Nitrogen In Your Tires
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 313
Likes: 0
From: Laurel MS
Nitrogen in tires....
The objective w nitrogen is to maintain a longer inflation duration.
You won 't have to nitrogen up the tires as often.
Let's talk reality. There is little to zero advantage over using plain old free air & it won't cost you perhaps $5 to $7 a tire to fillup either. Some will contend it isn't necessary to fillup but top off at regular intervals. I say Ok if it makes you feel warm & fuzzy have at it.
Cheers
Check your 6
You won 't have to nitrogen up the tires as often.
Let's talk reality. There is little to zero advantage over using plain old free air & it won't cost you perhaps $5 to $7 a tire to fillup either. Some will contend it isn't necessary to fillup but top off at regular intervals. I say Ok if it makes you feel warm & fuzzy have at it.
Cheers
Check your 6
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 702
Likes: 0
My buddy that races late model paved-oval told me they run nitrogen because as the tire heats up throughout the race, the nitrogen hold a more constant pressure. (increases less) But he was running a bias ply slick. The overall circumfrence on those grow during a race more more than a street radial would so I am not sure that it would apply for street tires. As far as being away from a nitrogen source... well you could always put regular air in the event you need some. Also if you are that into the idea of nitro, my buddy had is own cylinder that brought to the track.
As for daily use, I think it would be a waste. As for moderate track use, MAYBE. Nobody at my local autocross track is using nitrogen that I am aware of. But then again, in autocross you can make a run, then adjust your pressure instead being stuck with it until a tire change like my buddy would be.
As for daily use, I think it would be a waste. As for moderate track use, MAYBE. Nobody at my local autocross track is using nitrogen that I am aware of. But then again, in autocross you can make a run, then adjust your pressure instead being stuck with it until a tire change like my buddy would be.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: Round Rock texas
Using nitrogen in place or plain air helps save the inside of the tire from deterioration. There is less moisture in nitrogen also which is not only harmful to the inside of the tire (rot). Also, as stated earlier there is less of a pressure differential as nitrogen heats up as compared to regular air, which means more consistant tire pressures.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,920
Likes: 51
From: Angier nc
Using nitrogen in place or plain air helps save the inside of the tire from deterioration. There is less moisture in nitrogen also which is not only harmful to the inside of the tire (rot). Also, as stated earlier there is less of a pressure differential as nitrogen heats up as compared to regular air, which means more consistant tire pressures.
Is it a better mouse trap?Yes,however most people won't see the benefit.
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Ky.
Longer tire life, longer tire life and better fuel economy
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 345
Likes: 0
From: Flint Michigan, #2 in unemployment, #3 in Violent crimes
Using nitrogen in place or plain air helps save the inside of the tire from deterioration. There is less moisture in nitrogen also which is not only harmful to the inside of the tire (rot). Also, as stated earlier there is less of a pressure differential as nitrogen heats up as compared to regular air, which means more consistant tire pressures.
how many of us has had a tire fail due to inside deterioration?
I have taken tires off cars I bought that have been on there for 15 years, and the inside looked like brand new, with plain old alabama air in them.
just hype to get people to buy something new they dont really need.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 702
Likes: 0
Using nitrogen in place or plain air helps save the inside of the tire from deterioration. There is less moisture in nitrogen also which is not only harmful to the inside of the tire (rot). Also, as stated earlier there is less of a pressure differential as nitrogen heats up as compared to regular air, which means more consistant tire pressures.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,740
Likes: 2
From: Winchester Virginia
Ah Hummmmm!
This sounds all great, HOWEVER the ONLY WAY to have a tire completely filled with Nitrogen is to do it in a completely filled Nitrogen Atmosphere. What I've seen with the places that offer Nitrogen at a nominal fee, it so just add compressed Nitrogen into a tire that's already somewhat filled with AIR. So even then, it's still not filled with 100% Nitrogen. So, IMHO it's all hype and doesn't offer a true advantage unless you drive a space shuttle!
Noland
Noland
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 702
Likes: 0
This sounds all great, HOWEVER the ONLY WAY to have a tire completely filled with Nitrogen is to do it in a completely filled Nitrogen Atmosphere. What I've seen with the places that offer Nitrogen at a nominal fee, it so just add compressed Nitrogen into a tire that's already somewhat filled with AIR. So even then, it's still not filled with 100% Nitrogen. So, IMHO it's all hype and doesn't offer a true advantage unless you drive a space shuttle!
