Nitrogen in Tires?
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Long Island, NY
Nitrogen in Tires?
Anyone try this ? Is it worth it? Got some new 38" tires and I was just wondering if it would help them pricey tires last longer. Heard you get better milage.
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2004
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The advantage of nitrogen is that is drier than air and will expand and contract less as the outside temperatures change. you will only get better mileage assuming that your tire pressures are low due to contraction and that you don't check them. Nitrogen is good (I work at a large tire and repair shop and can get it for free-it is included in the price of our tires-but I have never purged my tires because IMO its not really worth the time and effort. DO NOT let some PIA saleman tell you that you cannot add air if you have a low tire-we hear that all the time especially people who bought tires from a dealership. nitrogen is just filtered out of the air we breathe by an overpriced machine. we breath something like 25% (not sure if that is right) nitrogen in every breath. So I would say if its free, I'll take three but if they are going to charge more, I would pass. As far as making your tires last longer, check pressures often and rotate often-if you really want to make them last rotate every oil change.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 921
Likes: 1
From: Denver CO
Theyve been talking about this for a long time in the trucking industry for tires, they say they leak less gas/ air. and they run cooler increasing tread life, and suppposedly fuel mileage. Id do it in mine but I dont know of any shops around here that have the stuff to fill em up with it. That and Ive heard that s the primary reason the trucking industry doesnt do it, the cost per volume numbers keeping the materials nessaray to fill tires etc. Heres some more info about em.
Nitrogen Benefits : Branick Industries
Nitrogen Tire Inflation - Parker
Nitrogen Benefits : Branick Industries
Nitrogen Tire Inflation - Parker
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,669
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From: Billerica, MA
Infititi uses it in all of there upper end models and its good for the above stated reasons but in all honesty its not worth in my opinion. So if you have to pay extra for it dont even bother with it. And if you get your tires rebalanced 9 times outta 10 they dont fill it back up with nitro cuz the machines are plumbed into the air tanks, so your if you pay for it then you dont tend to keep any benifits very long. I would pass unless its free.
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: North East Ohio
Actually, Nitrogen molecules are larger than Oxygen molecules, so it's harder for them to leak through the rubber. Which is why they stay pumped up longer. That's the only reason for getting better mileage, becasue they don't 'air-down' as much over time.
If you remember to check the air in your tires every couple weeks or once a month, it's just as good as adding Nitrogen.
My wife got a new Dodge Journey in June, and her Tire Pressure warning light jjust went off. I checked and all tires were at 30 psi, supposed to be 34. I told her they were all fine, 4 psi was nothing, and none were flat. She read the book and it said air them up to proper spec and the light would go off. Well, dang, 4 more psi and it worked. I have to remember to keep up with that if it's that sensative, from the heat of June to cool October.
I have never heard the Nitrogen expand/contract less, that may be a good point if that's true.
If you remember to check the air in your tires every couple weeks or once a month, it's just as good as adding Nitrogen.
My wife got a new Dodge Journey in June, and her Tire Pressure warning light jjust went off. I checked and all tires were at 30 psi, supposed to be 34. I told her they were all fine, 4 psi was nothing, and none were flat. She read the book and it said air them up to proper spec and the light would go off. Well, dang, 4 more psi and it worked. I have to remember to keep up with that if it's that sensative, from the heat of June to cool October.
I have never heard the Nitrogen expand/contract less, that may be a good point if that's true.
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Butt-Head
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,437
Likes: 2,925
From: Reed Point, MT
With all of the oil change services I've done in months of late, 9 out of 10 cars that come in with green valve stem caps have low air pressure. Guess what, they get inflated to recommended specifications with an inflating agent that is 78% nitrogen: Shop air.
Don't waste your money. It's a giant revenue machine for a shop.
Don't waste your money. It's a giant revenue machine for a shop.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,799
Likes: 103
From: Ashland City, TN
As far as I've read and heard, the only benefit is that you don't have to air up as often.
Using a different gas inside the tire will not improve tread life.
Keeping them properly inflated and rotating does.
In all theory, you should rotate inflation as well. checking the tread depth on the tire and adjusting accordingly to how they are wearing.
if the middle is wearing more, air them down.
In the winter time I always air mine down, and I increase them in the summer.
As I've said this before.
My uncil got 120k miles out a set of BFG AT's (not ko's)
They still had 1/4 inch of tread on them when he sold them.
He checks air and rotates his tires regularly.
Using a different gas inside the tire will not improve tread life.
Keeping them properly inflated and rotating does.
