[john hut]

Has anybody experimented with nitrogen in their tyres?
  The reason I ask is that I,ve just had two new tyres fitted to my car and was perswaded to have it inserted in all my tyres on the grounds it was better for my tyres and would maintain the correct pressure longer..
I know nitrogen is heavier than air,but its still a compressed gas,or is it just another trick of the trade to winkle out more money from Joe public?.....
            John Hut

[Desi Bike]

I have had nitrogen in my tires on my minivan for a few years and have no problems with it I guess. The nitrogen is more temperature stable than regular air appearently, and doesnt leak out as much as air. One of the points I recall when I had new tires installed is that the inside of the rim wouldnt be exposed to oxygen, so the metal rim wouldnt oxidize.  The place I had my new tires installed use nitrogen for all installs, and it was free.

[prof_stack]

A gimmick, at least. 

[Ducati Scotty]

Surely you have something better to worry about. ;-)

Scott

[Arizoni]

Looking at this from the standpoint of what is most likely to leak out,  the lower a element is on the Periodic Table the more likely it is to squeeze out of an inflated tire.  That's why Hydrogen, which is #1 and helium, #2 leaks out of balloon's much faster than air does.

The Periodic Table lists Nitrogen as #7 on the periodic table.
Oxygen is #8
Argon is #18

Air is composed of about 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and 1 percent Argon.  There are traces of other things in air but these are the biggies and the other things have bigger molecules so they are even less likely to leak.

Based on this information, they are filling your tire with the element most likely to leak out and charging you money for the privilege.

Of the three main ingredients in air,  Oxygen is the most likely to cause a problem because it can combine with other elements so easily.
The synthetic rubber your tires and inner tubes are made of is quite resistant to Oxygen so IMO having 20 percent of the air in a tire is not a big issue.

[SRL790]

It is my understanding, from a friend that runs a race car, that they use nitrogen because it is more temperature stable, ie. the pressure in the tyre will not rise as much as the tyres heat up on the track.

Andy

[barenekd]

+1 on that. If you're not racing, there is no advantage.

It is my understanding, from a friend that runs a race car, that they use nitrogen because it is more temperature stable, ie. the pressure in the tyre will not rise as much as the tyres heat up on the track.

+1 on that. If you're not racing, there is no advantage. It'll leak out at about the same rate air does.
Bare

[The Garbone]

I run 78% nitrogen in my tires...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_chemistry#Atmospheric_composition

[jartist]

You guys have it all wrong!  I use 100% helium to reduce unsprung weight!  If your penny pinching use any old hot air- There's no shortage of that around here!   

[bittercrick]

Ahhhh      Ooops

[prof_stack]

Ahhhh      Ooops

No, methane is not a suitable gas for tires!   

[Lwt Big Cheese]

Here in the UK, when you get tyres from Costco they fill your tyres with nitrogen for free.

And despite being an American company they spell tyres correctly too!

 

[barenekd]

http://home.comcast.net/~prestondrake/N2_for_tires_FAQ.htm

An interesting FAQ on nitrogen in tires. Blows the hell out of a lot of the old wive's tales.

Bare

[john hut]

Thanks Bare,   Just realised I,ve been conned out of four quid..
     John Hut

[iowarider]

Looking at this from the standpoint of what is most likely to leak out,  the lower a element is on the Periodic Table the more likely it is to squeeze out of an inflated tire.  That's why Hydrogen, which is #1 and helium, #2 leaks out of balloon's much faster than air does.

The Periodic Table lists Nitrogen as #7 on the periodic table.
Oxygen is #8
Argon is #18

Air is composed of about 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and 1 percent Argon.  There are traces of other things in air but these are the biggies and the other things have bigger molecules so they are even less likely to leak.


came for motorcycle talk, got a science lesson. I like it.

Based on this information, they are filling your tire with the element most likely to leak out and charging you money for the privilege.

Of the three main ingredients in air,  Oxygen is the most likely to cause a problem because it can combine with other elements so easily.
The synthetic rubber your tires and inner tubes are made of is quite resistant to Oxygen so IMO having 20 percent of the air in a tire is not a big issue.