Noland
Noland
I understand that you are speaking chem laws here, but that doesnt help that average person much when making a real world claim about how this idea. Although I have never owned a tire where I would consider its use, i've been around it. My buddy's car has 650hp and it weighs 2900 pounds. One could argue that its actually faster than nascar. On a small 1/3 mile oval, his car could hit 120-130 on the straights. Although he is not a big dog yet, he might be someday. That's where my experience comes from, a few years in THE PITS.
Tire pressure is important factor in how a tire reacts with the road. Racers obsess over details. Nitrogen has it's palce
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Noland is correct. Even the guys that get a benefit from nitrogen gas in their tires don't fill them properly. You would have to put the tire in a hard vacuum and then fill it with nitrogen. No one does that, they just fill the tire with nitrogen. Even starting with a deflated tire you would have atmospheric air in it when you begin inflating with nitrogen. Atmospheric air is 78% nitrogen. P.T. Barnum was right!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,080
Likes: 2
From: Pittsburgh PA
Using nitrogen in place or plain air helps save the inside of the tire from deterioration. There is less moisture in nitrogen also which is not only harmful to the inside of the tire (rot). Also, as stated earlier there is less of a pressure differential as nitrogen heats up as compared to regular air, which means more consistant tire pressures.
Now i'm not sure of the humidity of most compressed air sources to fill tires, but if the air is very dry to begin with you dont have to worry about rotting.
N2 has a mole weight of 28.00. Dry Air has mole weight of 28.96 so there is practically no difference in weight in the tires at full PSI. As said, air is 78% nitrogen anyway, and like 21% O2 if i recall correctly and thats part of the reason its a heavier gas than N2 alone
Maintaining inflation duration doesnt make sense to me. Air is 78/21 % N2/O2 which are large molecules. The rest of Air is C02 which is even larger, and Argon which is much bigger/heavier than O2 and N2.
In ANY case, N2 being lighter/smaller than most Air molecules, i would say N2 would leak out much more than AIR!
Someone correct me if i'm wrong, this is my understanding. smaller lighter molecules are harder to keep compressed. Air is larger than N2, so it shouldnt leak as much as pure N2
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 702
Likes: 0
I didnt read this I learned this at the track. Then within 2 minutes of research, all signs point exactly to what I was saying.
"Nitrogen Instead of Air
Most of the teams remove the air from the tires and replace it with nitrogen. Compressed nitrogen contains less moisture than compressed air. When the tire heats up, moisture in the tire vaporizes and expands, causing the pressure inside the tire to increase. Even small changes in tire pressure can noticeably affect the handling of the car. By using nitrogen instead of air, the teams have more control over how much the pressure will increase when the tires heat up. "
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/nascar5.htm
Say what you want, the big dogs run it. Enough said!
"Nitrogen Instead of Air
Most of the teams remove the air from the tires and replace it with nitrogen. Compressed nitrogen contains less moisture than compressed air. When the tire heats up, moisture in the tire vaporizes and expands, causing the pressure inside the tire to increase. Even small changes in tire pressure can noticeably affect the handling of the car. By using nitrogen instead of air, the teams have more control over how much the pressure will increase when the tires heat up. "
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/nascar5.htm
Say what you want, the big dogs run it. Enough said!
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Ky.
This Company even has a web site if ant one wants to look at it
http://www.irtools.com/nitrogen/
I let them put it in my 84, but i wanted a second opinion before i put it in my 02. I am taking a long trip in a month and thought it might be worth it if there would be any millage gain.
Thanks for all the insight.
I let them put it in my 84, but i wanted a second opinion before i put it in my 02. I am taking a long trip in a month and thought it might be worth it if there would be any millage gain.
Thanks for all the insight.
Last edited by James L. Baskett; Jun 14, 2008 at 10:35 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 15
From: backwoods upstate ny
close, no cigar
water volume increases abt 1600x when state changes to steam...given pressure above atmospheric inside your tire, that would be abt 250*F..."not" likely in street use, "not unusual" in circle track (asphalt) applic...nit bottle is much faster/ more convenient at the track than a compressor, been doin it for years now, it's cheap $ (check your local welding gas supply)