Anybody run Nitrogen

[Mr. Joker]

Just curious if anybody is using nitrogen to fill up their trailer tires?

 

[Loneranger]

My wife put nitrogen in her car tires. She has not had to add air to her tires over this cold winter. Previously she would add air to the tires every six weeks or so. I thought it was all a bunch of "snake oil". I have not seen anything close to evidence based information on the use of nitrogen but it is on my list of "myth busting" topics to learn about.

John

 

[comsnark]

I use a special Nitrogen/Oxygen mix for my tires. This special mix includes 1% Argon for enhanced performance.

I hardly ever have to adjust tire pressures.

 

[tdappleman]

You basically go from 80% nitrogen to 99% with the nitrogen generators used for tires. The molecules are supposed to be larger which slows/prevents air pressure loss over time. With 'normal air' you get a 1psi change for every 10* temperature shift - not sure what it is with nitrogen but it appears to be less.

John - was she checking her air pressure or 'eyeballing' the tires? What we found at our shop over the winter was less fluctuation with nitrogen but still enough to potentially cause premature tire wear.

 

[ChuckW]

We had a run on this topic last summer... check it out... http://www.clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?p=223083

 

[comsnark]

You basically go from 80% nitrogen to 99% with the nitrogen generators used for tires. The molecules are supposed to be larger which slows/prevents air pressure loss over time. With 'normal air' you get a 1psi change for every 10* temperature shift - not sure what it is with nitrogen but it appears to be less.

For the purposes of calculating tire pressure fluctation with temperature, Air and Nitrogen are identical.

So yeah. . .if you are optimizing "ride" and "tire wear" by maintaining constant tire pressure. . .you will need to adjust every few months to account for seasonal temperatures.

I won't speak to the relative diffusion of air vs N2 through rubber.

 

[Loneranger]

She checks them with a pressure gauge.

John

 

[Jim M]

We used Nitrogen in the dragster rear tires. Less fluctuation with air temperature changes.

 

[Loneranger]

http://www.straightdope.com/columns...-fill-your-tires-with-nitrogen-instead-of-air

Interesting site...

John

 

[jimdavi]

Same reason in commercial aircraft tires, less flux with temp/press changes.

 

[Boulder GT3]

Same reason in commercial aircraft tires, less flux with temp/press changes.

Not really. Nitrogen isn't combustable. That's the reason it's used in airplane tires and the high pressure tanks you see running air tools at the race track. It will not feed a fire.

Even though air is high nitrogen content the remaining 20% has water in it. The vapor expands making tire pressures flucuate more. For example, on a road race car starting with a 90 degree tread by the time you get to an ideal tread temp of 175 degrees you've may have picked up 10lbs of pressure with air. Maybe 8lbs with nitrogen. That and the fire issue is why it's used at the track.