Nitrogen? Yea or nea?

[F and E Damp]

Based on my research when I worked for Boeing (Landing gear group) you only NEED nitrogen of you can run for 2 miles with a dragging brake, get to 170 mph doing it, and then retract the wheels into a closed box. After about 45 minutes there'll be a big bang.

If you can't do that, it's a waste of money/tire dealer con job.

[great white]

We use it for tire fill in the aviation world.

Biggest advantage is it is essentially inert.

The other advantage is that it is dry. Meaning: less chance of corrosion inside the assembly. Compressed air also means compressed humidity, which means moisture in the tire/wheel. Nitrogen isn't compressed out of the atmosphere, it is extracted (and damned cold!).

I would think the biggest advantage in an automotive application would be the "dry" part.....

[camper1999]

Had nitro filled tires on my trailer. Now I just fill with regular air. Based on what I read it is a waste of money. Another way to get money out of you for something that was free(air)

[Broadway Joe]

I'm gonna start selling 78% nitrogen to supplement my SS check.

[F and E Damp]

To clarify my post a little, several airplane tire bursts I studied were actually spontaneous explosions of the gases that built up when the tires got very hot (over 750 degrees). Nitrogen will not support combustion - air will. One 727 incident we analyzed showed a spike in the internal tire pressure to around 12,000 psi that blew rubber and tire carcass debris against the airplane structure and caused an 18" hole.

[John4th]

Mine came with Nitrogen. All four tires have remained at a constant 50psi, so I have 't touched them. Will use regular air when time comes.

[BarryD0706]

Originally Posted by JohnIII

Mine came with Nitrogen. All four tires have remained at a constant 50psi, so I have 't touched them. Will use regular air when time comes.

May I suggest that you verify that 50 is what the sticker on the side of your RV says? Sounds a little low to me.

[wrvond]

Nitrogen is not only a waste of time and money (outside professional racing and the aviation industry), it is sooo old skool!
I'm using helium in the tires of both my TT and TV - it has reduced the tongue weight significantly and increased my GVCW tremendously. Plus, the only time I get tire wear is when they actually touch the ground!

[B47]

Originally Posted by F and E Damp

To clarify my post a little, several airplane tire bursts I studied were actually spontaneous explosions of the gases that built up when the tires got very hot (over 750 degrees). Nitrogen will not support combustion - air will. One 727 incident we analyzed showed a spike in the internal tire pressure to around 12,000 psi that blew rubber and tire carcass debris against the airplane structure and caused an 18" hole.

And that is the reason the FAA issued an Airwothiness Directive ( in 1989 if I'm correct). After some fires and explosions resulting from overheated brakes in magnesium wheels on large airplanes and the resulting airframe damage, it was determined that air servicing of tires on braked wheels on large airplanes be replaced with nitrogen servicing.

Some of the damage was severe as the fragments from the exploding wheels usually tore up the aircrafts wheel wells and pressure bulkheads.

[great white]

Originally Posted by wrvond

Nitrogen is not only a waste of time and money (outside professional racing and the aviation industry), it is sooo old skool!
I'm using helium in the tires of both my TT and TV - it has reduced the tongue weight significantly and increased my GVCW tremendously. Plus, the only time I get tire wear is when they actually touch the ground!

Yeah but crosswinds would be a whole new shorts staining experience....

[great white]

Originally Posted by B47

And that is the reason the FAA issued an Airwothiness Directive ( in 1989 if I'm correct). After some fires and explosions resulting from overheated brakes in magnesium wheels on large airplanes and the resulting airframe damage, it was determined that air servicing of tires on braked wheels on large airplanes be replaced with nitrogen servicing.

Some of the damage was severe as the fragments from the exploding wheels usually tore up the aircrafts wheel wells and pressure bulkheads.

Modern aircraft wheels incorporate temperature blow out plugs for this reason.

I'm always replacing them after my AC or FO (usually an FO1) does a "hot brakes" landing....

[B47]

Originally Posted by great white

Modern aircraft wheels incorporate temperature blow out plugs for this reason.

I'm always replacing them after my AC or FO (usually an FO1) does a "hot brakes" landing....

Actually the blow out plugs requirement come out in March of 1993 which was after the AD came out in 1989. Theblow out plugs were not an AD, but was issued after several incidents involving over servicing of aircraft tires by aviation personnel.

As stated, the plugs were not an AD, but an amendment to 14 CFR 25.733 which added paragraph (e).

14 CFR 25 pertains to the certification standards of large transport category aircraft.

But you are correct that blow out plugs do help elimate wheel explosions from over heated brakes.

[B47]

Originally Posted by wrvond

Nitrogen is not only a waste of time and money (outside professional racing and the aviation industry), it is sooo old skool!
I'm using helium in the tires of both my TT and TV - it has reduced the tongue weight significantly and increased my GVCW tremendously. Plus, the only time I get tire wear is when they actually touch the ground!

Yeah - but those "Hard Landings" on touch down can wipe out any savings in tire wear.

[dezolen]

As long as it makes you feel good. Nitrogen fill is nothing but a way to make some extra cash for the poor auto dealers. Helps them with their yachts, Diesel pushers, and 5000 sf homes.

[B47]

Originally Posted by dezolen

As long as it makes you feel good. Nitrogen fill is nothing but a way to make some extra cash for the poor auto dealers. Helps them with their yachts, Diesel pushers, and 5000 sf homes.

Can anyone tell us what they paid for nitrogen tire servicing?

I never had it done, but some posters here say it was expensive in their opinion.

[John4th]

Originally Posted by BarryD0706

May I suggest that you verify that 50 is what the sticker on the side of your RV says? Sounds a little low to me.

50psi cold is the max pressure stated on my sidewalls. So if my yellow sticker lists a higher pressure, do I go with that? And I do check them every trip, even with nitrogen in them.

[BarryD0706]

Originally Posted by JohnIII

50psi cold is the max pressure stated on my sidewalls. So if my yellow sticker lists a higher pressure, do I go with that? And I do check them every trip, even with nitrogen in them.

If your yellow sticker gives a higher pressure, someone at the factory made a big mistake (so I don't think it will). It sounds like you're good then. Thanks for checking!

[camper1999]

Originally Posted by BarryD0706

If your yellow sticker gives a higher pressure, someone at the factory made a big mistake (so I don't think it will). It sounds like you're good then. Thanks for checking!

X2

[rockfordroo]

Consumer Reports does not recommend using N2 in car tires, so I suspect they would say the same about trailer tires. I consider it a SCAM for the average car/trailer.

[jevanb]

one reason acft tires are filled with N2 is the in service pressure, sometime up to 350lbs, plus most acft stay at 32kft and it is -20 to -60 degrees, then the gear door opens and it is landing 40 seconds later and the tire heats up real fast. the pressures are pretty constant with N2. i dont buy into putting it in my truck or 5er. BTW I am a acft mech and pilot, been doing it for over 30 years from c150`s to B747 and fighters