jrcinnh
New Member
Should I use nitrogen to inflate my fenders? What about my tube?
nitrogen filled tires
- Thread starter lake anna boater
- Start date
buhuskies
New Member
I wrote this article for the Motorcycle Group I ride with:
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Years ago, that might have been a “prank joke” question that you pulled on a new driver or rider but today, it’s a very plausible thing to consider doing. That’s because today there is another gas that is far better then plain old compressed air that is readily available from many Dealerships and Independent Shops alike that can initially fill or even refill your existing tires for a very reasonable charge. That gas is Nitrogen and it has been used in tires for a long time now, but up until recent times was used almost exclusively in aerospace vehicles, commercial and military aircraft and racecars. However now (due to increasing availability of portable generating machines) it is becoming very popular in Truck Fleets, Automobiles and last but not least, Motorcycles!
Benefit ONE:
Because nitrogen molecules are slightly larger and less permeable than oxygen and all the other gases in air, it migrates considerably slower through a tire or tube. On average, it might take a tire inflated with nitrogen about four to six months to lose two psi, whereas even a well-maintained tire inflated with compressed air could lose about two psi per month.
Benefit TWO:
The air around us is full of water vapor. It’s called “humidity.” Compressing air concentrates the water in it and chances are there’s lots of water in your compressed air. What’s the harm in that? Water vapor in compressed air acts as a catalyst, accelerating rust and corrosion, especially in aluminum. Nitrogen on the other hand is very dry.
Benefit THREE:
Water vapor also absorbs and holds heat. And, when it changes from liquid to vapor, water expands tremendously in volume. So, tires inflated with wet air tend to run hotter and fluctuate in pressure more. The expansion of the water vapor in your tires is one of the reasons you should always check your air pressure BEFORE you ride, not after. This expansion problem is also why racing tires, (where fractions of a psi can radically change handling), are inflated with dry nitrogen. Less heat build up also reduces the chances for catastrophic “blowouts.” Naturally, this is one benefit that can be especially important to any motorcycle owner and rider.
Benefit FOUR:
Less heat build up translates into longer and more even tread wear and the more constant pressure translates into better fuel economy too. That makes it a GREEN product and good for our ecology as well!
Benefits of Nitrogen Inflation
• Less inflation pressure loss
• Less inflation pressure fluctuation with heat
• Reduced wheel corrosion
• Longer tread life
Normal compressed air is about 78% Nitrogen to begin with but inflating (or re-inflating) using a source of at least 95% pure Nitrogen certainly has its pluses. These benefits are numerous as stated above and there are plenty of studies and real life examples to support and prove these claims as well. If you take a tire that’s just been mounted, and inflate it with 95 percent nitrogen, you’ll end up with a concentration of about 93 percent nitrogen in the tire. Why wouldn’t it be 95 percent? Because the tire was full of ambient air to begin with so there was some oxygen in it before you added the nitrogen. But 93% is good enough to do the job! (Many truck fleet maintenance departments for example will fill their tires, deflate and then refill again to achieve a slightly higher concentration of Nitrogen still.) Nitrogen is generally inert, non flammable and totally safe to use.
So, where do you find it and how much does it cost? Check with Motorcycle dealerships in your area or specialty motorcycle or tire shops. Those dealers who cater more towards “sport bikes” are likely to have it and many auto dealers are also now buying Nitrogen filling machines as well so any shop that caters to sports or performance is a good place to start looking. The cost per tire is generally in the $6 to $8 range each and you will likely get replacement “green” valve caps to indicate the tire is Nitrogen filled. One hint is to tell them to put in 2 pounds more then you really want and after you are home, you yourself can gradually lower the pressure to exactly where you want it. (Better then being a pound or so low and having to go back, right?)
Now the important thing to remember is that just because nitrogen provides consistent inflation pressure over longer periods, doesn’t mean there is no longer a need to regularly and properly check tire pressure. Tires still need to be checked using a calibrated tire gauge and when a tire is “cold” - meaning when a tire is at approximately the same temperature as the surrounding air. Typically this is before a vehicle has been driven, or driven less than one mile. Ideally with a motorcycle you should check your tire pressure before each time you ride as you could lose pressure for a variety of external reasons. (Better still is to always do a pre-ride TCLOCK check which includes the tires.)
So, is it time to “change the air” in your tires? I think in the not too distant future you will come to see all new cars and generally all vehicles “factory filled” with Nitrogen and the product more readily available everywhere. For those “old school” guys n’ gals among you who don’t think there’s much benefit to you, think of this advancement in technology as being similar to when carburetors changed to EFI or when drum brakes changes to discs with A.B.S. True, it may not be on the same scale but it is a worthy advancement just the same that is destined to become the industry standard and is growing in use and popularity. The fact is it’s a relatively inexpensive improvement you can make to your bike right now, so why wait to do it. I think the benefits are rather significant.
