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Nitrogen in place of air in trailer and vehicle tires
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Nitrogen in place of air in trailer and vehicle tires
Interesting facts, NASCAR uses nitrogen in the race cars because tire preasure can be predicted, and does not change but a pound or 2 when the tire is heated up. Results are a more stable tire environment, even wear, tire runs cooler and other benifits also. The aircraft industry and the military also uses nitrogen in their tires for the same reasons and others.
SO, would it not make sense to use notrogen in the boat trailer tires, runs cooler, stays inflated much longer than air, even tire wear and better towing fuel mileage. OF course us it in the towing vehicle as well. Thoughts being, tire heat is a major cause of trailer tire failure. What are your thoughts? We made a test today, inflated our Jeep and the tire presure only changed a pound after driving a while. The outside temp was just over 80 degrees. Normally, 6 to 8 pounds increase after driving is normal. Check out the web, pleanty of sites on nitrogen in tires.
N2 is 99% snake oil...
Have done some research on N2 vs air in tires and the primary benefit is more money for the tire shops. While some of the benefits are true, the difference is so small that it just about takes well controlled laboratory tests to see the difference. If money and return on investment is no object, then N2 may be justifiable. Think about some of the claims - Like reduced oxidation. True, but how many times have tires failed due to internal oxidation instead of road hazards, tread wear, under inflation, or UV damage? Add in to that, time investment and inconvenience - you can't top-off your pressure without going to a tire shop or carrying around a bottle of pressurized N2 and a regulator. The reality is most people would check/fill the tires less often which is significantly more detrimental than using straight air. Also, many of the claims *tend* to ignore the "Ideal Gas Laws". Its pretty hard to violate the laws of physics.
Another point...Unless you pull a vacuum on the tires, or make many filling exchanges (purges), you still don't get 100% N2 in the tires.
More important would be to use clean air, not laden with moisture and oil.
If I pulled my trailer at 200 MPH I might think about it but at $7.00 a tire [ X 8 ] Nope I aint doing it.
The biggest problem people have with their tires is improper inflation , Check your tires before every trip .
The tire shop blew smoke up my wifes back side and she didn't call me . Well, two flats later and $14.00 out the window in a month . I told her " We own a AIR COMPRESSOR and a AIR PIG and they have worked fine for the last 30 years .
We usually ruin or wear out our tires before they rot from the inside out , LOL.
But Hey, if y'all think green caps look cool ..........Jump on it .
__________________ F350 4x4/ Dodge 2500HD 5.9L Cummins
Leaving the Picture of the Ford cuz I miss it
Pacific 2325 cc
Honda bf225
aluminumalloyboats.com
Welder's first statement is the answer....whatever benefits that N2 provides can only be seen at the most extreme conditions. Normal use can't justify the expense or the aggravation.
A Mercedes list I was on had guys that insisted that using Mobil 1 and changing it every 3000 miles was the only way to take care of a car. That was overkill, but if the owner feels better by doing something, that's kind of a good thing, too.
__________________ Rick
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Chaparral 240 Signature (Sold)
The biggest benefit from using nitrogen is overlooked. It is always dry. Most compressed air is not. Some moisture in the air is not a big deal with steel wheels. But moist air and expensive aluminum wheels is a combination for internal corrosion, especially around the beads where the protective coating the factory applies to the wheels is compromised after a tire change or two.
The primary reasons aircraft use nitrogen moisture and they typically are inflated to 150-250 psi. Nitrogen molecules are larger and don't get forced through the tire as fast at those high pressures.
The primary reason I don't sell Nitrogen at my Dealership is because 90 percent of the time the machines are not putting out 100% nitrogen. From what I understand, most of the time the mix they put out is closer to that of air than 100% Nitrogen making it a little bit of a scam.
Ever drive in the rain, or roll a boat trailer into the water?
Splash water on your hand and let it air dry or towel it dry. Now put a rubber glove over that wet hand and leave it there for a month to a year and tell me how rotted your hand is smart arse!
Well, a nitrogen molecule N2 has 14 neutrons, 14 protons and 28 electrons and a molecular weight of 28. An oxygen molecule O2 has 16,16, 32 and 32 of the same.
nteresting facts, NASCAR uses nitrogen in the race cars because tire preasure can be predicted, and does not change but a pound or 2 when the tire is heated up.
Is this really a "fact"? According to what I learned in chemistry class, the ideal gas law and the combined gas law state that if you have a fixed volume (for example, a tire) as you increase temperature the pressure will rise. The only way to keep the pressure constant as you increase temperature is to increase the volume.
It does not really matter what gas your are talking about. Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, neon - they all behave the same way as far as the gas laws go.
So if someone tells you that you can take a fixed volume of gas, increase the temperature by a given amount, and only see pressure go up by 2 or 3 PSI when another gas under the same conditions goes up by 6 or 8 PSI must be using some magical stuff. Enchanted gas, which can violate the ideal gas law!
If someone tries to sell you N2 saying that your tire pressure will not increase as much as the tire heats up is not telling the truth. They either know they are lying, or they do not understand how a gas behaves when its volume is fixed and heat is added to the system. Pressure HAS TO increase. And there is not one ideal gas law for nitrogen, and another for air.
__________________ 1999 20 foot Seagull power cat
Single 135 Optimax outboard
There's another compelling reason racers use nitrogen. Most teams carry nitrogen cylinders to power air tools, especially in road racing. The other major benefit is it is absolutely dry.
Kern is correct..all it does is lighten your wallet.
Splash water on your hand and let it air dry or towel it dry. Now put a rubber glove over that wet hand and leave it there for a month to a year and tell me how rotted your hand is smart arse!
You must have been sucked in by the tire dealer's sales pitch.
Nitrogen in place of air in trailer and vehicle tires 
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