Filling tires with Nitrogen.

[pberku]

several garages around here, including Costco, are now offering to fill-up your tires with Nitrogen instead of air. Does anyone know what the advantages are if any, or is this just another ploy to get some money out of us?

Phil

[skiier3_9]

Originally Posted by pberku

just another ploy to get some money out of us

enough said

[Eiknujrac]

Air is 80 percent nitrogen anyway....

[blueranger]

they say the nitrogen keeps your tire from deterioating...

they say it keeps your rim from rusting on the inside.

[haasman]

I always fill my tires with Unobtanium.

Never fails, never leaks, never rusts .... never find it. Simply just nevers.

Haasman

[puddle_divr]

As far as I know the only benefit to nitrogen is supposedly it does not loose pressure with temp changes etc... stays more stable. I beleive the Costco here fills your tires with it if you want for free assuming you buy the tires from them.

[SD300]

Is really for the haves and don't want to be bothered to get their fat a** out to check tire pressure.

Nitrogen is within air 80% already. Doing this is up to 100%.
Is like racing u spend another few hundred grand only to improve a few milli secs. To some is worth it.

Or your 12 sec quarter mile car will still stop at the red light along with the 30 secs 1/4 mile car. So the haves should have the right to drive on express lane with min speed of 200MPH.

[HarryM]

A few months ago there was a news blitz that we should replace tires older than 6 year, regardless of how much tread is left, and now nitrogen is supposed to make tires last longer. Longer than what? It will be thrown away after 6 years anyway.

[Kestas]

But then again, Harry, there's guys like me that only put 3K on their car in any given year, and old tires can be a real concern.

BTW, I just replaced the 19 year old tires on my Cutlass. They were WAY overdue! I won't let that happen again.

[Peter Guenther]

Wow, this went around in the sixties, claiming the moisture in compressors put water vapor in the tires. It probably is a more stable gas, and if high speed runs heated your tires? I have not heard of it being used in competition like in NASCAR!

[Kebowers]

The 19% oxygen that is in air does not cause deterioration of the inside of the tires. Tire damage is from ETERNAL ozone and ultra-violet light. IF you put 'wet' air into a tire, it is possible that some water will condense in cold weather (and even freeze) and so COULD cause corrosion of the rim. Always let some air out of the hose before puting it on the tire to ensure it is not full of water.

Jet aircraft use very high tire pressures (350#) ,and any moisture in air will condense at the -70F temps at which they fly and cause imbalance and virbration on landing--as well as substantially greature pressure changes. Its the water, not the 19% oxygen.

Because the rubber in tires continues to 'vulcanize or cure' after manufacture, it gets harder and more brittle with age, and builds up more heat from flexing--which all mean it will not pass the speed and load rating tests and will fail most likely. I personally put 4 yrs max on tires that I drive on the freeway. They may look great, but will not take the heat and stress. MIGHT Work fine around town though traction is way down--and with the high cost of even a minor accident, tires every 4 years seems pretty cheap to me.

[krautman]

think of all the tractor trailers out there with re-tread tires on them, how many miles /heat cycles are on them? they get exposed to all types of weather and who knows how many years old they are. holy crap we share the road with them?