Anyone run nitrogen in there tires

I worked for a tyre retailing company for 15 years. We offered nitrogen fills. For street cars, they are relatively pointless.

 

I run 78% nitrogen in every tire of my cars.



Matt

 

I hear if you run helium in your tires, it will make the car lighter and go faster!

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Not exactly the National Academy of Sciences, but there are some advantages per Popular Science, particularly if the N2 is dry.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a3894/nitrogen-in-tires/

T

Edit...more technical, but implication is that it has some benefits. Again, assuming dry gases.

https://www.rubberchemtechnol.org/doi/abs/10.5254/1.3548247

https://www.tiresciencetechnology.org/doi/abs/10.2346/1.2802612

 

Plus, there are advantages in aircraft tires due to the large swings in the environment encountered during a take off and landing cycle.

 

Nitrogen provides a bit of consistency and improvement for fuel economy (less rolling resistance), which is probably why car manufacturers are using it (e.g. CAFE).

 

surely two tires filled to the same psi (one pure nitrogen and one air) have no change in rolling resistance? less fluctuation due to temps so less likely to run lower psi if you don't check regularly? ok.

 

Yes, all variables (people) being equal, tire pressures should remain relatively the same.

Kidding aside, nitrogen permeates the rubber less than regular air. So longer periods between refills.

 

Dryness is the only benefit for street cars. And, truthfully, it is minor - especially for cars that aren’t tracked regularly.

The best thing you can do for your tires is keep them properly inflated.

 

^
This.

Unless nitrogen only costs you 10 cents per tire. Otherwise take the savings and buy your family hot fudge sundaes, you'll see greater benefit.

 

You may need to explain that to some

 

Here is a much better investment. FLATSTOPPERS CAR STORAGE RAMPS

 

I do in my truck. Bought the tires at Costco and they use nitrogen.

 

Nitrogen doesn't seal tires from leaks it just leaks less. If you don't mind maintaining a tank of nitrogen for the top ups you will need over time, then go for it. The reduction in pressure variation due to temperature changes is a nice benefit but having to maintain a tank of nitro in the garage just for tire filling and maybe power tools isn't something I can justify.

 

I think one of the papers above found that assertion to be untrue, at least insofar as I could tell from the abstract, but rubber chemistry isn't my technical wheel house...T

Edit - from one of the above articles... "Use of nitrogen as the inflation gas does not benefit the measured cavity gas temperature or tire rolling resistance, both of which are shown to be tire pressure dependent, but not dependent upon the filling gas when measured at equal tire inflation pressures."

I don't know these guys by reputation, but ExxonMobil Baytown is a top notch R&D facility...T

 

The entire nitrogen in tires thing is BS as far as I am concerned. 99% of the nitrogen going into tires is coming out of low-end generators or concentrators that aren't even close purity-wise to what you can get from Air Gas in a welding tank.

These generators or concentrators may have put out 95% plus pure nitrogen when new, but I doubt they are serviced as much as required to keep the purity up. How would you know what they really were putting in your tires at Costco or the tire shop anyways??? They are just selling you expensive green tire valve caps.

 

This source says yes, less effusion. The source is getnitrogen.com, so consider the source!

https://www.getnitrogen.org/pdf/graham.pdf

T

 

Once the new car (now used) is driven off the lot CAFE no longer applies.

But here's a good paper that supports what you're saying i.e. in the real world.

https://www.moderntiredealer.com/uploads/stats/nitrogeninflationforpassengercarandlighttrucktires-daws.pdf

 

And this Audi dealer sells a $100 nitro fill-up.

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https://www.southamptonaudi.com/why-use-nitrogen-in-your-tires-.htm

 

"value added" indeed...

 

And that's per tire!

 

Holy carp! Some people need to retake their HS chemistry.
T

 

For all you nitrogen loving folks, please bid on the bridge I'm putting up for sale in Brooklyn. It's pretty old but still used by millions of people each year. Huge potential for revenue from tolls. Put your bid in today!

https://foolsfornitrogen.com/brooklynbridgeforsale.htm