Tires filled with nitrogen

[gserve]

My new trailer comes with nitrogen in the tires. What are the benefits and what if the tire needs to be inflated. What do you do? Can you add air?

[Mtelkman]

Lots of threads and info on this topic. Up at the top just type in Nitrogen and hit search. You will have plenty of reading.

[Brother Les]

nitrogen.... mostly hype

benefits? none for you in the long or short run.
if tire needs to be inflated....? Put air in it.

Should You Fill Your Car's Tires With Nitrogen?

From Edmunds.com article:

Is Nitrogen Worth It?
The air we breathe is made up of 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and a few other elements. To get the desired benefits for tires, nitrogen needs to be at least 93 percent pure, according to nitrogen service equipment providers quoted on Tirerack.com. So we're basically talking about adding an extra 15 percent of nitrogen and getting rid of as much oxygen as possible.
Based on cost, convenience and actual performance benefit, we don't think nitrogen is worth it. A much better use of your money would be to buy a good tire-pressure gauge and check your tires frequently.

[Oakman]

The only real benefit of Nitrogen (my experience) is not having to add air to the tires on a regular basis. We're entering our third season with Nitrogen filled tires and I still haven't had to add air to the tires. I have been amazed that while in storage over the winter the tires didn't lose any pressure. When the time comes though, I'll just add plain ol' air.

[Crusadernoob]

One of the biggest scams going! The air you breathe is 78% nitrogen! as long as you are installing reasonably "DRY" air you need not worry about it, just check the tire psi. in your rv before your trips and you'll be fine. Normal psi. gain/loss is 1psi. for every 10 degrees F.

[MillerTime]

I'm with oakman, our last trailer I never added any air to the tires from the day we picked up at the dealer till a year later when insurance hauled it away.
Nitrogen pressures wont fluctuate from heating and cooling like normal compressed air.
Would I pay extra for it....no, unless I decide to get my own bottle, but it is nice!

MillerTime- Future Sabre Handler!!

[awellis3]

Originally Posted by Oakman

The only real benefit of Nitrogen (my experience) is not having to add air to the tires on a regular basis.

That has been my experience on our new Rockwood also.
A friend has a heavy duty GMC van and the tires require 80 psi. He went nuts trying to find a public fill station that could go that high. He put in N three years ago and hasn't had to find a truck stop since.
I'm just sayin'
Teach

[TxTravelingRN]

Pure hype.
Had nitrogen in Nissan 350 Z Roadster...had wild fluctuations in PSI. Very low on cold mornings...would be overinflated in the afternoon if added any air.
Have nitrogen in RV tires...same issue and still loses PSI over time. Will put air in any new tires I purchase.
When changing Z from nitrogen to air I purchased 2 new tires for rear...put air in them while front still had nitrogen. There was absolutely no difference in fluctuations of tire pressure or leakage.

[SKnight]

The arguments about N2 in tires has been raging for a long time. You don't have to fill as often, some (Including me) feel it rides better afterwards. I worked at a dealer that had N2 and a machine that would purge it to 95-98% N2, I experienced no pressure fluctuation under normal conditions, but did see a two PSI change from summer to winter.

I'm a fan. Is it worth paying for it? Nope, not really. If you have a place local that doesn't mind keeping you topped up, go for it. You can find N2 bottles for tire fill like racers use, I saw one on ebay for $75, tank, regulator and gauge, I got outbid in the final seconds.

But the benefits really are more convenience. It doesn't get you more MPG, it just keeps pressure longer. Tire rot and wheel corrosion from moisture inside the tire is rare today, but not unheard of. I personally feel it rides better, but it is still a truck.

I feel it's like many advances that came from aerospace. I think it'll be the norm in a decade or so, to the point that N2 will be readily available most everywhere like compressed air is at gas stations. Just like disc brakes, drums do work fine, and discs were an option many saw as unnecessary to pay for. Then they became standard. Now disc brakes are unquestionably superior to drums, I'm not saying N2 is the same at all, but I think the mindset will follow suit. Eventually N2 will just become normal.

I'll tell you this, if the manufacturers start putting N2 in cars and trucks from the factory you'll see it literally take off like wildfire. And I'll guarantee the compressed gas lobby has been knocking on doors in Detroit, Japan, Europe.

[mhartzel]

The tires on my Apex came "factory filled" with nitrogen and I've had to add more air more frequently than my car tires filed with regular air.

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[rburns4147]

Our Rockwood came with nitrogen filled tires also. I have my own air compressor at home and will be filling with air. As stated above, spend your money on a good tire pressure gauge and use air. If I take the 5er somewhere to have the tires topped off with nitrogen, I hear they charge around $5.00 per tire. I can't see paying $80.00 for the truck and trailer when I can do it for free myself.

[larryscsi]

Costco will fill them if you need. Nitrogen Martians pressure much better with temperature changes and does not carry moisture like compressed air. My local ford dealer also used nitrogen and will fill the tires.


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[BigBaron]

Marvin the nitrogen Martian doesn't handle pressure very well. Ask Bugs Bunny...

[BigBaron]

FYI - air is almost 80% nitrogen already.

[PhoneDude 8289]

I have a air compressor, don't have a nitrogen bottle and regulator so I use good old air.

[mud yapster]

I used N in my racing bike tires but have my own N set up. I've always just used air for my other tires and they fluctuate pressure with temp do to the moisture in air expansion. I just check my tires before any trip and adjust the pressure as needed. I do use a electronic tire gauge that measures to the 1/2 pound so all my tires have same pressure.

[larryscsi]

Love the auto spell check "Martians" that came on the iPad. They "maintain" a flair in my posts!


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[mud yapster]

My auto check always misspells my typing LOL

[dezolen]

Wonder if helium or laughing gas work any better than nitrogen. Suckers born every minute.
Don't forget to get your windows etched.
Another make easy money scam for dealer profit margins

[larryscsi]

With nitrogen, your tire pressures will remain more constant, saving you a small amount in fuel and tire-maintenance costs. There will be less moisture inside your tires, meaning less corrosion on your wheels. You will not be able to feel any difference in the ride or handling or braking, unless your tire pressures were seriously out of spec and changing to nitrogen brought them back to the proper numbers.

Best reason is that most people do not check the pressure often at all, thus nitrogen is a good choice. For those that are anal about tire pressure, common compressed air will do.

As for me, the trailer tires came with nitrogen and I have two sources of nitrogen to maintain them that way, so I take advantage of that.

As with anything else, it is all personal choice.


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