There is a local tire shop around here with a big sign on the front advertising nitrogen tire inflation. What's the point of nitrogen tire inflation? Is it as useless as it sounds?

 

Nitrogen doesn't have the expansion/contraction that the air we all use does. It's used a lot in racing where tire pressure is very important. I really don't see the need for everyday driving on the streets.

 

I believe it also lacks the moisture content that is found in air, which can help rot the tire from the inside.

 

Complete gimick (sp?) that some try to sell. Some say better milage, better wear etc. I could be wrong but I have never seen ANY info to back up some of the claims. Less moisture is about the only positive I see.

 

I figured it was just a gimmick..I drive by there every day and always wonder what it was...it sounds like using FREE air is just as good

 

Exactly.... It's been done since the invention of tires. Seems to work so far!!

 

I feel like it is unnecessary for anything but racing. I've never had a tire fail due to moisture inside or have ever heard of someone else's failing for that reason. The air we breathe is already 78% nitrogen, and only 1% water. I wouldn't bother unless it was a feature added for free.

 

That is true. The wife's '06 town & country has one of those automatic tire pressure warnings that go off if your tires get low. The local dealer said that the nitrogen will help with the false alarms on cold mornings and such.

I'm still on the compressed air.

 

I just got in my shipment of "SUMMER AIR", winter is over and it's time
to get rid of that "WINTER AIR" you have in those tires.
The price has skyrocketed due to rising fuel costs but I will give a 50%
discount to all DTR members.

 

Hope you bought some sponorship, looks like advertising to me...

 

Airplanes use nitrogen because it is more stable in hot/cold extremes...it doesn't heat up and/or retain heat like air, nor does it contract as much in cold temps...tires remain at their ideal inflated pressure and consequently contact patch, yada, yada, yada.

One in my stable has nitrogen in the tires because it was no additional cost at Costco when I bought tires...haven't noticed any difference so far.

Marc

 

Good point. If you plan to drive at 35K feet and extreme sub-0* temps, you may need nitrogen inflation.

 

http://www.uigi.com/air.html

Lets see. Nitrogen at whatever dollars per tire gives me 100%? nitrogen in my tires.
Air at NO dollars per tire give me 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, < 1% Argon, and the balance of trace elements.
I think I will take my chances with that 22% of "other" stuff in my tires and save a couple bucks.

 

hahahahahahah. When is this going to die out???

I'm with you fronty.

Now if I could get a little more clean air in my lungs I might go for that.

I better get another one

 

i have no idea what the benifits are supposed to be, but i do know that the trucking company i drive for has switched to nitrogen in all their tires. for a fleet of around 400 trucks to do this, there must be a reason, right? i know that they don't spend money for nothing, everything they do they expect a return on.