Nitrogen Filled Tires: a Scam?
- Thread starter Kingman
- Start date
After working at a dealership for a little while where they push nitrogen all I learned about it is that it makes for a rougher ride and its expensive as hell.
I also know that the air we breathe and the air put in tires already contains a 78% nitrogen content.
I also know that the air we breathe and the air put in tires already contains a 78% nitrogen content.
If you have a nitrogen (N2) bottle (cheap from gas suppliers) available, go ahead and use it - mainly to reduce the water vapor present in compressed air. But, to totally remove all other gases, you'd have to evacuate the tire on the wheel to ensure removal of the initial gases in the tire, and I'm not sure that tire walls are designed for air to be sucked out. Pure carbon dioxide (CO2) would also work well, as it is relatively inert. The inert gases (Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton and Xenon) would be the least reactive, but more expensive (especially Helium, Krypton and Xenon).
I've never used any of the above (and don't ever expect to), as I tend to wear out tires much faster due to usage. For the garage queens in our membership, a nitrogen fill would probably be OK, but then, what about the OUTSIDE of the tire exposed to the air environment?
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The sea-level composition of dry air (in percent by volume at the temperature of 15°C (~60°F) and the pressure of 101325 Pa) is given below. Composition of dry atmosphere, by volume ppmv: parts per million by volume (note: volume fraction is equal to mole fraction for ideal gas only)
Major Constituents:
Nitrogen (N2) 780,840 ppmv (78.084%)
Oxygen (O2) 209,460 ppmv (20.946%)
Argon (Ar) 9,340 ppmv (0.9340%)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 383 ppmv (0.0383%)
Trace Constitiuents:
Neon (Ne) 18.18 ppmv (0.001818%)
Helium (He) 5.24 ppmv (0.000524%)
Methane (CH4) 1.745 ppmv (0.0001745%)
Krypton (Kr) 1.14 ppmv (0.000114%)
Hydrogen (H2) 0.55 ppmv (0.000055%)
Nitrous Oxide (N2O) 0.3 ppmv (0.00003%)
Xenon (Xe) 0.09 ppmv (9x10−6%)
Ozone (O3) 0.0 to 0.07 ppmv (0% to 7x10−6%)
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) 0.02 ppmv (2x10−6%)
Iodine (I) 0.01 ppmv (1x10−6%)
Carbon Monoxide (CO) 0.1 ppmv
Ammonia (NH3) trace
Air also contains a variable amount of water vapor, ~0.40% over full atmosphere, typically 1%-4% at surface on average, which will reduce the composition of each of the other components proportionately.
I've never used any of the above (and don't ever expect to), as I tend to wear out tires much faster due to usage. For the garage queens in our membership, a nitrogen fill would probably be OK, but then, what about the OUTSIDE of the tire exposed to the air environment?
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The sea-level composition of dry air (in percent by volume at the temperature of 15°C (~60°F) and the pressure of 101325 Pa) is given below. Composition of dry atmosphere, by volume ppmv: parts per million by volume (note: volume fraction is equal to mole fraction for ideal gas only)
Major Constituents:
Nitrogen (N2) 780,840 ppmv (78.084%)
Oxygen (O2) 209,460 ppmv (20.946%)
Argon (Ar) 9,340 ppmv (0.9340%)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 383 ppmv (0.0383%)
Trace Constitiuents:
Neon (Ne) 18.18 ppmv (0.001818%)
Helium (He) 5.24 ppmv (0.000524%)
Methane (CH4) 1.745 ppmv (0.0001745%)
Krypton (Kr) 1.14 ppmv (0.000114%)
Hydrogen (H2) 0.55 ppmv (0.000055%)
Nitrous Oxide (N2O) 0.3 ppmv (0.00003%)
Xenon (Xe) 0.09 ppmv (9x10−6%)
Ozone (O3) 0.0 to 0.07 ppmv (0% to 7x10−6%)
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) 0.02 ppmv (2x10−6%)
Iodine (I) 0.01 ppmv (1x10−6%)
Carbon Monoxide (CO) 0.1 ppmv
Ammonia (NH3) trace
Air also contains a variable amount of water vapor, ~0.40% over full atmosphere, typically 1%-4% at surface on average, which will reduce the composition of each of the other components proportionately.
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AJB
GT
Yeah--so if I read all the above, the detailed chemical composition of the air I am breathing now, I would say it is a scam.
By the way,,, how much does it cost? and what are the declared benefits?
AJB
By the way,,, how much does it cost? and what are the declared benefits?
AJB
ThatPhilBrettGuy
GT Owner
Rockstar
GT Owner
We used Nitrogen in or tires on the Nascer tracks. It dose not heat up and change the pressure inside the tire like air dose. We also used bleeder valves on our rims to help sustain correct pressure in the event pressure would increase.
BlackICE
GT Owner
The reason for the smaller pressure change is 100% due to the lack of moisture (water) in the gas, not because of the type of gas used.
Indy GT
Yea, I got one...too
ICE I am with you on this one...
Rockstar needs to be introduced to Mr. Boyles and Mr. Charles and their perfect gas law. See the link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Charles_and_Gay-Lussac
Nitrogen as well as good old air both obey the perfect gas law and heat up in a similar fashion. Sorry.....
Just a way for someone to extract more money from the unknowing.
Ok, Ok, just for Frank because he is technically challenged....
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4506461547173401204#
and
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4506461547173401204#docid=-914214099352708812
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It's kinda like you're at the corner of the bar:beer2:, and everybody's had 3 or 4.
I've got next pitcher.
I've got next pitcher.
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I use it. Couple reasons, yes it is dryer and more stable. Would I pay anyone to do it for me? Heck no, I get a set of tires mounted, pull the cores, and reinflate, maybe adds 15 minutes before mounting the tires to the car.
I have a bottle that I shift from the trailer to the shop. In both cases, the bottle is SOOOO easy, you need to add a few pounds, or run a tool for a couple seconds, it far easier to open the bottle, than to fire the compressor. And in the trailer, lifts the burden of even having a compressor that you would have to find power for.
So the advantages are multi fold for using it.
I have a bottle that I shift from the trailer to the shop. In both cases, the bottle is SOOOO easy, you need to add a few pounds, or run a tool for a couple seconds, it far easier to open the bottle, than to fire the compressor. And in the trailer, lifts the burden of even having a compressor that you would have to find power for.
So the advantages are multi fold for using it.
Mike Mosing
GT Owner
First Post. If it is good enough to put in the jets I fly, it's good enough for my "second jet". I have access to free nitrogen. It does not leak out as fast as O2. IMO, I would not pay for it but I would use it if it was available as an alternative if feasible.