liquorman

Any opinion on nitrogen vs air for tires. I'm thinking about using nitrogen.

dbdave

Air is 78% nitrogen. Do you think it will make any difference? You may get some fancy green valve caps though.

OnPoint

It's a drier gas, unless you're getting compressed air with the moisture scrubbed out. If you track the car nitrogen will show a narrower swing on tire pressure do to heat b/c it's drier.

Don't know if the tire pressure sensors would last longer with the nitrogen. My dd pickup has only seen compressed air and it's tire pressure sensors are still going strong 8 years in.

I've read you'll have less loss of pressure over time b/c fewer nitrogen molecules will seep thru the tires. I have no idea if that is true or not.

Only downside I've noticed about it is some shops seem to think its gasified gold and charge accordingly. In my mind it isn't worth more than a few bucks - if that. I think it's a profit play by many shops.

foreverfuelie

For racing, nitrogen doesn't expand and contract as much as just air. It is also supposed to minimize oxidation of the rubber in tires. Probably would not make much difference other than if you were all out racing or storing your Corvette on it's original tires for years. IMO, unless you are doing one or the other is would be a waste of time and $.

Glen e

just don't pay for it...

Larry/car

Nitrogen is used in aircraft tires to prevent moisture condensation that will collect and freeze at high altitude. This will cause an out of balance condition (imagine tires way out of balance at 120 knots) on landing. If you are planning on operating your car at high altitude and going fast by all means put nitrogen in your tires. If not save your money, really no benefit.

Crossed Flags Fan

Yup, another dealer "cha ching" thing. Put the money towards another tank of gas for cruzin....

Steve_R

That is absolutely not true.

This too is absolutely not true.

Larry is correct. The only real difference between bottled N and ambient air is the moisture content. Unless you're racing your C7 at very high speeds, e.g, 150 mph+ for extended periods there really is no advantage to using N in your tires, and you sure shouldn't pay for it.

Think about this: When a tire shop or dealer fills a tire with N they don't evacuate the air that's in it, they simply fill it up with N, so it's still a mix anyway.

For the vast majority of people paying anything for N filled tires is a scam to part you from your money.

Patman

Even the guy who owns the tire shop I frequent tells me it's a waste of money, he offers it for those people that really feel like they need it but he doesn't push it at all, even though it's probably a huge money maker for him. I appreciate his honesty!

Sin City

It's a great way to lighten your wallet. If you have too much cash in it making it uncomfortable to sit on, then use some of that money for nitrogen in your tires.

3 Z06ZR1

Maybe at your tire shop! The one's I've seen drain the air out then fill! Plus it does leak out slower!
read this http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...140717042934:s

NYC6

N is used in aircraft where they fly at altitudes that obviously have lower air temps than at surface alt or 5,000 ft for example. Aircraft also don't use their wheels except for takeoff/landing thereby not heating the tires as driving a car does. It can make sense for a jumbo jet landing at 140mph stall speed touching down on frozen rubber.
A car warms the tires pretty darn quickly above the freezing pt. N for a street car is nothing more than a new fad money maker for whoever is pumping it. That's my take on it anyway.

WelderGuy

Nitrogen is an inert gas, and that's another reason it's used in airplane tires. The tires will always have some rubber dust inside them, and the tires will sometimes get hot. That's a bad combination since the air pressure in the tire is pretty high. That's also the reason you never ever weld on a wheel with a tire mounted.

fdxpilot

Good post. I have covered most of the same ground in other threads, to much criticism from the H2 fans.

The biggest things for me are 1. How does H2 ignore the ideal gas laws and not increase pressure in a constant volume container (tire interior,) proportionate to temperature increase.

And 2. Short of filling a tire in a vacuum chamber, how does a shop or dealer get rid of all the oxygen, CO2, argon, and all the other constituents of normal air (approx 22% by volume,) when adding H2.

C7Joy

Steve_R

How do you drain air out of tires, pull the valve core, turn the tire upside down and let the air run out?

This subject has been beaten to death here and other places. Nitrogen for tires on a car is a gimmick, nothing more and nothing less. You can pay for it if you want, I'll spend my money on things that matter.

1KULC7

Simply put, not worth it.

rcooper

Since "air "is 78% nitrogen already shouldn't you only pay for the other 22% they are going to put in?

lancekl

As I was searching for my Corvette, I saw one dealer was charging $100 for Nitrogen!!!