I get free very special high altitude air...it's everywhere in WYO.


No problems at -20 degF or 95 degF, but the compressor does have an industrial grade drier on it.


You want to keep the moisture out but IMO going to nitrogen is overkill.

 

Have to admit from a marketing perspective it's a stroke of genius. I've read the cost is three to ten dollars, per tire. And then - those spiffy green valve stem caps.

 

Yeah, our local Ford dealer fills all four tires for $20 or $25.

 

Costco and Belle Tire (Detroit based chain) do nitrogen inflation for free.

So the Michelins on my van, from Costco, have nitrogen in them.

Wet air can corrode rim bead areas and cause rim leaks (more of a problem on older aluminum wheels).

My other 3 vehicles have tires from Discount Tire and have air in them.

For free, I'll use nitrogen.

George

 

I suppose inflation with Laughing gas will lead to 4 perpetual happy tires.

 

First fill maybe, but I check my tires every 4 - 6 weeks. It never fails that only one tire is about 5 lbs. lower than the rest. I would have to go back to Costco or the dealer when I can instead go to a local gas station.

 

Almost no gas stations near me have air; the one that I have used is definitely wet air.

I go to Costco at least once a week to fill up with gas and/or buy food and stuff (right off a stretch of freeway that I drive often, including on the way to church tonite). Stop by the bays and the guy gives me a nitrogen hose with preset pressure.

So if it's free, I'll take it. And I like it because it's dry in particular. I have had cars with rim leak issues and they suck (although today's tire guys typically hit the rim surfaces with brushes these days).

On an earlier topic, tires don't "dry rot" in the inside where the inflation air or nitrogen is in contact with them. They get ozone cracks on the outside which are made worse by sun. (My van that sits outside gets sidewall cracks on 7 year old tires. My BMW garage queen has had 12 year old tires on it that looked perfect on the outside. All Michelins.)

George

 

not my experience at all.


I had a nitrogen fill on a set of tires a number of years ago. they were on the car for about 4 years and 50,000 miles.


never once did I have to add air to those tires. when it got up around 100°F they would run about 36psi. when it got down around -10°F they would run about 28psi.


I would say the nitrogen egresses through the rubber at a rate *significantly* slower than regular compressed air.


in my experience, anyway. I was happy with the nitrogen fill, and would gladly pay for it again.

 

How often do you have to add air to tires normally? Only once or twice per year for me. Is there really much of a difference between ~95% nitrogen and 75% nitrogen?

Anywho, get BACK to studying!!!

 

thinking about helium in my tires the boat will float better , and its lighter than air so with less down pressure I willget better fuel mileage , open up a garage charge 50 a pop the Toyotas ,mini coopers ,fiats will be lined up around the block , ill be a millionaire

 

Helium won't work, with all the up pressure you will loose traction.
Actually a bad idea especially on snow and ice.

 

A buddy of mine filled some trailer tires with propane so they would run cooler . Worked for a while . Then he had a blow out! ...

 

even the lowliest of creatures take breaks

on every other vehicle it is a 3 or 4 time per year deal. mostly because they lose some naturally, and we have pretty wild temp swings. on a non-nitrogen tire you'll be down 10 pounds or more from a 50ish degree fill when you get down to -10 or so, and at 100 you'll have to let that much out to keep from getting too high.

so in 4 years i saved messing with them 16 times, or so.

maybe not a big deal, but when the cold comes, it's nice not to have to mess with adding air.

personal preference, perhaps, but to me it was well worth the $8. who knows, i may have even saved that much in electricity by not having to run the compressor

just my experience.

now ... the kiddo is in bed and santa has some work to do!

merry christmas!

(then it's back to studying )

 

Also a reason NOT to use Hydrogen.
.

 

The local Ford dealer is now putting all kinds of dealer add-ons on every truck on the lot. Nitrogen in the tires is $299. (total add-on cost is over $1,200/truck) I have seen a lot of vague benefits to nitrogen, but never any numbers. How many extra miles on the tread? No idea. A while back one tire seller's website said that it was probably worth paying $5 per tire for nitrogen but not worth $10.

I do feel sorry for the folks riding around with $299 worth of nitrogen in their tires, not to mention the $699 bed liner and front window tint for some amount that I have forgotten.