nitrogen in tires

A couple of outfits are trying to sell me this equipment. It costs several thousand dollars. Essentially it purifies ordinary air, which is mostly nitrogen already, and stores the nearly pure nitrogen under pressure. Then, for $5 or more per tire, I am supposed to sell this "service" to customers. The main advantage for the seller, aside from incremental income, is that this "service" supposedly "ties" the customer to the seller, since few places have this equipment.

The vendors claim that because the nitrogen molecule is physically larger than the oxygen molecule, filling the tire with pure nitrogen will mean that fewer pressurized molecules will escape through the inevitable small holes in the tire lining, thereby delaying the day when tire pressure will be low. This slower loss of pressure is the main reason that the vendors claim longer tire life, since a tire wears more quickly when underinflated. Does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that checking tire pressures once a week, and adding ordinary air, is an alternate method of maintaining tire pressures.

A second claim made by the vendors is that oxygen is much more highly reactive with rubber than nitrogen, and over time contact with the oxygen in air causes the tire to age. By replacing the air inside the tire with nitrogen, goes the argument, the tire's youthful suppleness is preserved. What horse shit! Even if oxygen was to tires what termites are to wood, what about the air surrounding the outside of the tire, which is mostly nitrogen anyway?

From my perspective, filling your tires with nitrogen is simply a way for a shop to transfer the contents of your wallet to their cash register. Any benefit to your tires is apt to be vanishingly small, and certainly not worth the cost.

Anyone tried nitrogen instead of air in your tires? I am hearing it will increase tire wear. Question I would have is $$ as I find myself putting air in my tires twice a month.

I was shocked to see the cost is about $100.

NO THANKS

Since the air is mostly nitrogen anyway, you are replacing maybe 25% of the contents. On the theory that the larger molecule is better, I'm going to fill my tires with sand. Bet that won't leak!

The real problem here may be that someone is stealing your air! Or maybe you have those leaky rims. Another possibility is that your gage is wrong and you are letting too much air out during the checking process. Pure nitrogen is not the answer to any of these problems.

PS. People with multiple personalities are sometimes hard to help. Which one are you today, Tim, or ....Linda?

Why not concrete tires and rubber road?

Changed my sig if that makes you feel better. So many things to worry about and you pick my sig.

Its a gimmick to the auto industry, but Nitrogen filled tires have been in use for decades in aviation (due to nitrogen being an inert gas it will not promote fire easily in places like wheel wells). IIRC it has also been used for a long time in some racing series. As for the increase in tire wear, I doubt that it does much to help with that.

Snow...

Worked in a Martin Oil station in the early 60's. Nitrogen tire fills were less than 25 cents then. The claim then was the nitrogen was better for the rubber....

Some time we can talk about using alcohol to keep air lines from freezing and spinning tires in the snow:)

Al

That's not a good idea, can you imagine the morning commute when the road is flat!

Al

If I had it easily available, I would use it. Getting rid of the oxygen would be good theoretical practice.

There are some theoretical advantages, but it does not seem all that practical. The question you should be asking is why you need to add air twice a month. I've had cars that need added air only a couple of times in the life of the tire.

Well if it increases tire wear I sure wouldn't want it! LOL Anyway, I know what you meant but seriously.... waste of time and money. The

7% of oxygen in air isn't what's wearing your tires; it's the roads. That's it. End of story. There is nothing to debate.

The percentage of O2 in air is more like 18%.

Really? How do you get rid of the oxygen on the OUTSIDE of the tires? LOL

mike hunt

Just a point of clarification, the air is compose of around 21% oxygen not

7% and there is just as much outside as inside the tire ;)

mike hunt

Actually, it is more like 21%. Can it oxidize the rubber...maybe, but that is not a major problem. Can it contribute to corrosion of the wheel? Yep. A lot of compressed air will contribute to a little water and oxygen can speed up wheel rusting. No water, no rust, at least at normal temperatures.