How to keep nitrogen air in tires?

WTF, really?? Born everyday.

 

Looks like everyone has covered most of the main issues with nitrogen...just posting to keep an eye on this thread

 

When tires are mounted do you really think that process in performed in a 100% nitrogen environment or do they just mount the tire and inflate it with nitrogen. Most likely the later, you don't have 100% nitrogen in your tires anyway. My Tacoma had green valve caps signifying nitrogen in the tires. My dealer always overfills the tires so they don't get complaints of the tire inflation warning lights coming on. They used air, they didn't have nitrogen.

 

Its obviously a poor fit for an off road vehicle. But imho, it does serve a purpose for the average joe. I use it in family vehicles to curb pressure flux in the northeast weather.

 

Our flight schools experimented with nitrogen in their tube type aircraft tires. Those using air, tires needed inflation almost weekly. Part of a good preflight. Nitrogen, maybe 4 months. Also tubes lasted longer with Nitrogen. Tubes leach air. Although modern tubeless tires of course have no tubes...leaching air is still problematic and theoretically, modern tires using Nitrogen properly don't require inflation as often between service intervals. The Toyotas I have purchased over the years, never had an extra charge for nitrogen, nor during service top offs. Major temperature changes effect the pressure in air as well as Nitrogen filled tires, how much of a difference if all else is equal, I don't know. My concern is during long trips from hot to cold temps, nitrogen as well as air will need a top off and my new factory Michelins are Nitrogen filled.

 

Flight schools, and aircraft mechanics, are very different from the local "tire tech".

And I think a 60cf bottle refill costs, like $20?

Nitrogen, by itself, will have less volume change over a broader temp range, than shop air.
That is the only advantage in a on road vehicle.

 

Thanks for the thread OP. I need a set of winter rims and found a local set of sport rims with stock tires this weekend. The set I am picking up as the green valves and I was wondering the exact same thing. I am debating on whether to just put winters on my existing rims with regular air or to simply put the winters on the new set and ditch the nitrogen altogether.

 

If it's there, leave it. No need to change it out. Just paying to have it added is a significant waste.

 

is it accessible by bridge? I don't want to plan my comings & goings by the high tide chart! after all, i'm no fool.

 

but you're forgetting the pressure sensors need to be recalibrated.

 

Sorry. I am looking for oceanfront property in Arizona.

 

how 'bout the Carolinas?

too soon?

 

Luckily I have an N2 tank and regulator. When we came off the trail and aired back up, I was done loooong before anyone with a compressor or a PowerTank CO2 system.

But yeah, selling N2 as a better gas for filling tires is a gimmick

 

Really? How does one do that?

 

Speaking as an Aircraft Mechanic...don't waste your time doing 100% dry nitrogen on your cars and light trucks. It's a marketing scam. When your vehicles require going from dead stop to rated 288 kts at -65 F to extremely HOT instantly...then consider it.

 

The real benefit of nitrogen is that it is dry: The amount of water vapor that air can hold is dependent upon temperature and pressure.

If you fill up your tires when it is 90 degrees with 90% humidity, there is a lot of water in the air that you have now trapped inside your tires.

When the temperature cools to 60 degrees, the air cannot hold that much water vapor, and it condensates out to a liquid (inside your tire). As liquid water takes much less volume than water vapor, the pressure decreases. Which again, decreases the amount of water that the air can hold. So you get even more condensation.

So if you are going from cool mornings to hot days to cool evenings, your tire pressure is going to vary by quite a bit throughout the day. It will not be noticeable at extended highway speeds when your tires heat up.

But during slow or intermittent driving, your tire pressure will be all over the map as the tires heat and cool from driving and as the air temperature varies.

To avoid this, fill up your tires when it is cool/cold and when the humidity is low. This minimizes the amount of water that you put into your tires.

If you do have to top off your tires on a hot, muggy day, then let out the air and refill it when it is a cool, dry day. Either that, or take it to a N2 dealer if you need air on those days.

 

I took one of my moonshine jars. warmed it up in the shower with hot steamy air. Then sealed it and stuck it in the fridge.

You can see the water condensation on the inside of the glass. This is what happens inside your tires.

 

On paper you are correct and not every shop bleeds their compressors daily, but in the real world with car and light truck tires it will not make one bit of difference. Respects...but if paying for "dry nitrogen" makes you feel good...do it.

 

Except you are not blowing warm humid air into your tires by mouth. When air is compressed, the moisture drops out of it. The amount of moisture air can hold is dependant on the temperature and pressure. As the temperature drops it holds less, hence condensation. As the pressure it goes up it holds less. That is why compressors need to be drained of condensate periodically or they rust. So the air you are getting from an air compressor is not nearly as humid as the outside air. Blow some air into your shine jar from a compressed air tank and see how much condensate you get.

 

If it doesn't fly, it doesn't need nitrogen