Still not sure about putting Nitrogen in your tires?

I Don't need to watch a video to know it's a scam.

Unfortunately, dealers will continue to sell nitrogen to the unknowing.

I'm happy with the 78% nitrogen in my tires.

In a perfect world, nitrogen might be OK but after the tire installer slaps a bunch of lubricant on your tires and then sets the bead with the shop air, the nitrogen that they put in afterwards is just adding to the already present contamination.
Using dry shop air is just as good for earthbound vehicles.

My only real experience with nitrogen filled tires was in the military. The tires on our fighter jets were filled to 300 psi with nitrogen.

The FAA requires nitrogen in all commercial aircraft tires to prevent auto-combustion when the tires become overheated.

NASCAR uses pure nitrogen in their tires (from the NASCAR website): "The reason NASCAR tires are inflated with nitrogen, rather than the normal air we pump into our tires, is due to the increased stability under hotter temperatures that the gas exhibits. It allows the tire pressure (50 pounds per square inch) to remain constant throughout the race regardless of the temperature, which can reach 200 degrees Fahrenheit."

But we're not jets nor racecars.

Always thought it was a scam based on gut feeling alone. :) We are just talking about PSI here for tires. Just check them!

I had new tires put on several vehicles over the years at Gateway Tire in Tennessee. I use this company for new tires, tire repairs, batteries, etc.

They ONLY put nitrogen in the tires, no choice and they charge extra for it. They are so good about rotating tires for free and fixing flats for free that I don't really complain but I did question it.

Normally, regular air is just fine with me because the minute I use my own compressor to add air in the tires, the nitrogen that I paid extra for is diluted (somewhat).

Safe travels,
MM.

Regular air is 78 per cent nitrogen. Only in extreme applications like those above (super high pressure or temp) is there an advantage to pure nitrogen. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either trying to sell you something or misinformed.

There are times and places, High performance race cars, Air and Space craft, where Nitrogen makes sense.

I use a mixture of gasses including Nitrogen, in fact it is mostly nitrogen.. It's also free, it is called "AIR"..

IN time, the concentration of nitrogen in the tire increases by the way.

Now on some car tires I do use Nitrogen,, but only when new, and only when the tire dealer puts it in at no added cost.

azdryheat wrote:
NASCAR uses pure nitrogen in their tires (from the NASCAR website): "The reason NASCAR tires are inflated with nitrogen, rather than the normal air we pump into our tires, is due to the increased stability under hotter temperatures that the gas exhibits. It allows the tire pressure (50 pounds per square inch) to remain constant throughout the race regardless of the temperature, which can reach 200 degrees Fahrenheit."

Apparently NASCAR is able to defy the laws of physics :R

Thanks for the link. John Cadojan is a hoot. I spent most of the morning listening to his other rants.
His rant about octane is spot on.

Richard

time2roll wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
NASCAR uses pure nitrogen in their tires (from the NASCAR website): "The reason NASCAR tires are inflated with nitrogen, rather than the normal air we pump into our tires, is due to the increased stability under hotter temperatures that the gas exhibits. It allows the tire pressure (50 pounds per square inch) to remain constant throughout the race regardless of the temperature, which can reach 200 degrees Fahrenheit."

Apparently NASCAR is able to defy the laws of physics :R

Here's another take on it:

"Many race car teams use nitrogen instead of air in their tires because nitrogen has a much more consistent rate of expansion and contraction compared to the usual air. Often, a half pound of pressure will radically affect traction and handling. With track and tire temperatures varying over the duration of a race, the consistency of nitrogen is needed.

Nitrogen pressure is more consistent than normal air pressure, because air typically contains varying amounts of moisture due to changes in the relative humidity on race day. Water causes air to be inconsistent in its rate of expansion and contraction. So, a humid race in the southeast United States or a dry race in the desert western United States could make for unpredictable tire pressures if "dry" nitrogen were not used." (Source: How Stuff Works)