Nitrogen filling

[moatilliatta]

Anybody have experiences with it? I just got my tires felt with it and a air tank. I mostly did this cuz of auto-x. Just curious what your guy's opinion are on nitrogen

[PiercedE30]

If I could, I would change to nitrogen in a heart beat. Don't have to worry about temps as much and it's better for tread wear.

[nando]

costco fills up their tires with nitrogen. I don't know where else you can get it though.

[LINUS]

Atmosphere is over 80% N2.

So you are only getting rid of the nearly 18% O2, & trace other gases (argon mainly IIRC). It's a nice marketing tool, and if you really want to chase nitrogen you can easily get whatever size bottle suits you from your local welding gas retailer - it's also common-ish to homebrew beer shops for proper stout beer gas.

Unless you are on some crazy R comp tires, I doubt it makes a ton of difference, but I could be wrong.

As a possibility, I know the 4x4 guys run CO2 bottles for on-board air - but I don't know how inert it is compared to N2, you might ask at a welding shop or research it on the web.

[JoeP]

We fill the tires on our helicopters with nitrogen. It's inert, so the temperature has very little effect. It keeps the pressures from building when they get hot. Regular air expands and contracts with the temperature too much. May make a difference on track car, but I wouldn't bother with it on the street. Just my 2 cents.

[Farbin Kaiber]

and the molecules are larger, thus inpeding gas out, the loss of pressure due to normal air being able to fit thru the trubber... by percentages listed above its mild rubbish. But it makes tire shops that have lost possitive profit due to large online vendors cutting into the per unit profit margin. Sell nitrogen, boost lost sales, oh that and Road HAzard...

[equate975]

and the molecules are larger, thus inpeding gas out, the loss of pressure due to normal air being able to fit thru the trubber...

Bingo, thats the point of nitrogen.

It doesn't extend tread life (unless you don't like checking your pressure on air tires), it doesn't make your car lighter, it doesn't make your car faster...

The point of nitrogen was mainly used for cars with alloy rims, like Farbin Kaiber said, the molecules are larger are pressure is more constant. Alloys don't seal as well as steel and are more "porous" for lack of a better word. Also nitrogen isn't as effected by temperature as much as regular air is.

[Teaguer]

Nitrogen is a win-win .

If its available to you for free or cheap then definitely do it .

[BeirBrennerE30]

benefits of nitrogen:
1) doesnt expand with temp so easier to tune a suspension and gives more constant runs.
2) larger molicules makes the tire harder to leak.
3) No more waper vapor in your tires that can condense corrode a rim form the inside out

drawbacks:
1) its a bit harder to find and not as convient i guess.

Its a win if you can get it easily

[AlarmedBread]

Slightly OT, but today I noticed one of my gf's dads tires were visibly low, so I mentioned it. He went on a 10mintue spiel about how he had nitrogen inflation and it was impossible that his tire could have lost pressure due to the size of molecules etc. and how I should be using it for my cars also.

I just thought it was kind of funny, will be sticking with good old air because I don't believe in after market tire inflation gases, it must be OE gas and the compressor must have a roundel on it or it is not going on my car! ;)

[moatilliatta]

Tires usually gain like 7 psi or something when up to temp. im not sure if they get up that high on the highway or not. But I asked for 35psi and they filled it to 40. I guess you put more in since it doesn't expand as much while driving? Im gunna keep it there for now. and prolly run like 41-43 ish all around at auto-x.

[bmancrash]

We use nitrogen regularly for business filling fire extinguishers and such, as well as the tires on all of our trucks. And as mentioned above you can rent or buy nitrogen tanks at any welding supply store.

[LINUS]

Tires usually gain like 7 psi or something when up to temp. im not sure if they get up that high on the highway or not. But I asked for 35psi and they filled it to 40. I guess you put more in since it doesn't expand as much while driving? Im gunna keep it there for now. and prolly run like 41-43 ish all around at auto-x.

You have an infra-red temp gun by any chance? Thats how I do my tires on my Landcruiser - I get consistent left-center-right temps at speed around town on a dry day & I know I'm good. Strangely, it's just a little lower than the recommended pressure, but I'm on mud tires with a fairly tough/thick sidewall, so maybe that's why. Anyhow, Goodyear recommends 30 PSI all around, and I'm 30 front, 28 rear to get a constant tread temp.

If you don't have one of these things, get one - they're getting dirt cheap & totally usefull around the house - I make beer (homebrewer) from the armchair just shooting my boil pot sidewall to get a really accurate read, never even have to get up aside from a stir.

Since I know what I run on atmosphere compressed, it would be interesting to see what a N2 fill would do to my PSI - I might see if Costco will let me air down & get a fill to see what the change is, just out of sheer curiousity.