Additional sources of information and testimonials:
Jay Leno Video: http://www.getnitrogen.org/n2study/video/leno.html
http://www.tiresavernitrogen.com/index.html
www.GetNitrogen.org
Byline: I work for a global industrial Company who among many other things manufactures Nitrogen generator “tire filling” machines as one of its products and also manufacturers the costly internal “membrane” that is used by most of all the other Nitrogen machine manufacturers in their own machines too. Much of the information provided here was taken in part from our own product literature but also gathered from the internet which is ripe with success stories and studies.
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Is it time to “CHANGE THE AIR” in your tires?
Years ago, that might have been a “prank joke” question that you pulled on a new driver or rider but today, it’s a very plausible thing to consider doing. That’s because today there is another gas that is far better then plain old compressed air that is readily available from many Dealerships and Independent Shops alike that can initially fill or even refill your existing tires for a very reasonable charge. That gas is Nitrogen and it has been used in tires for a long time now, but up until recent times was used almost exclusively in aerospace vehicles, commercial and military aircraft and racecars. However now (due to increasing availability of portable generating machines) it is becoming very popular in Truck Fleets, Automobiles and last but not least, Motorcycles!
Benefit ONE:
Because nitrogen molecules are slightly larger and less permeable than oxygen and all the other gases in air, it migrates considerably slower through a tire or tube. On average, it might take a tire inflated with nitrogen about four to six months to lose two psi, whereas even a well-maintained tire inflated with compressed air could lose about two psi per month.
Benefit TWO:
The air around us is full of water vapor. It’s called “humidity.” Compressing air concentrates the water in it and chances are there’s lots of water in your compressed air. What’s the harm in that? Water vapor in compressed air acts as a catalyst, accelerating rust and corrosion, especially in aluminum. Nitrogen on the other hand is very dry.
Benefit THREE:
Water vapor also absorbs and holds heat. And, when it changes from liquid to vapor, water expands tremendously in volume. So, tires inflated with wet air tend to run hotter and fluctuate in pressure more. The expansion of the water vapor in your tires is one of the reasons you should always check your air pressure BEFORE you ride, not after. This expansion problem is also why racing tires, (where fractions of a psi can radically change handling), are inflated with dry nitrogen. Less heat build up also reduces the chances for catastrophic “blowouts.” Naturally, this is one benefit that can be especially important to any motorcycle owner and rider.
Benefit FOUR:
Less heat build up translates into longer and more even tread wear and the more constant pressure translates into better fuel economy too. That makes it a GREEN product and good for our ecology as well!
Benefits of Nitrogen Inflation
• Less inflation pressure loss
• Less inflation pressure fluctuation with heat
• Reduced wheel corrosion
• Longer tread life
Normal compressed air is about 78% Nitrogen to begin with but inflating (or re-inflating) using a source of at least 95% pure Nitrogen certainly has its pluses. These benefits are numerous as stated above and there are plenty of studies and real life examples to support and prove these claims as well. If you take a tire that’s just been mounted, and inflate it with 95 percent nitrogen, you’ll end up with a concentration of about 93 percent nitrogen in the tire. Why wouldn’t it be 95 percent? Because the tire was full of ambient air to begin with so there was some oxygen in it before you added the nitrogen. But 93% is good enough to do the job! (Many truck fleet maintenance departments for example will fill their tires, deflate and then refill again to achieve a slightly higher concentration of Nitrogen still.) Nitrogen is generally inert, non flammable and totally safe to use.
So, where do you find it and how much does it cost? Check with Motorcycle dealerships in your area or specialty motorcycle or tire shops. Those dealers who cater more towards “sport bikes” are likely to have it and many auto dealers are also now buying Nitrogen filling machines as well so any shop that caters to sports or performance is a good place to start looking. The cost per tire is generally in the $6 to $8 range each and you will likely get replacement “green” valve caps to indicate the tire is Nitrogen filled. One hint is to tell them to put in 2 pounds more then you really want and after you are home, you yourself can gradually lower the pressure to exactly where you want it. (Better then being a pound or so low and having to go back, right?)
Now the important thing to remember is that just because nitrogen provides consistent inflation pressure over longer periods, doesn’t mean there is no longer a need to regularly and properly check tire pressure. Tires still need to be checked using a calibrated tire gauge and when a tire is “cold” - meaning when a tire is at approximately the same temperature as the surrounding air. Typically this is before a vehicle has been driven, or driven less than one mile. Ideally with a motorcycle you should check your tire pressure before each time you ride as you could lose pressure for a variety of external reasons. (Better still is to always do a pre-ride TCLOCK check which includes the tires.)
