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In addition, excess pressure produces a smaller footprint to transfer rimpull to the ground. "The wheels will spin and it will be harder to fill the bucket," says Opperud. "Also, filling time will be longer."

The footprint generated by under- or over-inflation can cause uneven tire wear. Under-inflation can promote uneven wear on the outer edges of the tread, while over-inflation causes heavy wear to the center. Either can lead to early removal of the tire from service.

It can also lead to excessive machine vibration, which can hinder productivity. "The steering wheel, mirrors, etc., all begin to vibrate so the operator may let up on the throttle and slow down," notes Rexroad. "Also, if tires on a front-end loader, for example, are severely under-inflated, the machine will sway more when the bucket is raised. Properly inflated tires tend to resist that sway to some degree. But when they are under-inflated, the operator will feel less comfortable because the machine rocks more. He will likely slow down the loading process, and that will slow down productivity."

Match to the task
Improper tire selection can affect tire life and performance, as well as productivity in a given application. Yet, selecting the right tire for the job can be a difficult decision, says White.

"The more severe the application, the more important tire selection becomes to ensure you get the expected performance/production," Opperud states. "If you choose a deep treaded tire for soft sand, you won't be able to fill the bucket because you won't be able to dig. This application would require a completely different tire than what would be required for working in an application such as a rock quarry, where you would need a deep treaded tire with a lot of cut resistance."