Nitrogen in tires

[Gene]

Just changed 4 new tires and I was given the option of filling it up with Nitrogen instead of compressed air.

On my first tank, got better fuel economy ~ roughly about 5-10% more. (But it could be due to the new tires)

It says that it'll give better lifespan for the tires, anyone with any experience with nitrogen in tires?

[manol]

Whatever they tell you, it's bull****.

[Maverick]

Just changed 4 new tires and I was given the option of filling it up with Nitrogen instead of compressed air.

On my first tank, got better fuel economy ~ roughly about 5-10% more. (But it could be due to the new tires)

It says that it'll give better lifespan for the tires, anyone with any experience with nitrogen in tires?

I assume that you didn't maintain your last tyres and check the tyre pressures on a regular basis? This is why you have noticed an increase in fuel economy.

Nitrogen in car tyres is a waste of money, there have been a number of threads on here that have gone into detail as to why but;
- Air consists of 78% nitrogen, oxygen is what permeates out of the tyre so when you refill with air each time you end up with an increasing volume of nitrogen.
- The losses over time between nitrogen filled tyres and air filled is minimal.

The only benefit is that you can get some moisture in the air at the service stations which can cause corrosion under some rare circumstances (well the other benefit is that you make the shops that sell this rich).

Better to check your tyre pressures on a regular basis and invents in a direct TPMS system.

Volkswagen Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Fitting a direct Tyre Pressure Management System (TPMS)

[Transporter]

What he says
... and heaps more info in the General or Wheel and Tyre sections of the forum; just need to search for it.

[bwen]

Differences are minimal, filling it up with Helium... now that's an idea

[Maverick]

Differences are minimal, filling it up with Helium... now that's an idea

I use Hydrogen, it's half the weight of Helium.

[Preen59]

I'd love to give input on this.. But last time I did I got banned.

So.....

[Corey_R]

I use Hydrogen, it's half the weight of Helium.

Lol... make sure you're not in a crash if you've got your tyres filled up with hydrogen!

[Maverick]

I'd love to give input on this.. But last time I did I got banned.

So.....

Thanks I found the thread I was looking for now - http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f27/...gen-33600.html.

Heaps of info on the pros and cons of Nitrogen in tyres and as a bonus the thread that saw Preen59 get banned

[Preen59]

Thanks I found the thread I was looking for now - http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f27/...gen-33600.html.

Heaps of info on the pros and cons of Nitrogen in tyres and as a bonus the thread that saw Preen59 get banned

Ha, one of a few.

I guess I just don't like authority.

[Corey_R]

I feel that Mavericks post here which reproduces an RACQ article on the subject is the most valueable post for anyone to read on this subject.


The article touches on the true reasons for using 100% nitrogen which is 1) the (variable) moisture content in "regular air" and 2) nitrogen is less likely to escape through the porus tyre surface than the other components of "regular air".

Chad Knaus and Larry McReynolds recently discussed this on an episode of "NASCAR Performance on SPEED". No offense to anyone here, but I'd take their word on the subject over anyone here (or even the RACQ!). They stated that nitrogen is 100% necessary in higher levels of motor competition due to the fact that it doesn't have the moisture which then heats (from the tyre friction and brakes etc) and expands and creates havoc with the handling of the car. But they then went on to say that in the lower levels of motorsport if Nitrogen is not an option, using an "air dryer pump" to fill the tyres with can approach the same level of usefulness of pure nitrogen, as it helps get rid of the moisture which causes all the handling issues for them.

On a road car, I don't believe the above is a factor. However, I know that trucking companies do use nitrogen because of the heavy loading on their tyres causes sidewall flex, which produces heat, which expands the moisture and causes them issues. Therefore they use nitrogen too.


In my experience, I had some Yokohama 165/55R14's (can't remember the model) filled up with nitrogen several years back. In the 4 years they were on the car, I never had to top them up once. They did lose ~2 psi over the course of that time, however, you could put this down to me attaching the digital guage to the tyres to check the pressures ~once a year over that time (or even the accuracy of the guage). The previous Yokohamas I had on that car had to be topped up at least once ever six months. So I did see an advantage there. Whether that's worth the ~$20 to $40 the tyre places charge for nitrogen... well, that's up to the individual.

I don't have nitrogen in my Golf R...

[bigfoot]

They stated that nitrogen is 100% necessary in higher levels of motor competition due to the fact that it doesn't have the moisture which then heats (from the tyre friction and brakes etc) and expands and creates havoc with the handling of the car.

Bingo. You Can leave the pits knowing the pressure will only fluctuate .5 psi rather than 2 to 3 with air

[Treza360]

All I know is that I filled my tyres with Nitrogen back in 2009 and in three months I lost half a PSI in each tyre (from that thread) and they didn't charge me for the top up. That's as opposed to losing ~2 PSI every 2-3 weeks. Haven't bothered since because it's just easier to check ~ fortnightly when I fill up at the servo. Really there are only two and half negatives for using Nitrogen 1 and a half reasons are that you have to pay (even if it is only $20 dollars or so) and to maintain couple of real world positives you need to keep filling with Nitrogen. The other reason is that you may become lazy/complacent with checking your pressures as if you develop a slow leak you won't notice unless you're checking regularly or have pressure monitors.
Cheers,
Trent

[kaanage]

Nitrogen is good the person who views a car as an appliance and only fills it with fuel and takes it for servicing (or repairs when it breaks down).

Nitrogen is probably better for racing with hot conditions and heavy vehicles where the pressure rise from moisture would need worrying low pressures and destructively high operating temperatures for the operating pressure to be correct. With light vehicles and cold days, you can use the pressure rise from the normal air fill to help get tyres up to operating temperature.

[Preen59]

You're exactly right, dude.

With light vehicles and cold days, you can use the pressure rise from the normal air fill to help get tyres up to operating temperature.

Trying to make that point was what got me banned. Hahaha.