Nitrogen in Your Tires ?

IronMick · #1 28th February 2005

I picked this post at another forum. Have not heard this one before. What do ya think?

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Read a article about 6 weeks ago on the benefits of nitrogen in your tires verus oxygen written by a man with a PHD. Unlike oxygen nitrogen has no moisture and it leaks out thru rubber much slower.
But the number one reason is it runs cooler and disperses heat better than oxygen thus extending tire life. 300 Costco stores across the usa now fill your new tires that you buy from them with nitrogen. Nascar uses nitrogen and all major airlines fill their tires in their airplanes with nitrogen. So I only took a short ride and did not notice any differences but I think I will see better tire life.
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Moved On · #2 28th February 2005

Ummm....
It would be kinda odd for anyone to put oxygen in their tires. I usually put air in my tires, air is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, the last 1% is other gases. Clicky Here

Nitrogen molecules are bigger than oxygen, so sure it will leak slower through the rubber. Both gases will leak pretty good through a nail hole.

Helium would be pretty bad. It will leak through almost anything. I used to work for a company that made helium leak detectors. If you held the probe on your wrist and took a deep breadth of helium, about 5 seconds later the sensor would go off, because the helium was leaking out of your body right through your skin

Gazza

gilx · #3 28th February 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary

...Nitrogen molecules are bigger than oxygen, so sure it will leak slower through the rubber. Both gases will leak pretty good through a nail hole...

Here in Utah along the Wasatch front we get "inversion layers" in the winter time. A big high pressure area gets stuck over top of us preventing the smog from blowng away. After a couple weeks I swear the smog buildup makes the air half hydrocarbon. This is when I fill my tires...enough complex molecule in there not only does it not leak out, it becomes self-sealing .

stevo · #4 28th February 2005

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A full Nitrogen fill has some benefits but I doubt many people would be able to pick any difference on the street....

who actually bothers to check tire pressures at LEAST once a week????????????

Correct pressure will make the tires last longer too....

toe · #5 28th February 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronMick

I picked this post at another forum. Have not heard this one before. What do ya think?

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300 Costco stores across the usa now fill your new tires that you buy from them with nitrogen. .
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So how do they suck out the air that's already in the tire before they put the nitrogen in??? Otherwise you'll still have oxygen in there.........

Ed

ted · #6 28th February 2005

I used nitrogen when I was racing, tires and air shifter. Mostly for the air shifter. No moisture means the air shift parts stay clean way longer. For the tires it was the convenience of having the nitrogen bottle handy on the bike trailer. Nascar, Indy car, airplane use is for other reasons. Fast race cars heat tires up pretty good and air expands. Pressure is critical in race cars. When using nitrogen the pressure stays pretty constant regardless of tire heat. For street use, air is cheaper and just as effective.
Ted

bubbahog · #7 28th February 2005

Nitrogen would also be good if you were planning on riding in very low temperatures - like -20F.

I'll stick with the free stuff from the gas station for now.

flathead45 · #8 28th February 2005

how about hydrogen?

that would make for a killer burnout

stevo · #9 28th February 2005

that'd be the "Big bang" theory......

flathead45 · #10 28th February 2005

I doub thee "the hindenberg"