Anyone running nitrogen filled tires???

[00prowler]

I have read that filling your tires with nitrogen instead of air is worth it..15 bucks or so...The tires are supposed to run 20% cooler, hold the set pressure much longer than air, less condensation, enhances tire life, traction, etc...Any comments? AL...

 

[red98RT10]

Interesting....never heard of it.

 

[plumcrazy]

its supposed to be a lot better. cold wont effect the pressure like air does.

been wanting to do it for a while now. just been lazy.

 

[vigilantty]

You are already running 78% nitrogen filled tires. Air is mostly nitrogen, 21% Oxygen and 1% other gases.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I don't see much benefit for running nitrogen on a street car. I'd love to have it for the track though.

 

[Janni]

zero moisture in bottled nitrogen allows for more stable tire pressures. Great for the track. Getting 100% nitrogen though means purging and refilling at least a couple of times.

Not sure about al lthe other claims? running cooler? don't think so. Better tire life? I guess is you are holding a more constant pressure - you will more evenly wear your tires - but that's kinda a stretch. Better traction????? Again - a HUGE stretch but only as it relates to tire pressure - not what's inside of it.

 

[DrDJ]

In theory, tires should run cooler with more water vapor in the gas mixture because heat would be better transferred to the rim from the tire via condensation on the rim's inside surface. A cooler tire would wear less but would have less traction, not more.

 

[FLX109]

I am runnung Nitrogen in my tires, I paid $5.00 a tire, I run it in my truck also, Its great if you get expansion and contraction from different air temperatures (no filling in the winter because your tire looks low) also I am told I will get better gas mileage, I haven't noticed that yet but I haven't looked for it.

FLX109

 

[cgmaster]

All it does is help stabilize the pressure. For racing I would say it is worth it. You can rent the HP nitrogen tank from a gas supply co. and get the regulators for this if you are racing and changing tires alot. The regulators cost me less than $200 with hoses and everything. I do not remember if that included the tank which will last a long time.

 

[Stang7900]

I am running my tires with helium. This creates a lighter/faster launch and overall weight reduction for the car.
Plus when its your daughters birthday and your wife sends you out for balloons you can just go out to the garage and just empty a tire.

 

[Danno]

Some of the tire shops are filling the tires with Nitrogen when you buy new tires. I just purchased new Michelin Pilots "for the front only" from Costco and they filled them with Nitrogen. The only problem I have now is the front of the car is faster than the back end.

 

[luc]

I do use it on all my race cars but see no need for it on the street.

The main advantage of nitrogen is that due to the lack of moisture in it (but as Janni said, you have to purge your tires,with the valve up, at least a couple of times),the pressure increase due to tire temperature is a lot less.

Luc.00GTS

 

[Camfab]

Of course it's better! Saying it's not necessary for the street is like saying you don't need 335/30 18's on the street. It promotes a more stable (less pressure fluctuation than normal compressed air) range of pressure. The lack of moisture is a huge benefit as it diminishes the chances of corrosion within the wheel. The corrosion issue is really why OEM's do not supply chrome plated aluminum wheels from the factory. All gases are subject to the gas laws, that is they expand and contract with temp and pressure. The addition of water to that mix creates an additional wrinkle as water vaporizes from a liquid to gas and back.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Of course it's better! Saying it's not necessary for the street is like saying you don't need 335/30 18's on the street. It promotes a more stable (less pressure fluctuation than normal compressed air) range of pressure. The lack of moisture is a huge benefit as it diminishes the chances of corrosion within the wheel. The corrosion issue is really why OEM's do not supply chrome plated aluminum wheels from the factory. All gases are subject to the gas laws, that is they expand and contract with temp and pressure. The addition of water to that mix creates an additional wrinkle as water vaporizes from a liquid to gas and back.

What people are saying is unless your butt is calibrated to actually be able to tell whether the tires are filled with nitrogen or air, the $5 per tire would be better spent on something else, like fuel.

A street tire is not going to get anywhere close to the heat levels of a slick, and therefore the benefits of stable air pressure are not going to be anywhere close to being noticed.

And what are these wheel corrosion issues I keep hearing about when nitrogen is discussed? I've never seen a wheel give out because it was too rusty, particularly aluminum.

 

[wesman]

The Infiniti dealer does it where we bought the wifes FX. Hers are done, I don't have it done in any other vehicle tho.

--wes

 

[Camfab]

Chuck the corrosion issue is seen with chrome plated rims in particular. I know most guys including myself do not run chrome plated aluminum wheels, but regardless moisture finds it's way between the chrome and aluminum. If you can imagine a bathroom after a hot shower, you can see how any flaw in the chrome plating will yield to galvanic action between the chrome and aluminum. My point was that guys here including myself will spend a thousand dollars to yield those few extra horsepower, why not spend the $20 bucks for a little extra care for your wheels. Your right probably better spent on fuel, but somehow I usually don't make the smartest financial decisions with regards to these cars.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

somehow I usually don't make the smartest financial decisions with regards to these cars.

LOL You and me both. LOL

Your corrosion explaination makes sense. I'm not a "chromer" so when I think of corrosion I think of those rustbuckets up north.