In all theory, you should rotate inflation as well. checking the tread depth on the tire and adjusting accordingly to how they are wearing.
if the middle is wearing more, air them down.
In the winter time I always air mine down, and I increase them in the summer.
As I've said this before.
My uncil got 120k miles out a set of BFG AT's (not ko's)
They still had 1/4 inch of tread on them when he sold them.
He checks air and rotates his tires regularly.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,799
Likes: 103
From: Ashland City, TN
As far as I've read and heard, the only benefit is that you don't have to air up as often.
Using a different gas inside the tire will not improve tread life.
Keeping them properly inflated and rotating does.
In all theory, you should rotate inflation as well. checking the tread depth on the tire and adjusting accordingly to how they are wearing.
if the middle is wearing more, air them down.
In the winter time I always air mine down, and I increase them in the summer.
As I've said this before.
My uncil got 120k miles out a set of BFG AT's (not ko's)
They still had 1/4 inch of tread on them when he sold them.
He checks air and rotates his tires regularly.
Using a different gas inside the tire will not improve tread life.
Keeping them properly inflated and rotating does.
In all theory, you should rotate inflation as well. checking the tread depth on the tire and adjusting accordingly to how they are wearing.
if the middle is wearing more, air them down.
In the winter time I always air mine down, and I increase them in the summer.
As I've said this before.
My uncil got 120k miles out a set of BFG AT's (not ko's)
They still had 1/4 inch of tread on them when he sold them.
He checks air and rotates his tires regularly.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 560
Likes: 3
From: 92592
cleatus12r is right, the biggest reason for using nitrogen is it's tendency to not absorb moisture therefore easier to 'scrub' the moisture out of.
(That's why we use it in suspension components)
It's the moisture that causes pressure changes with heat, the larger mocecule theory is technically correct but, as cleatus12r said, you are already getting 78% nitrogen in the air we breath.
It's expensive because of the machine they bought to 'make' it, no other reason.
http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/CHEMWEEK/PDF/airgas.pdf
(That's why we use it in suspension components)
It's the moisture that causes pressure changes with heat, the larger mocecule theory is technically correct but, as cleatus12r said, you are already getting 78% nitrogen in the air we breath.
It's expensive because of the machine they bought to 'make' it, no other reason.
http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/CHEMWEEK/PDF/airgas.pdf
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,669
Likes: 1
From: Billerica, MA
Yup I'd tell him no thanks.
Jim- some of the tire monitors ar even more sensitive than that, like the m35x from infiniti, all it takes to set those stupid a$$ things off is 2-3 psi and thats in either direction, to much or to little.
Jim- some of the tire monitors ar even more sensitive than that, like the m35x from infiniti, all it takes to set those stupid a$$ things off is 2-3 psi and thats in either direction, to much or to little.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,818
Likes: 1
From: Avilla, IN
Nitrogen and air are considered Ideal gases granted no true ideal gas exists and the higher the pressure and the lower the temperature the less they behave like ideal gases, however this high/low business is relative to absolute 0. So Nitrogen, oxygen or a mixture (air) will expand or contract so close to the same rate that not only do engineers ignore the difference, but mathmaticians, chemists, and physists also ignore the difference. its essentially a second order differential which is so infinately small you just cross it off your paper like it never existed. However Jim was right about the size difference. In fact nitrogen has a smaller molecular mass, but larger atomic diamater so it can't make it through some of the holes that oxygen can.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 161,999
Likes: 75
From: 3rd Rock
It will also permeate through the side wall less because of the molecule size...the larger the volume of the tire the greater the benefit, except for bicycle tires…if you use a hand pump they will hold air long then if you use a c02 cartridge, which has smaller molecules…so moral of the story don’t by 3000 ..........c02 cartridges to fill up your truck tires.
cleatus12r is right, the biggest reason for using nitrogen is it's tendency to not absorb moisture therefore easier to 'scrub' the moisture out of.
(That's why we use it in suspension components)
It's the moisture that causes pressure changes with heat, the larger mocecule theory is technically correct but, as cleatus12r said, you are already getting 78% nitrogen in the air we breath.
It's expensive because of the machine they bought to 'make' it, no other reason.
http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/CHEMWEEK/PDF/airgas.pdf
(That's why we use it in suspension components)
It's the moisture that causes pressure changes with heat, the larger mocecule theory is technically correct but, as cleatus12r said, you are already getting 78% nitrogen in the air we breath.
It's expensive because of the machine they bought to 'make' it, no other reason.
http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/CHEMWEEK/PDF/airgas.pdf