skid steer tire pressure covers the specifics.

With the machine prepped, grab a standard tape measure and a straight edge (a piece of flat bar stock or a 1x2 board works fine). The measurement you need is the shortest distance from the inner sidewall of the tire to the nearest part of the machine's frame or body. Do not measure in just one spot. Work around each tire and record the distance at the following points:

• The main frame rail at tire centerline height
• Frame gussets and reinforcement plates (often the tightest point)
• Engine cowling or cover (rear tires)
• Boom arm guards and boom stops (front tires, with boom fully lowered)
• Hydraulic lines, hose bundles, and axle hubs
• Fenders, both front and rear

The smallest number you record is your actual clearance. That dimension determines whether OTT tracks will fit, whether you need spacers, or whether you need to change tire size.

Tip from the Skidsteers.com team: Don't forget to check the clearance between the front tires and the edge of your bucket or attachment. On some machines-particularly larger-frame Bobcats and CATs-the bucket corners sit close enough to the tires that an OTT track will contact them during sharp turns. Measure with the attachment you use most often mounted on the machine.

Clearance Requirements: Steel OTT vs. Rubber OTT

Steel and rubber OTT tracks don't occupy the same amount of space. Steel systems-link-style tracks made from hardened carbon steel-are thinner in profile and more rigid, requiring a minimum of 2.5 inches of side clearance. Camso's steel OTT installation guide specifies 3 inches as the suggested standard, with 2.5 inches as the absolute lower limit.

Rubber OTT systems are bulkier. The rubber pads that bolt onto the crossbar assembly add thickness and flex under load, momentarily reducing clearance. Camso's rubber OTT documentation recommends 3 to 4 inches of free space from the tire's inner sidewall to the undercarriage. McLaren's ProTrac guide similarly requires a minimum of 3 inches. If you measure 2.5 inches and plan to run rubber tracks, spacers are almost certainly mandatory.

After installation, both types require a final clearance check. The track's inner side plate should maintain at least 0.75 inches (about 19 mm) of gap from the machine at the closest point. Some lateral movement of the track on the tire is normal during operation, but if that movement brings metal into contact with the frame, the installation is too tight and needs correction.

For a detailed comparison of steel and rubber OTT performance characteristics, the article on metal vs. rubber OTT tracks covers the topic in depth.

How Wheel Offset Affects OTT Tracks Fitment

Wheel offset-the distance between the wheel's centerline and its bolt plate-determines where your tire sits relative to the frame. It is one of the biggest hidden factors in OTT fitment.

An outset wheel has its bolt plate shifted toward the machine, pushing the tire outward and maximizing side clearance. An inset wheel does the opposite, pulling the tire closer to the chassis. Inset configurations are common on machines built for tight spaces but almost always require spacers before OTT installation.

To measure offset, lay a straight edge across the outer rim flange (stem side) and measure vertically down to the bolt plate. Calculate half the total rim width, then subtract it from the measured depth. A positive result means outset; negative means inset.

Some skid steers allow wheel reversal-physically removing the wheel, swapping it to the opposite side, and reinstalling it flipped 180 degrees. This effectively converts an inset wheel to an outset wheel and can add 1 to 2 inches of clearance without buying anything. Case models in the 400 series, the XT series, and many SR models support this procedure, and some Kubota SSV machines do as well. The key requirement is that the bolt holes must be countersunk (chamfered) on both sides of the wheel, and the wheel must seat properly on the axle pilot after reversal. Always cross-swap (left front to right front, left rear to right rear) to maintain the correct tread direction.

Tip from the Skidsteers.com team: Before you buy spacers, check whether your wheels are reversible. Pulling the wheels off and flipping them costs nothing but time and often gets you the extra inch or two you need to clear the 3-inch threshold. If your OTT supplier lists spacers as mandatory for your model, wheel reversal might eliminate that requirement entirely.

OTT Tracks Tire Size Compatibility

Over-the-tire tracks are engineered for specific tire dimensions, and the most widely supported sizes in the skid steer market are 10x16.5 and 12x16.5. These two cover the majority of wheeled skid steers from Bobcat, Case, CAT, John Deere, New Holland, Gehl, and others.

A 10x16.5 tire is roughly 10 inches wide and mounts on a 16.5-inch rim. In Camso's steel OTT system, machines running this size typically need an 18-link track with a maximum wheelbase (axle-to-axle) of around 44.5 inches. A 12x16.5 tire is wider-about 12 inches-and usually requires a 20-link track with a maximum wheelbase around 55 inches. The wider tire also reduces side clearance more aggressively, which is why 12x16.5 setups require spacers far more often than 10x16.5 configurations.

Two other sizes appear in fitment charts. The 27x10.5-15 is a smaller-diameter tire often used as a "downsize" option when standard tires are too tall to clear fenders or boom arms under OTT tracks. Several manufacturers, including Camso, recommend switching to 27x10.5-15 when circumference clearance is tight. The 14-17.5 sits at the other end of the spectrum-it is compatible with OTT systems, but its larger diameter makes circumference clearance the biggest concern. Machines running 14-17.5 tires need particularly careful measurement around fenders, engine cowling, and boom arms, and some older models (like certain Bobcat 953s, John Deere 260s, and New Holland L190s) may need to swap to 12x16.5 if the clearance numbers don't work out.

