Car Tires - Air or Nitrogen

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Car Tires - Air or Nitrogen (Page 1 of 3)

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:32:14 PM EDT

Why is it better to use nitrogen verses air when inflating car tires?

Thanks

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:33:27 PM EDT

[#1]

Less moisture and nitorgen handles temp changes better...... and they milk you out of some money saying your car will get better gas mileage!

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:34:03 PM EDT

[#2]

Can't charge you for air (which is primarily nitrogen).

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:36:56 PM EDT

[#3]

I use a mix with 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, seems to work pretty good.

But I think the primary benefit of pure Nitrogen is financial.

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:37:00 PM EDT

[#4]

We used to use nitrogen for aircraft tyres...IIRC the reason was less moisture as the wheels were mag alloy and corrosion was a problem.

Inert and stable.

Just my 2 cents

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:38:13 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
I use a mix with 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen

Me too, that's a very unique blend, I thought I was the only one!

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:43:03 PM EDT

[#6]

IMHO; the whole Nitrogen deal is BS. Its just another way for shops to rip people off, specially people that are nto car-savy, same goes with the engine flush deal; those things tend to do more harm than good...

By using an aggressive cleaning procedure like flushing, large chunks of accumulated sludge are broken off and forced backwards through these galleries and valves and, more often than not, lodge tightly and block them. This cuts off the normal flow of the fluid and causes lack of lubrication in an engine and abnormal or no shifting in a transmission. The results are expensive repairs, or more often, engine or transmission replacement.

If you have money to toss away and "have" to keep up with the Jones; do it, but IMHO, Nitrogen in the tires is snake oil.

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:45:33 PM EDT

[#7]

For the street... waste of money, IMO.

Racing? It has some usefulness there.

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:46:33 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
I use a mix with 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, seems to work pretty good.

But I think the primary benefit of pure Nitrogen is financial.

I see it

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:47:41 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

I use a mix with 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, seems to work pretty good.

But I think the primary benefit of pure Nitrogen is financial.

I use 78% nitrogen 21% oxygen and 1% a proprietary blend of other gasses.

In all seriousness if the 22% other gasses leak out and you refill you would be at mostly nitrogen on just the second fill also how do they purge the "dirty" air out of the tire during mounting. If I was gunning a race car/Motorcycle and running very high tire temps I might switch to nitrogen.

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:49:02 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I use a mix with 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen

Me too, that's a very unique blend, I thought I was the only one!

What do you two know?

Mine has carbon dioxide, argon, helium, and neon in it, too. Y'all are so 2010.

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:49:59 PM EDT

[#11]

i have nitrogen in mine

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:53:59 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:

I use a mix with 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen

Me too, that's a very unique blend, I thought I was the only one!

There are at least three of us that use it.

I hear it is also good for other things.

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:54:12 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
I use a mix with 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, seems to work pretty good.

But I think the primary benefit of pure Nitrogen is financial.

i use this odd combination too.

Posted: 4/30/2011 2:57:29 PM EDT

[#14]

Thanks to the Ford/Firestone tire problems, the federal government said that all new autos must have tire pressure sensors in each wheel so the car will tell the driver if/when a tire is low.

When there is a big swing in temperature from night to day, depending on what the pressure in the tires are, and depending on how sensitive the pressure sensor system is, you may have the idiot lights and alarm at time.

Pure nitrogen (90% or more) does not change pressure much from cold temps to hot and can keep the light and warning alarm off so it does not drive you crazy.

By law, this system cannot be deactivated.

That help?

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:01:27 PM EDT

[#15]

We ran Nitrogen in Haul Truck and Equipment tires (which subjects the tire to conditions most of you cannot fathom), and found it to be snake oil.

We no longer buy compressed Nitrogen.

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:09:38 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

We used to use nitrogen for aircraft tyres...IIRC the reason was less moisture as the wheels were mag alloy and corrosion was a problem.

Inert and stable.

Just my 2 cents

Stable maybe.................inert? No.

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:14:48 PM EDT

[#17]

Nitrogen:
Does not expand or contract due to temperature changes (perceptibly in relation to inflation pressures in passenger tires)
Does not support combustion.
Will not migrate through gas permeable tire inner liners as readily.

