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Nitrogen Filled Tires.. Thoughts?

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  • #635959
    Arthur CardenasArthur Cardenas
    Participant

      So I have a 2011 Dodge Challenger R/T… I bought the car with purely filled Nitrogen Air filled tires, and have been reading reports on its “benefits.” I want to keep my tires inflated to the proper psi, shops are charging 35 dollars here in florida to refill them. I heard mixing the gases won’t harm the tire initially, but will decrease it’s Nitrogen effective properties until just air is leftover.

      I called up a “Tires Plus Store” and the employee told me that they do not service nitrogen because “A study ” has shown that the benefits are almost nil, and that its just a gimmick. Especially here in florida’s climate…

      What are your thoughts on this?

      I’m thinking about just scraping the nitro, and going with air, since I have my own compressor anyways.. :unsure:

    Viewing 12 replies - 16 through 27 (of 27 total)
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    • #636861
      Bryan CarterBryan Carter
      Participant

        [quote=”KerbDragonRider” post=114906]
        The study should have focused on the difference in tyre pressure due to tempeture and altitude.

        Altitude would be particularly interesting!
        [/quote]

        Why would that be?

        #636880
        EdwardEdward
        Participant

          Because I’m a vehicle mechanic in the armed forces ans sometimes we drive vehicles up mountains.

          We already have devices that allow more air into engines as altitude increases but I’ve never considered tyres before in the same respect.

          #637089
          PaulPaul
          Participant

            [quote=”McWicked” post=114889]For those of you comfortable with wading through scientific literature, here’s a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
            http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NRD/Multimedia/PDFs/Crash%20Avoidance/2009/811094.pdf%5B/quote%5D

            That is an interesting study. The only major advantage is that N2 leaks less over time compared to air, which requires less maintenance. I wonder if replensihing the tire with air results in increased concentration of N2 and the depletion of O2 over time as the O2 leaks out faster. The effect would probably taper off to some equilbrium value though.

            [quote=”KerbDragonRider” post=114906]The study should have focused on the difference in tyre pressure due to tempeture and altitude.

            Altitude would be particularly interesting![/quote]

            The Fifth Gear episode noted that N2 had a higher operating temperature than air, which is kinda of surprising. I would not have thought the effects of a “real gas” vs an “ideal gas” would matter under those conditions.

            There is a measurement issue/concern with altitude. The average tire pressure guage measures the tire pressure relative to the ambient air pressure. So, the guage will show a pressure that increases with altitude – with everything else held constant. And, the temperature drop with altitude would compensate for the effect too.

            #637104
            EdwardEdward
            Participant

              [quote=”So, the guage will show a pressure that increases with altitude – with everything else held constant. And, the temperature drop with altitude would compensate for the effect too.[/quote]

              It doesn’t always gets significantly colder at height, it would be interesting to see.

              30 psi at sea level becomes
              XX psi @ 1000m @ 15 c
              XX psi @ 2000m @ 15 c
              Etc.

              And the same for tempeture down to -30 and upto +40

              Anybody know of any study that answers this?

              Kerb

              #637255
              PaulPaul
              Participant

                It’s not an in-depth study, but it has some metrics and guidelines for ambient temperature and altitude.

                http://www.bridgestonetrucktires.com/publications/02v7iss1/ra8.asp

                They reference a graph in Recommended Practice (RP 233): “With 5,000 feet (~1500 m) of altitude, inflation pressure varied only about 2 psi.”

                #638187
                asetoftoolsasetoftools
                Participant

                  I also recently purchased a car with little green caps and costco nitrogen in the tires. It makes me paranoid to check the tire pressure! But I am happy that as posted above, i can mix with normal air to no adverse effects.

                  I find though, that the car feels more like the tires are “floating” when taking corners than any previous car I have driven and was wondering it the nitrogen had something to do with that.

                  Anyone else feel any weird ride effects from it? could be psychological I am well aware, which is the main reason for asking.

                  #638885
                  Hokiedad4Hokiedad4
                  Participant

                    [quote=”brokemechanic3000″ post=114826]If we really want to increase mileage we then should fill our tires with helium thus making them lighter.[/quote]

                    Helium would leak very quickly.

                    I think there’s more placebo effect than anything with nitrogen. That’s why garages use it. Any dry gas would work just about the same but compressed nitrogen is fairly cheap and readily available.

                    #640940
                    James O'HaraJames O’Hara
                    Participant

                      Nitrogen in car tires was originally because of Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems as far as I am aware. The reason was moisture was getting into the electronics and if that didn’t ruin it when it froze it definitely did. In car tires it might might make them last longer. While Oxygen is a corrosive thing, the lack of moisture in N2 can cause dry rotting also so there are pros and cons to everything. N2 I can see being important in extremes high temp, low temp, high speed, and heavy loads other then that most people will do just fine with shop air. If you have a TPMS system look in your car user guide and or online it will let you know if it needs to be nitrogen. Also most shop air has very little compressor oil as for moisture some shops drain their system daily or twice daily or have water/oil separators at the compressor others let water run through your air tools (Not Good).

                      #640951
                      MatthewMatthew
                      Participant

                        Is Nitro a higher or low Vascoity than shop air? Reason i ask i my 01 Impala has bead leaks on all tyres to SPITE the fact i had ALL tyres fixed at a shop using Bead Sealer. Maybe Nitro Tyres would be less likely to leak?

                        #640962
                        Lorrin BarthLorrin Barth
                        Participant

                          [quote=”Matthew2014″ post=116858]Is Nitro a higher or low Vascoity than shop air? Reason i ask i my 01 Impala has bead leaks on all tyres to SPITE the fact i had ALL tyres fixed at a shop using Bead Sealer. Maybe Nitro Tyres would be less likely to leak?[/quote]

                          Most of the air you breathe and most of shop air is nitrogen.

                          #641286
                          JoeCoolJoeCool
                          Participant

                            Simon says, put nitrogen in your tires !
                            Simon says, give me $10 for each tires for that !
                            Simon says, lol
                            I say you’re fool lol!

                            #644777
                            Ian WilliamsIan Williams
                            Participant

                              [quote=”brokemechanic3000″ post=114549]The air we all breathe is mostly nitrogen I think it is 80%? I agree with the other tire shop in that nitrogen filling the tires is pretty much a scam.[/quote]

                              I agree , unless your doing a lot of track days , nitrogen is useless .

                            Viewing 12 replies - 16 through 27 (of 27 total)
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