One important variable: actual tire dimensions vary by manufacturer and wear level. Two brand-new 12x16.5 tires from different producers can differ by up to 1 inch in diameter and measurable fractions of an inch in width. That variance can shift your clearance from safe to borderline. Always measure the tires currently on your machine rather than relying on the sidewall numbers alone.

When You Need Wheel Spacers for OTT Tracks

If your tire-to-frame clearance falls below 3 inches and wheel reversal isn't possible, wheel spacers are the standard fix. Spacers bolt between the wheel and the axle hub, pushing the tire outward by a fixed distance.

The most common thicknesses are 2 inches and 3.5 inches. A 2-inch spacer suits machines that fall short by about an inch-common on John Deere 300-series models (314G, 318D, 320D, 326E) and mid-frame CATs (236D, 242D). A 3.5-inch spacer addresses machines with very tight factory spacing, like the Bobcat S650 and CAT 262D. Some suppliers also offer 1.5-inch spacers for 6-lug machines.

Lug pattern must match exactly. Most modern mid-to-large skid steers use an 8-bolt pattern-covering the majority of CAT (216B through 268B), Bobcat (S150 through S850), John Deere (300 series), and ASV models. Smaller and older machines-certain New Holland, Gehl, and older Bobcats-run 6-bolt hubs. Torque spacers to the machine manufacturer's spec and re-check after the first few hours of operation.

Common Measurement Mistakes That Wreck OTT Fitment

The measurement itself is straightforward, but a handful of mistakes consistently lead to wrong orders and damaged machines.

Measuring on worn tires is the most consequential error. OTT tracks are sized for new or near-new tires. A worn tire has a smaller diameter, so clearance looks generous-but the track will be too long and loose, sagging between axles and potentially de-tracking under load. Worse, if you later replace tires with new ones, the same track may suddenly be too tight.

Measuring with the boom raised is equally damaging. The boom arms, guards, and stops sit closest to the front tires when fully lowered. A measurement taken with the boom up can overstate clearance by 2 inches or more.

Measuring at only one point on the frame is a subtler mistake. The narrowest clearance is rarely at the obvious midpoint of the frame rail-it is usually at a gusset, a reinforcement weld, or where the engine cowling wraps around the rear tire.

Running OTT tracks at low tire pressure produces the same result as a bad measurement. Underinflated tires bulge, effective clearance drops, and the sidewall flexes against the inside of the track. This is the number-one cause of premature sidewall failures in OTT setups.

Can You Run OTT Tracks on Solid or Foam-Filled Tires?

The short answer from nearly every OTT manufacturer is no-not with standard solid rubber or foam-filled tires. McLaren, Grouser, and most other producers explicitly warn against this pairing, and doing so typically voids both the track warranty and any fitment guarantee.

The reason is mechanical. Pneumatic tires absorb impacts by compressing air. When debris gets caught between tire and track, a pneumatic tire flexes momentarily to release it. A solid or foam-filled tire has no give-debris stays trapped, stress concentrates on the axle bearings, and the track becomes over-tensioned. The result is bearing failure, cracked links, and torn sidewalls. Pneumatic tires also allow tension adjustment during installation: deflate slightly to slide the track on, then re-inflate to maximum pressure for a snug fit. That procedure doesn't exist with solids.

The exception is purpose-built flat-proof tires like McLaren's Nu-Air, which use aperture holes to provide controlled flex similar to pneumatic behavior. Standard pneumatic tires with an R-4 (industrial lug) tread pattern remain the safest pairing for any OTT system. The article on foam-filling skid steer tires explains why pneumatic compatibility matters for OTT and other applications.

Tip from the Skidsteers.com team: If you're choosing between solid tires and keeping pneumatics for OTT use, consider the math. A set of quality pneumatic 12x16.5 tires plus OTT tracks often costs less than a set of solid tires alone-and you keep the flexibility to remove the tracks when you don't need them. On machines that split time between hard surfaces and soft ground, that versatility pays for itself fast.

Fitment Guarantees and What They Actually Cover

The term "fitment guarantee" in the OTT market is less comprehensive than it sounds. Most manufacturers-McLaren, Grouser, Prowler-define their warranty around defects in materials and workmanship, not around whether the tracks fit your specific machine. The consistent industry position is that the owner is responsible for verifying all clearances before ordering.

Suppliers do provide fitment assistance. When you order, most will ask for your machine make, model, and year, the exact tire size and brand, and whether your wheels are inset or outset. Prowler offers a 14-day return window for incorrect or damaged shipments. McLaren and Grouser's standard two-year warranties cover manufacturing defects but explicitly exclude damage from insufficient clearance, wrong tire type, or improper installation.

The practical takeaway: treat the measurement procedure in this guide as your fitment guarantee. The supplier matches a track to your model and tire size, but only you can confirm the physical clearances on your specific machine meet the minimums. Measure before you order, photograph your measurements, and share them with the seller before confirming.

For operators weighing whether a wheeled skid steer with OTT tracks or a dedicated compact track loader is the better investment, the comparison in track vs. wheel skid steer lays out the financials and performance tradeoffs.

For a look at steel and rubber over-the-tire tracks available for wheeled skid steers-including Marbain heat-treated steel metal OTT and the Extreme Over the Tire Rubber Tracks with replaceable pads, both built for commercial use and compatible with Bobcat, Case, CAT, John Deere, and other major brands-Skidsteers.com carries the full OTT lineup with the specs, tire size charts, and brand compatibility information you need to confirm fitment before you buy.