GoofyG

My dealer "upgraded me" to nitrogen in the tires. said I need to come back to the dealership when I need air for the tires.
Is there really an advantage to Nitrogen in the tires?
Seems Like work to get back there just for air.

EJ2000

Nitrogen is used in racing tires because it keeps them cooler after repeated laps during track use. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but for a daily driver, I would say there is absolutely no benefit.

Gyoza

I'm sure they wouldn't mind servicing your car too when you show up for some more air.

ABQG35c

Isn't Nitrogen thicker than air, and in return, you don't have air "leaking" out of your tires where you need to fill them up as often, plus it doesn't expand like air does when it gets hot, so you can have the correct PSI 24/7, pretty much.

Calpolytlo

i've heard, that it doesn't leak out nearly as fast as air, and it wont corrode your wheels. . .ours are alloys so we shouldnt have to worry about that part. . .

RedHerring

iTrader: (1)

Air is 80% nitrogen anyways.

ABQG35c

There ya go, I forgot the wheel part

gogetter

iTrader: (1)

Nitrogen is used in aircraft and racing tires so that if there is a fire and the tires blow the air released will not make the fire worse than it already is, if you used regular air the oxygen in the tires would feed the flames....

GoofyG

That was their story- not as much leakage. My thoughts were along the lines of air being mostly N2 anyway. I don't normally have that much leakage. Sounded like a scam to me, but I tend to be too cynical.

thanks for reaffirming.

EJ2000

As for the leakage issue, it's been several years since any kind of chemistry, but I assume that nitrogen follows the ideal gas laws just like everything else? (PV=nRT)

Black Betty

iTrader: (60)

Nitrogen is better but not that much. As RedHerring stated, air is mostly nitrogen (78%). The benefit is that nitrogen is inert and has no moisture in it so it is not susceptible to expand and contract with temperature changes as regular air is. Hence little pressure increase when tires are hot and little decrease when its cold. They do tend to leak less as well. Using extremely dry air (used in SCUBA and SCBA cylinders) as well would have much the same effect. I wouldn't pay extra for nitrogen though. Instead, invest in a tire gauge.

greggv

Nitrogen is much thicker than air. The nitrogen generator that produces most of the nitrogen you get is simpily a very fine membrane filter. The air goes out one way, but the nitrogen will not pass, and it goes out another way. It does keep you from having to air up your tires as often, as air can go right thru rubber! We have a nitrogen generator where I work, as I said a filter. No moving parts, no electricity, and no service other than changing the pre-filters once in a while.

RedHerring

iTrader: (1)

All gas can migrate through rubber and plastic ( and 3 inches of steel ) eventually. It's a quantum uncertainty thing. I like the resistance to heat expansion reasoning, exact metering. The fire issue is a side effect I think. If a tire explodes, you frankly have bigger problems than a little fire.

I would pay only 22 percent of what they are charging for it however. :-)

shumby

iTrader: (3)

Nitrogen also has a lower rolling resistance than air. (less friction) If you'd like to see an example. get 2 cans of apple juice and empty one. put both on an incline and the one that is empty will get to the bottom first. That is because of the friction between the juice and the side of the can.

TK5

Seriously guys.

Nitrogen is basically the same as air in almost every way.

They both follow the ideal gas law when water is not involved.
They both have about the same size molecules.
They both have the same mass.
They both might have water vapor in them or might not, it depends on many other factor besides air vs N2
The will leak at about the same rate.

IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE!

I would be happy to talk about it more if anyone says otherwise.