Nitrogen in Tires

[crazycanuck]

Anyone have these stations in their city or town? One has opened up where I am and they say it cuts down wear by 25%, increases fuel mileage by 3-5%, less air leaks out and you get more consistent reading in varied temps:dontknow: worth a shot I guess

 

[babyanlee]

I've used it in my truck but not in Spydee yet - I've heard all that too - Never noticed that much difference in truck. But no longer have that truck have another and of course now I have Spydee

 

[tnfleming]

Sounds interesting but call me a skeptic. Pressure is pressure gas is gas and leakage is leakage. How does nitrogen change anything compared to air? Unless perhaps temperature changes result in less pressure changes in which case one should simply keep tires properly inflated.

 

[zzneonzz]

We have some of these here but its still relatively new and until its more popular i wouldn't want to use it in any of my vehicles since i do venture off away from the area

 

[NancysToy]

Sounds interesting but call me a skeptic. Pressure is pressure gas is gas and leakage is leakage. How does nitrogen change anything compared to air? Unless perhaps temperature changes result in less pressure changes in which case one should simply keep tires properly inflated.

Dealers around here are pushing this service...at a cost and profit to them. I, too, remain skeptical until I see solid data that supports the claim, like from Consumers Reports. None of this Internet forum rumor stuff. Air is 70% nitrogen already. I'm not sure wher the advantage would lie. Nitrogen changes volume with temperature just like everything else. It takes very little time to check your tire pressure...plus it gives you a chance to inspect the rest of the machine.
-Scotty

 

[opticat]

It's best to keep the air and check your pressures regularly. I believe the nitrogen thing is hype for everyday driving, but perhaps it may have an advantage over air in race car tires.

 

[scott]

agree that it is hype...the one variable I could see is not about pressure or heat transfer capability but that the N2 is truely dry and sometimes the air being pumped into your tire is far from it (high water content). I have seen corrosion on steel rims from this and in another context this is what kills (via corrosion) steel scuba tanks....but....think my tires are just fine with the free air...

 

[sleepman]

The idea behind the nitrogen is that because of its properties that it will escape from your tires slower than those filled with air. I bought a Ford Focus last year that came with nitrogen filled tires, in the year we've had the car I haven't had to check the tires once. Ford will check them and refill them at no charge and so it gets checked at service time and I've had no problems. Our Dodge Caravan however still has air in its tires and I check and inflate them a couple times a month. So I have noticed a slight difference in checking the tires and maintaining them. However I've not seen increased length of tire life nor improved fuel mileage.

 

[crazycanuck]

well its supposed to replace moisture and oxygen found in conventional compressed air which helps in lower rolling resistance and helps stabilize the tire. We shall see if this is the way forward by the tire companies.

I think I might give it a go on the :spyder:

actually just spoke with the dealer and they charge $4.95 (cdn) for each tire and then its free for life as long as you are still the original owner.

 

[Lamonster]

Air pressure will stay the same hot or cold too, or so I'm told. :doorag:

 

[AMTJIM]

I wondered when the "nitrogen in tires" thread would make it here. It's used on aircraft in place of air in most cases because of it's dry aspect. It removes the possiblity of corrosion from the moisture of ambient air and is non-flamable. The rims of aircraft tires often have lead pellet inserts that melt in a high heat, hot brakes or fire which can blast the landing gear with nitrogen. Sometimes aircraft release nitrogen in fuel tanks to keep explosive vapors to a minimum. There's really no advantage for vehicle use. Most products wear out well before any gain from nitrogen can ever be seen. Maybe if you have air shocks, but the shocks rubber components usually dry and crack anyway.

 

[Latemarch]

Nitrogen is almost all hype.
Yes, you'll lose less pressure, 2.5lbs in a year as opposed to air where you'll lose 3.5lbs in a year........whoop de do :sour:
Hope you check your tire pressure more often than once a year :shocked:

There is no difference in thermal expansion so you get the same pressure change with temp.

Heck if you want to inflate with something that will perform even better then inflate with CO2.
It's an even bigger molecule than N2 (less pressure loss over time)
It's inert.
It's dry
It won't support combustion.

I have one of these http://www.powertank.com/products/sfID1/13/productID/26
It holds liquid CO2 and is amazingly handy in the garage, inflating tires, running "air" tools etc.
Not cheap, but then the best tools rarely are.

 

[brutus450]

Air is 70% nitrogen already.
-Scotty

never thought I would be able to prove you wrong Scotty........but YOU are wrong:yikes:

Air has 78.08% nitrogen

OK I am sure thats the only time I can say you are wrong so I said it:2thumbs:

Just playin man............I respect your knowledge:thumbup:

 

[wingnut]

its all marketing gentelmen.:chat:

 

[Spydr in KS]

Q: Seems to me that since the difference is so small and nitrogen is difficult to get and more costly that it is not worth the effort and the cost.
A: That's a logical conclusion.

Source: Consumer Reports

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2007/10/nitrogen-tires-.html

 

[Twodog185]

I think NASCAR uses nitrogen as opposed to air because the expansion of "pure" nitrogen is an exact science. Air is a mixture and therefore can't be calculated as closely.

If I need nitrogen in my Spyder tires, I'm making money riding it professionally somewhere.

I'm just saying....

 

[Star Cruiser]

Pressure is pressure gas is gas and leakage is leakage. How does nitrogen change anything compared to air? Unless perhaps temperature changes result in less pressure changes in which case one should simply keep tires properly inflated.

:agree:
Air is almost 80% Nitrogen, and is a gas (just like nitrogen). As a chemist, the inert factor of nitrogen -vs- Air is negligible. As for air being "Free" well most stations charge for air anyway, but you can fill your tires for 25¢. Not sure what the cost of N2 is?

 

[SpyderGirl]

I'm smelling a Mythbusters topic....... to me I have to agree with everyone here and say it's just a money maker -- couldn't make that much difference over air.

 

[StSpyder09]

My Endeavor "check tire pressure" light would come on no more than a week after adding more air. Couldn't find the leak. The dealer offered the "Nitrogen for Life" for FREE99:dontknow: I took them up on it. I have not had to do anything since. The "check tire pressure" light has not come on since that mod, even when the temps dropped. I don't know:dontknow:...I'm just say'in:dontknow:opcorn:

Unless something negative occurs between now and when I get my :spyder:, I do plan to replace the air with nitro. Of course, I plan to try and get it for FREE99 as well.:2thumbs:

 

[NancysToy]

Air pressure will stay the same hot or cold too, or so I'm told. :doorag:

I guess the theory is that the tires expand and contract with the temperature at the same time, so the pressure remains constant. Problem is that a solid has less space between molecules, so should be able to contract less than a gas. All I know for certain is that here in the frigid north, we have to air up our tires when we get a cold spell, and sometimes have to release some air when it gets real hot...although that is for nit pickers. Spyder seems to be less susceptible than my bike tires. Larger volume of air, maybe?

never thought I would be able to prove you wrong Scotty........but YOU are wrong:yikes:

Air has 78.08% nitrogen

OK I am sure thats the only time I can say you are wrong so I said it:2thumbs:

Just playin man............I respect your knowledge:thumbup:

pps: I hate to say it, but my mind went completely blank just as I was writing that. Only the first digit stuck. Comes with age. It is especially embarrassing for a former SCUBA instructor, who once knew this fact like the back of his hand. I could blame it on Alzheimer's, or on the head injury from crashing my BMW R75/5 a few years back...but in truth, all this gray hair was caused by my brain cells leaking out and staining my youthful dark hair.
pps:pps:pps:
-Scotty