So, is it time to “change the air” in your tires? I think in the not too distant future you will come to see all new cars and generally all vehicles “factory filled” with Nitrogen and the product more readily available everywhere. For those “old school” guys n’ gals among you who don’t think there’s much benefit to you, think of this advancement in technology as being similar to when carburetors changed to EFI or when drum brakes changes to discs with A.B.S. True, it may not be on the same scale but it is a worthy advancement just the same that is destined to become the industry standard and is growing in use and popularity. The fact is it’s a relatively inexpensive improvement you can make to your bike right now, so why wait to do it. I think the benefits are rather significant.
Additional sources of information and testimonials:
Jay Leno Video: http://www.getnitrogen.org/n2study/video/leno.html
http://www.tiresavernitrogen.com/index.html
www.GetNitrogen.org
Byline: I work for a global industrial Company who among many other things manufactures Nitrogen generator “tire filling” machines as one of its products and also manufacturers the costly internal “membrane” that is used by most of all the other Nitrogen machine manufacturers in their own machines too. Much of the information provided here was taken in part from our own product literature but also gathered from the internet which is ripe with success stories and studies.
^== A bunch of marketing psuedo-science provided by someone that has a vested interest.
The main benefit I read in the above is that you may loose less tire pressure over time, so you might need to check tire pressure less often.
Even if you fill with N2, the 1 psig tire pressure change with 10 F ambient temperature change still applies. The physical properties of air (78%N2) and 95% N2 are not that different.
The main benefit I read in the above is that you may loose less tire pressure over time, so you might need to check tire pressure less often.
Even if you fill with N2, the 1 psig tire pressure change with 10 F ambient temperature change still applies. The physical properties of air (78%N2) and 95% N2 are not that different.
ChuckW
Active Member
- Mar 6, 2009
- 1,487
- Boat Info
- 2007 RoadKing Tri-Axle Trailer towed by a 2013 Yukon XL K2500
- Engines
- 496 MAG Bravo III
Another thread that won't die.... I vote for helium. Makes the boat lighter to tow:grin:
unlvrebel
New Member
Zero difference for the average use. A passenger car, truck or trailer just don't travel fast enough to achieve the benefits. Period. These elements are so close on the periodic table that it takes extreme conditions to see the differences.
lake anna boater
New Member
- Jul 11, 2008
- 51
- Boat Info
- 08 185 sport 4.3mpi
07 lincoln navigator
- Engines
- mercrusier 4.3 mpi
well i will agree that paying for this service may not be worth it upfront but now a days gas stations are charging .75 for everytime you feel air up. I think nitrogen in my area around me charges 5.00 a tire and if anytime you need more its done for free. but i had a friend just feel my air tank up when he went to work at the airport so it was free aswell. But that .75 adds up over years. just like the people that turn in recipts to save alittle on gas taxes. Every little bit helps
Last edited:
Asureyez
New Member
- Apr 22, 2007
- 1,535
- Boat Info
- Sea Ray 460 Sundancer Hardtop 2001 - SOLD
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- Cummins 450 Diesels
Compressed Air and Water ...
Yes, when you take ambient air and compress it, you remove some of the space between gas molecules and force out some water vapor into liquid water. Which settles to the bottom of the compressed air tank, and must be bled off periodically from the collection tank.
When the air is released the expanding gas absobs heat from the surrounding air and causes ice to form in the ambient air that has just been compressed from the surrounding compressed gas.
In general you are not getting water into your tires from filling tires from compressed air tanks other than what is already inside the tire, as the tank/hose/tire becomes a closed system.
However, if one is filling directly from an air compressor that does not have a tank, then the air line needs a drier to collect condensate before the air goes into a tire, a tool or other use.
So this whole Nitrogen doesn't have water vapor to me is just houey unless compressed, stored in a tank and then dried.
But even then, does it really matter on my SUV tires that are take offs from Bradly tanks!:smt101
Yes, when you take ambient air and compress it, you remove some of the space between gas molecules and force out some water vapor into liquid water. Which settles to the bottom of the compressed air tank, and must be bled off periodically from the collection tank.
When the air is released the expanding gas absobs heat from the surrounding air and causes ice to form in the ambient air that has just been compressed from the surrounding compressed gas.
In general you are not getting water into your tires from filling tires from compressed air tanks other than what is already inside the tire, as the tank/hose/tire becomes a closed system.
However, if one is filling directly from an air compressor that does not have a tank, then the air line needs a drier to collect condensate before the air goes into a tire, a tool or other use.
So this whole Nitrogen doesn't have water vapor to me is just houey unless compressed, stored in a tank and then dried.
But even then, does it really matter on my SUV tires that are take offs from Bradly tanks!:smt101
Boulder GT3
New Member
But it is a good set up on how to charge more for the gas that fills you tires.
Again, the reason pro race teams and aviation use N is so it does not add Oxygen to a fire in case of accident. Not an issue on a road car.
I think acetylene is the way to go. A whole new dimension to "blow out".
