I do air, even though Im always asked if I want it at my tire shop. Its already about 78% nitrogen isnt it? and nitrogen still fluctuates with temperatures doesnt it? so they would still be needing adjustments at different times of the year? If I had some insanely expensive rims that I didnt want oxidized then I might do it, but my current 4x4s and cars I do keep really good brands of rubber on them but dont go extra crazy expensive on wheels unless I buy them with them.
Nitrogen lasts longer in the tires as it has larger molecules and can't get out of the same cracks. It is resistant to water formation, so there won't be any water in the wheel. Nitrogen is really nice for tires, they last longer because they don't rot from the inside.
If you are getting new tires, spring for the nitro. and then make sure you use a nitro fill station if you ever need to add air.
If you are getting new tires, spring for the nitro. and then make sure you use a nitro fill station if you ever need to add air.
That makes sense. If I kept cars longer I probably would do it to a few of them.
If you were in a situation on the side of the road, one could still use the old air pump to get you to town though, right?
oh yeah, it is not like its going to explode of you add regular compressed air, it is just that adding oxygen nullifies the benefits of pure nitrogen. You can always get it removed and redone with just nitro. I said make sure because it costs money to do the nitro swap.
When lambo and Ferrari guys talk about getting the air in their tires changed, this is what they are talking about. That is a real thing.
Oxygen does diffuse more quickly than nitrogen through the thick rubber of a tire... about 3 1/3 times faster, to be sure... however, what you need to know to make an accurate assessment of if it is a worthwhile investment is:
1. What is the actual rate of diffusion in (cm^3, say) for each gas.
2. How that rate is affected by the thickness of your particular tire at the specified inflation pressure given each or variable atmospheric conditions.
3. Apply that rate of diffusion at a volumetrically-reduced amount given the actual partial pressures of oxygen in atmospheric air.
4. Determine whether it is worth the additional cost/effort to have nitrogen placed than the simply check your tire pressure routinely, i.e., once per month, once per week, quarterly, etc.?
Claims of improved gas mileage are exponentially better related to maintenance of proper pressure than to the lighter atomic and hence molecular weight of nitrogen, as I have heard claimed by some unscrupulous technicians attempting to sell nitrogen.
As for me, I've never had a problem that I know of with tire rot from the inside attributable to oxygen.
1. What is the actual rate of diffusion in (cm^3, say) for each gas.
2. How that rate is affected by the thickness of your particular tire at the specified inflation pressure given each or variable atmospheric conditions.
3. Apply that rate of diffusion at a volumetrically-reduced amount given the actual partial pressures of oxygen in atmospheric air.
4. Determine whether it is worth the additional cost/effort to have nitrogen placed than the simply check your tire pressure routinely, i.e., once per month, once per week, quarterly, etc.?
Claims of improved gas mileage are exponentially better related to maintenance of proper pressure than to the lighter atomic and hence molecular weight of nitrogen, as I have heard claimed by some unscrupulous technicians attempting to sell nitrogen.
As for me, I've never had a problem that I know of with tire rot from the inside attributable to oxygen.
service tech friend at ford told me you will never notice it.
Tires on my aluminum rims on my truck never need air. the corolla my wife drives has one tire that always needs air.
It is on a certain rim every time and those are factory steel.
I went 3 years without adding air in my 6000lb ford van tires and i had them inflated to max 55psi.
Only time it changed pressure was when altitude or weather changed ..Changed a bunch going up Pikes Peak.
could be because i buy heavier tires.
I would not spend money on air no matter what is in it.
We used to use R12 when i was a kid and dad worked in the HVAC field.
wish i had all that R12 today.
Tires on my aluminum rims on my truck never need air. the corolla my wife drives has one tire that always needs air.
It is on a certain rim every time and those are factory steel.
I went 3 years without adding air in my 6000lb ford van tires and i had them inflated to max 55psi.
Only time it changed pressure was when altitude or weather changed ..Changed a bunch going up Pikes Peak.
could be because i buy heavier tires.
I would not spend money on air no matter what is in it.
We used to use R12 when i was a kid and dad worked in the HVAC field.
wish i had all that R12 today.