And most importantly:
Generates a shitload of revenue for the enterprising capitalist.

As a veteran of the tire industry 35+ years I do not have nitrogen in my tires beyond what occurs naturally. When customers askabout it I indicate that we use a propietary blend at no charge and they typically nod knowingly.

Nitrogens benefits CAN be gleened in aircraft, racing, and applications where combustion may occur. In the family truckster it is a waste of money unless complimentary.

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:15:25 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I use a mix with 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen

Me too, that's a very unique blend, I thought I was the only one!

There are at least three of us that use it.

I hear it is also good for other things.

Talk.

Ha. Ha. Got it. Well played.

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:19:48 PM EDT

[#19]

I never thought much about using nitrogen but our 2011 Cadillac SRX came new with it in the tires. I like it a lot. I never had to add anything to the tires this winter.

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Posted: 4/30/2011 3:20:46 PM EDT

[#20]

Requires less if any top offs. Car tires lose air over time.

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:21:10 PM EDT

[#21]

CO2 would be better, bigger molecule will leak slower.

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:26:30 PM EDT

[#22]

My personal truck sits a lot because I have a company van that I use for work.So my truck can sit for weeks and weeks and it's 3 years old and have only put "air" in my tires twice when the tire pressure monitor lit up on my dashboard.I have a nitrogen regulator in my work truck and a tank of nitrogen that I filled the tires up with,so if you want to keep your tires full of Nitrogen it's possible to do your self.

The nitrogen regulator is around $60 and then you have to get to a gases company and put a deposit on a bottle of nitrogen and don't forget a hose.Then you are set and don't have to go to a shop to get your tires refilled and it might even come out cheaper in the long run.(But not cheaper then regular air)

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:31:48 PM EDT

[#23]

acedaline

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:34:45 PM EDT

[#24]

When is someone going to come out with Tactical Air?

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:54:14 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Thanks to the Ford/Firestone tire problems, the federal government said that all new autos must have tire pressure sensors in each wheel so the car will tell the driver if/when a tire is low.

When there is a big swing in temperature from night to day, depending on what the pressure in the tires are, and depending on how sensitive the pressure sensor system is, you may have the idiot lights and alarm at time.

Pure nitrogen (90% or more) does not change pressure much from cold temps to hot and can keep the light and warning alarm off so it does not drive you crazy.

By law, this system cannot be deactivated.

That help?

haha funny....so that hard to find 78% mix must change soo much more....

100% N2 is pure BS

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:56:57 PM EDT

[#26]

I own an air compressor and a tire gauge.

Posted: 4/30/2011 3:59:21 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

We used to use nitrogen for aircraft tyres...IIRC the reason was less moisture as the wheels were mag alloy and corrosion was a problem.

Inert and stable.

Just my 2 cents

Posted: 4/30/2011 4:01:56 PM EDT

[#28]

There is a local used car dealer/garage that will inflate 4 tires w/nitrogen for $25

Posted: 4/30/2011 4:04:36 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:

I own an air compressor and a tire gauge.

255.255.256.255

Posted: 4/30/2011 4:05:26 PM EDT

[#30]

Air is about 79 % nitrogen, so you are probably okay with using the cheep stuff.

Posted: 4/30/2011 4:38:40 PM EDT

[#31]

So if my tire is only flat on the bottom and I'm running that 21% O2 and 79% N special mix, what seeped out first? Is the O2 lighter than N and at the top?

Posted: 4/30/2011 4:58:15 PM EDT

[#32]

I am openly hostile to the sales rep for the nitrogen generator we use at work. I always ask him "what's new in the nitrogen world?". He never could answer why nitrogen was better than argon in your tires.....nor can he ever answer any of the loaded questions I ask him.

I dont mind putting it in people's tires for free, but it's down right embarrassing to sell..... Which I go out of my way not to, but it still hurts when people ask for it.

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Posted: 4/30/2011 5:02:24 PM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:

We used to use nitrogen for aircraft tyres...IIRC the reason was less moisture as the wheels were mag alloy and corrosion was a problem.

Inert and stable.

