Nitrogen Filled Tires
My trailer came with nitrogen-filled tires. I'm not sure it makes that big of a difference, considering the atmosphere is already 78% nitrogen. I find conflicting literature on it as well. Anyhow...
Forum Discussion
The whole nitrogen-in-car-tires thing started from the use of nitrogen in aircraft tires. Probably the manufacturers of the nitrogen generators for aircraft saw an opportunity to sell their equipment to car dealers and service garages.
The main reason they use nitrogen in aircraft tires is that it doesn't support combustion (no oxygen)in case the tire explodes on takeoff/landing. Landing speeds for airliners are generally 150+ mph, and the tire is suddenly accelerated from zero rotational speed to full speed as soon as the tire touches the runway. Watch a plane landing closely and often you can see the puff of smoke from the tires. And you thought a trailer tire was stressed! The last thing an airplane needs is a tire fire at landing (or takeoff). Also, without oxygen in the tire, it will not corrode the wheel from the inside.
When they fill a new tire/wheel with nitrogen, there will still be some "regular" air in it unless they use a vacuum pump first, because of the ambient unpressurized air it started with.
Yes, it's true that nitrogen will permeate a little slower through the tire, but if you check the pressure regularly you don't have to worry. This is a case where they are not lying about the benefits of nitrogen, but how much do the benefits actually mean (for a car/trailer)?
Steve
The main reason they use nitrogen in aircraft tires is that it doesn't support combustion (no oxygen)in case the tire explodes on takeoff/landing. Landing speeds for airliners are generally 150+ mph, and the tire is suddenly accelerated from zero rotational speed to full speed as soon as the tire touches the runway. Watch a plane landing closely and often you can see the puff of smoke from the tires. And you thought a trailer tire was stressed! The last thing an airplane needs is a tire fire at landing (or takeoff). Also, without oxygen in the tire, it will not corrode the wheel from the inside.
When they fill a new tire/wheel with nitrogen, there will still be some "regular" air in it unless they use a vacuum pump first, because of the ambient unpressurized air it started with.
Yes, it's true that nitrogen will permeate a little slower through the tire, but if you check the pressure regularly you don't have to worry. This is a case where they are not lying about the benefits of nitrogen, but how much do the benefits actually mean (for a car/trailer)?
Steve
