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[TriniJots]

I have been told that filling you tires with Nitrogen is better and safer for the tire? I have 19" low profile run-flats. Is this true or should I stick to my normal air...

[EZ_TUR90]

Its about 100 bucks at my local BMW dealer. I just stuck to air.

[TriniJots]

Im getting a special deal to fill up all tires for $30 with unlimited refills....should I go ahead and do it?

[Casca]

We use it on planes because it is dry and you don't want ice forming inside your tires. I really doubt even pro race cars need it. If they can tell the difference between nitrogen in the tires from air, then you can probably stick random amounts of change on the ground and then stack 100 mattresses atop it and have those people tell you the exact amount.

[jun]

it's mostly used on race tires because it's less subject to volatility in temperatures, which can cause fluctuating tire pressures.

[fdriller9]

Because nitrogen isn't as prone to expansion and contraction, you don't lose tire pressure during changes in temperature. For $30 and unlimited refills, why not? I'd say go for it.

[rgpwr]

Originally Posted by *********

Because nitrogen isn't as prone to expansion and contraction, you don't lose tire pressure during changes in temperature. For $30 and unlimited refills, why not? I'd say go for it.

Exactly why. I'd do it for $30, but would walk away at anything over that

[Everling]

Originally Posted by *********

Because nitrogen isn't as prone to expansion and contraction, you don't lose tire pressure during changes in temperature. For $30 and unlimited refills, why not? I'd say go for it.

basic chemistry owns you.

[Gary@TireRack]

TrackRat is spot on in this thread.

[TriniJots]

TrackRat...what do you recommend? Im getting a good price and I do live in South Florida where the weather is crazy everyday.

[vasillalov]

Originally Posted by peterhoang1988

basic chemistry owns you.

It's actually physics, not chemistry!

Edit:

There was a talk a while back that nitrogen helps against rubber deterioration since it is an inert gas. They use nitrogen to preserve artifacts in museums. Now, how useful is that for preserving your tires, that's a different story.

[jaguar36]

Sounds like a waste of 30 bucks to me.

In F1 where millions of dollars rides on hundreths of a second, sure nitrogen (or even something more exotic) makes sense. For regular folks, its a sham.

[freeflydive]

I have nitrogen in my tires because I don't want to check/fill my tires every week. You generally will lose 1 psi every 7-10 days w/ air; nitro-fills tend to maintain tire pressure better...so, that's my reason for having nitro. The car will ride the same, no magic there...but its worth it (for me) for limiting tread wear resulting from low tire pressure. I have them check my tire pressure once a month and top it off (rarely needed) for free.

[mr.e90]

Up in thousand oaks they fill ur tires with nitrogen for free dawgs

[Gary@TireRack]

Originally Posted by jaguar36

Sounds like a waste of 30 bucks to me.

In F1 where millions of dollars rides on hundreths of a second, sure nitrogen (or even something more exotic) makes sense. For regular folks, its a sham.

+1

[jaguar36]

Originally Posted by freeflydive

You generally will lose 1 psi every 7-10 days w/ air; nitro-fills tend to maintain tire pressure better...

If you're losing a psi a week, you've got a leak somewhere, and Nitrogen isn't going to help that. Nitrogen isn't going to leak noticeably less than regular air.

[Gary@TireRack]

Most tires lose less than 1psi every 30 days with 'regular' air that is already over 3/4ths Nitrogen.

Of course using pure Nitrogen should be no excuse for neglecting regular tire maintenance .

[jetrep]

Originally Posted by freeflydive

I have nitrogen in my tires because I don't want to check/fill my tires every week. You generally will lose 1 psi every 7-10 days w/ air; nitro-fills tend to maintain tire pressure better...so, that's my reason for having nitro. The car will ride the same, no magic there...but its worth it (for me) for limiting tread wear resulting from low tire pressure. I have them check my tire pressure once a month and top it off (rarely needed) for free.

If you have it checked every month anyway, why bother with the N2?

If the facility is offering me nitrogen for free, I'll take it. I will not pay a penny extra for it.

Many places actually use nitrogen generators, which in nearly all cases will generate nitrogen with lower purity than bottled N2. I would not be shocked at all to see an investigative report someday where they test the air in someone's N2 filled tires and find the purity to be 78%.

I thought the bottled water craze was bad...now marketing departments have successfully gotten people to pay for air!

[Casca]

They should do an episode about this on Mythbusters.

[yeefoo335]

Originally Posted by Casca

They should do an episode about this on Mythbusters.

+100

I get nitrogen for free at Rusnak in Westlake

[DBFIU]

I got helium in my tires, MAKES MY CAR FLOAT YO!

[Edward]

Originally Posted by jaguar36

Sounds like a waste of 30 bucks to me.

In F1 where millions of dollars rides on hundreths of a second, sure nitrogen (or even something more exotic) makes sense. For regular folks, its a sham.

I'm with this guy.