Just my 2 cents

+1 Agree. I would not waste your money on nitrogen. In aircraft it is important because the tires can be at high temperature on the ground and below freezing at altitude, thus condensation is a problem expansion

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:03:55 PM EDT

[#34]

The local Nissan dealership charges $195 for Nitrogen, this is the dealer add on sticker. Like the bad old days when they charged you $400 for floor mats.
Yeah it is a scam, a con, but a pretty good on, they have a good pitch and if you don't take the time to check it out a noob will fall for it. On another note my local tire shop charges $20 for nitrogen.
The dealership puts green valve stem caps on the tires to indicate nitrogen, how do you know that they just replaced the caps.

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:06:22 PM EDT

[#35]

I have nitrogen bottles at work. We use it for air core pulp cable which needs it to stay dry. Nitrogen is dry air, you would be amazed at how much water you can pull out of regular air. Nitrogen also is not affected by temp change like regular air is. That being said I have regular old air in my tires becuase I am to lazy to put the pure nitrogen that I have access to in them

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:16:45 PM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
When is someone going to come out with Tactical Air?

Clearly nitrogen is Tier 1.

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:19:08 PM EDT

[#37]

I had a new set of toyo's put on today and they filled them with nitrogen, but for no charge. I doubt I'd pay extra for it, because as someone else said I have a compressor and gauges.

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:21:56 PM EDT

[#38]

For street driving nitrogen is a money making gimmick.

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:25:02 PM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:

We used to use nitrogen for aircraft tyres...IIRC the reason was less moisture as the wheels were mag alloy and corrosion was a problem.

Inert and stable.

Just my 2 cents

So instead of a $500 dessicant system for the air, they bought a $10,000 pressure swing molecular sieve... must be a government operation.

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:26:34 PM EDT

[#40]

I'm drunk so I haven't read the previous posts, but nitrogen is an inert gas, meaning the tire pressure will not be affected by outside air temperature. That's also why nitrogen is used in gas shocks.

ETA: not that it really matters for your everyday passenger vehicle tires.

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:29:45 PM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:
CO2 would be better, bigger molecule will leak slower.

NOPE CO2 will leak out much faster. Fill your tires up with it on a Friday and see how much is left by the next Friday. There is more to the permeability than molecule size.

Waiting for Keith_J to weigh in on this.

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:36:50 PM EDT

[#42]

I removed all my MIM nitrogen and replaced it with billet nitrogen.

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:42:31 PM EDT

[#43]

PV=nRT

Otherwise known as the Ideal Gas Law, there is no exception for nitrogen.

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:48:04 PM EDT

[#44]

Nitrogen has some benefits at tire pressures that are roughtly 10x normal automotive tire pressures. It's senseless for passenger vehicles.

Unless you live in a very high humidity area, where humidity levels exceed 140 gr/lb, for most tank-style air compressors, the moisture will condense in the pressure tank before it makes it down the air hose. So, unless you are using some lousy system that doesn't use a pressure tank, moisture isn't the issue some people believe it to be.

Please don't use compressed nitrogen to fill your car or motorcycle tires.
And if you do have a "vehicle" that warrants compressed nitrogen, well then, keep being awesome!

Posted: 4/30/2011 5:58:58 PM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:
I own an air compressor and a tire gauge.

+1

Simple problems, simple solutions.

Posted: 4/30/2011 6:02:17 PM EDT

[#46]

I use a mix with 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen

Posted: 4/30/2011 6:08:55 PM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:

We used to use nitrogen for aircraft tyres...IIRC the reason was less moisture as the wheels were mag alloy and corrosion was a problem.

Inert and stable.

Just my 2 cents

+1 Agree. I would not waste your money on nitrogen. In aircraft it is important because the tires can be at high temperature on the ground and below freezing at altitude, thus condensation is a problem expansion

+2 It may be useful or necessary in certain applications (such as in aviation). But for daily automotive applications? It's a waste of $$$.

Quoted:
PV=nRT

Otherwise known as the Ideal Gas Law, there is no exception for nitrogen.

Thank you.

Quoted:
We ran Nitrogen in Haul Truck and Equipment tires (which subjects the tire to conditions most of you cannot fathom), and found it to be snake oil.

We no longer buy compressed Nitrogen.