Nitrogen in Tires

[Sandman]

So I've been hearing about filling my tires with nitrogen lately. Supposedly it will keep my tires running cooler, leak down less, and won't break down the tire as bad. Anybody do this already or hear anything about it?

discovery channel video
http://www.getnitrogen.org/video/video_discovery_channel.wmv

Here is a website talking about it.
http://www.getnitrogen.org/

Long technical article on it
http://www.getnitrogen.org/pdf/print_articles/Tire%20Review%20071904.pdf

[L8 APEX]

We used it on the race cars we supported in road racing because it expanded and contracted less than air. In road racing tire temps would raise tire pressure 12 psi or greater using air and half a pound could make a handling difference.

[wesman]

Grubbs Infiniti uses it on the new cars, at least the nice ones. They filled the wifes FX35 with it when she bought it and refill at each service I actually let them do.

--wes

[mustgofaster]

I've heard that it is better. I've got a pretty descent supply of N2 here @ work, so I put some in my tires.

[Silver_2000]

Grubbs Infiniti uses it on the new cars, at least the nice ones. They filled the wifes FX35 with it when she bought it and refill at each service I actually let them do.

--wes

On the Nitrogen site the only places near me are 8 costco's and Grubbs infiniti...

[Tex Arcana]

I'm thinking that it's overkill for a street application.

From what I can find, nitrogen can absorb moisture, just not as much as standard air can (I'm guessing it's the oxygen component that absorbs the most moisture). I need to research this more, tho.

The only way pure N2 can be a benefit is if the tire is filled with 100% N2; otherwise, it's a waste because the introduction of any additional moisture or oxygen will negate the benefits.


Answer
The benefits are:

1) Reduced oxidation of rubber compounds - which should extend the life of a tire before the materials fail - which probably isn't very useful unless you keep tires a long time.

2) Reduces pressure loss - this is somewhat useful as it extends the time before you need to add "air" to compensate for the air that seeped through the casing - but a lot of the air loss is around the beads where it contacts the rim so that's not as useful as it sounds. Besides even if you only check your tires twice a year (when the weather changes from hot to cold or the other way), you should be able to tell when you need to "top up" and it's not all that difficult.

3) And the reason NASCAR (and other racing series use nitrogen) - there is no water introduced into the tire. Water, in liquid form, can change the way the heat buildup affects the pressure buildup. For racing this is very important as this affects the handling of the car. But on the street, this has almost no meaning as the differences are small and most folks wouldn't be able to tell the difference - not mention use the difference to their advantage.

All the other benefits that are sometimes sited are bogus because you can get those same benefits if you properly inflate your tires with air.


Another thought: if a team/tire supplier can control moisture in a tire by making sure the tire has 100% N2, then it's a benefit; however, making sure that happens is an expensive proposition.

Another another thought: back in the 80's, we used to fill tired with freon, thinking the same thing, that the larger molecule (which N2 isn't truly larger than O2, look at the periodic table) would prevent molecular migration, and that the nature of the gas would make for a more stable pressure and more controlled expansion. That fad didn't last long, either. :shrug:

More evidence that's not video-based and paid for by the N2 suppliers?

[03LightningRocks]

I'm thinking that it's overkill for a street application.

From what I can find, nitrogen can absorb moisture, just not as much as standard air can (I'm guessing it's the oxygen component that absorbs the most moisture). I need to research this more, tho.

The only way pure N2 can be a benefit is if the tire is filled with 100% N2; otherwise, it's a waste because the introduction of any additional moisture or oxygen will negate the benefits.



Another thought: if a team/tire supplier can control moisture in a tire by making sure the tire has 100% N2, then it's a benefit; however, making sure that happens is an expensive proposition.

Another another thought: back in the 80's, we used to fill tired with freon, thinking the same thing, that the larger molecule (which N2 isn't truly larger than O2, look at the periodic table) would prevent molecular migration, and that the nature of the gas would make for a more stable pressure and more controlled expansion. That fad didn't last long, either. :shrug:

More evidence that's not video-based and paid for by the N2 suppliers?


Oh look everybody, Tex just went through a whole roll of his, word of the day, toilet paper :tu:.

[Silver_2000]

Oh look everybody, Tex just went through a whole roll of his, word of the day, toilet paper :tu:.

:rll: :rll: :throw: :beer: :rll:

[Tex Arcana]

Oh look everybody, Tex just went through a whole roll of his, word of the day, toilet paper :tu:.

Bastdatidge! :hammer: :tongue: