I'm Considering Nitrogen vs Air Again

[ABN_CBT_ENGR]

There is LESS work because I don't have to add air every month.

I think that's the point. If you are adding air at that frequency, something is "mechanically" wrong and nitrogen isn't going to fix it.

I don't personally add air ( except when towing or a road hazard but that's situational) ever as long as they are all equal and in range of the weight..

 

[4WD]

Many of us did the N2 thing at least once. Winter rolls around and I’d top up with air anyway …
In recent years materials have improved and tire liners are better - but doubt I’d pay extra for N2 …

I‘d hate to see widespread use of N2 for tires … it’s just going to effect price structure overall … and now I have added safety risks in terms of potential energy and oxygen deprivation around the shops …

 

[mightymousetech]

There is zero benefit to using “nitrogen” on street driven cars.

 

[350Rocket]

When I worked in the shop I hated nitrogen so much because I felt like it was a waste of people's money and our time and the machine that was bought to do the exchange. Just to prove myself I switched one of my bicycle tires to nitrogen and one was still air. After a few months they both lost an equal amount of air.

 

[Astro14]

The only difference - you’re out $22.

Get your leak fixed, then fill your tires with 78% nitrogen for free.

Check your tires once a month as part of good maintenance. Particularly in the fall, as temperatures drop, you will need to add air, whether they’re filled with N2 or not, because even Nitrogen obeys the universal gas law.

 

[krzyss]

78% of nitrogen in air and 60% humidity does not make 138% air.

Krzyś

 

[alarmguy]

Air is 78% nitrogen. Unless you put a vacuum on your tires before filling with nitrogen, you don't have a pure mix of nitrogen.

I'm not going to pay for nitrogen fills.

^^ That^^ and let me add, that "pure" nitrogen is only about 94% nitrogen, its not 100% "pure".

So by paying for pure nitrogen to be put in your tires you only have about 20% more nitrogen then is already in the air we breathe.

Plain old Air = 78% nitrogen
Pay a dealer for "pure" nitrogen = 94%

You will do better by your tires changing out a small amount of 78% nitrogen air every 6 months, then leaving 94% nitrogen (if you even really got it and didnt get ripped off) in your tires as long as possible ... just my thoughts ...

With that said, we spend money on things that make us happy, so at the least, your not doing any harm to your tires.

 

[4WD]

C’mon man … those little green caps save the environment

 

[CapriRacer]

I'm not buying the original scenario - that the air leakage problem was greatly reduced by the use of nitrogen. The amount of topping up that was needed was too much to be just natural leakage through the tire. What I think happened was that when the nitrogen was added, something else happened that fixed a sealing problem. It could have been something as simple as just bumping the tires enough to unstick the bead, and when the tire was reinflated, it sealed better - and that it just happened when the nitrogen was put in.

 

[4WD]

I'm not buying the original scenario - that the air leakage problem was greatly reduced by the use of nitrogen. The amount of topping up that was needed was too much to be just natural leakage through the tire. What I think happened was that when the nitrogen was added, something else happened that fixed a sealing problem. It could have been something as simple as just bumping the tires enough to unstick the bead, and when the tire was reinflated, it sealed better - and that it just happened when the nitrogen was put in.

Yep … or flushed debris from the stem valve etc …

 

[Spector]

For every 10 degree F change in the temp The PSI in a tire will change by 1 PSI, thus in cold weather air needs to be added to tires.

 

[mightymousetech]

BMWs official position on the use of nitrogen in tires.

 

[bdcardinal]

We have a nitrogen fill thing here that our snake oil peddler lets service use. I use it because its free for us, but they charge something customers, not sure really. I wouldn't do it if I had to pay for it.

 

[Mr_Luke]

Fix what’s leaking. Having to repress tires every month is abnormal.

There is nothing to fix. The tires aren't new any more. My rims, I would bet, are fine. The same with the valve stems. All 4 tires leak at the same rate, so I'm pretty sure it's not a hole in my tire.

 

[Mr_Luke]

If you’re adding air once a month you have a leak, albeit a super slow one. I haven’t added air to my wife’s vans tires since we bought it almost 2 years ago and only now does it need some air.

I have no leaks. My tires all lose air at the same rate. See my previous reply.
Can't compare your wife's van to my car, tires, and climate. There are many variables.

 

[blingo]

Would be great to see a used air analysis of your current fill when it get's drained.

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

Seems frivolous. You should be checking tire pressure every month regardless and you’ll probably need to add air or bleed air due to ambient temperature changes over the seasons. I’m not understanding why this is that much more difficult. I probably add air from my compressor maybe 3-6 times a year and most of that is the first few days of “winter” that’s with a pair of Hankook Dynapros that have 57k on them as well.

 

[kschachn]

And here's a good way to put an end to the $5 dealer re-inflates. Says it "pays for itself in no time":

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[Skippy722]

I have no leaks. My tires all lose air at the same rate. See my previous reply.
Can't compare your wife's van to my car, tires, and climate. There are many variables.

It’s a far harsher climate up here in Chicago than it is in Tennessee, if anything I should be having to add air every month but I don’t because my tires don’t leak.

 

[ABN_CBT_ENGR]

I have no leaks. My tires all lose air at the same rate.

Those 2 cancel each other out. They both cant be true because no tire is 100% equal in dimension, no gauge is that accurate and no refill method that precise.

Now, if they all "lose air' at the same rate (a near impossibility given 4 different stresses react against 4 different tires)..

How do you know they are losing air ( volumetric loss) or simply experiencing a density change ( affects pressure as measured on the gauge)?