Nitrogen in tyres

Johnny Girth · 20 Apr 2006 at 20:00

This isn't a thread about the benefits - there aren't any really for normal road users.

If only I'd known that when I got the tyres last changed instead of getting suckered in. Ah well. Anyway the tyres are looking very low and I need to get the pressure checked. Will I just be able to pump them up with "normal air" or am I gonna have to get new tyres or something? As normal air is about 78% nitrogen I'm guessing it won't make a bit of difference. Correct?

NickXX · 20 Apr 2006 at 20:04

Just fill them up with normal air.

saitrix · 20 Apr 2006 at 20:10

Just got tyres changed today, they filled them with Nitrogen for £1.25. One thing though they didnt ask whether i wanted it.

Firestar_3x · 20 Apr 2006 at 20:19

saitrix said:
Just got tyres changed today, they filled them with Nitrogen for £1.25. One thing though they didnt ask whether i wanted it.

Yep the did the same for my F1's, umm they didn't ask i want normal air tbh....

Oliver · 20 Apr 2006 at 20:51

What's the point of nitrogen? I'm not flaming, just never heard of it being specifically put in tires before!

saitrix · 20 Apr 2006 at 20:53

Garage said up to 25% less tyre wear. Up to 5% higher MPG, and maybe slightly better handling. But who knows what it accually does.

andi · 20 Apr 2006 at 20:56

IIRC, its doesn't expand with heat, so your tyre pressures are more stable when pushing hard.

William · 20 Apr 2006 at 20:57

andi said:
IIRC, its doesn't expand with heat, so your tyre pressures are more stable when pushing hard.

Where can I buy these laws of thermodynamics defying tyres?

Dogbreath · 20 Apr 2006 at 20:59

William said:
Where can I buy these laws of thermodynamics defying tyres?

Next to the snake oil display in many tyre centers

Unluckyalf · 20 Apr 2006 at 23:00

Curious, not heard of filling them with Nitrogen before.
Wonder what else you can fill them with? Helium??

Serj · 20 Apr 2006 at 23:02

Unluckyalf said:
Curious, not heard of filling them with Nitrogen before.
Wonder what else you can fill them with? Helium??

Haha, they should start dishing out helium in the air machines at garages.

[squeeky voice] Pump 4 please........and some 20p's for the air machine[/squeeky voice]

timbob · 20 Apr 2006 at 23:04

AFAIK, F1 teams and the like use pure nitrogen in their tyres, so there is a benefit. I think it is to do with expansion/heat issues as well.

Firestar_3x · 20 Apr 2006 at 23:05

Should only make a diff when your pushing on hard, and ppl shouldn't do that on the road

timbob · 20 Apr 2006 at 23:07

Firestar_3x said:
Should only make a diff when your pushing on hard, and ppl shouldn't do that on the road

Well, yes.....

Agent_Smith357 · 20 Apr 2006 at 23:09

I have some ripspeed air if you want it, £10 per tyre, It gives you 10HP.

William · 20 Apr 2006 at 23:12

Nitrogen might have beneficial mass properties which make it heat at a different rate I guess, but it certainly will expand under a temperature increase. I am genuinely interested in what it does, anyone got any good links?

Domo · 20 Apr 2006 at 23:25

Good old Google

Why fill my tyres with Nitrogen?
Why would you want to do this? The benefits of Nitrogen filling are as follows:

Improved comfort of ride
Improved safety
Increased fuel savings
Improved life of tyre

Nitrogen has long been the accepted gas medium for filling aircraft tyres, racing tyres and heavy mining and construction vehicle tyres. Nitrogen is used for safety reasons and to ensure that tyres are always at a constant pressure. Compressed air, the traditional medium for inflating car tyres, contains both oxygen (21%) and nitrogen (78%).
The rubber tyre is like a membrane, through which oxygen permeates three times faster than the nitrogen. The result is that the oxygen slowly leaks out through the rubber walls, and the under-inflation leads to higher tyre wear with a consequent decrease in safety and comfort, and higher fuel costs.

g0th2000 · 20 Apr 2006 at 23:29

Last I heard about this was the theory that oxygen can permiate rubber and leak out (which is why balloons eventually go down by themselves) whereas nitrogen doesn't. So if you fill up with air eventually the 20% or so oxygen will make it's way through the tyre leaving you with low pressure.

Fill with nitrogen and you shouldn't need to top up the pressure unless you get a puncture.

That's the theory, the fact is you should regularly check you tyre condition/pressure regularly regardless and of course every time you top up your pressures you replace some of the original 20% oxygen with 80% nitrogen air. If the original premise is correct you very quickly end up with nitrogen in your tyres regardless and it's free

Zip · 20 Apr 2006 at 23:30

Could you feel you tires up with water

Rich1988 · 20 Apr 2006 at 23:36

Unluckyalf said:
Curious, not heard of filling them with Nitrogen before.
Wonder what else you can fill them with? Helium??

I like to fill mine with hydrogen!