What do you think of inflating tires with nitrogen?

Do you have proof it's gossip? Where are your sources and attribs?
-

Bob

 

N2 is slightly better inside a tire than O2. It will probably make a
tire last a week or 2 longer over a 20 year life.

-

Bob

 

Hello Shaman,

S> Sure I am a member, but did'nt never ever bought a single tire there.
S> The clerk told me it's a "service" they offer to ALL their members.

Excellent. I will enquire the next time I am there. On this Nitrogen business,
if it is costing me nothing extra then I am ahead because I don't believe
that it is any worse than air, and if anything it is better. Even if it costs
me a little extra but keeps the tires are the right pressure longer then
that is worth it also, since my time is money.

S> So, as Matt said, it's not "free" because I pais my member card. But
S> it's free, because I didn't pay for this specific service.

If you want to split hairs, it may not be free depending on how much you
shop at Costco, but if you shop at Costco often you have already paid off
your membership card fee so it is free.

Regards,
Wayne Moses
Houston, Texa

 

The guy at Costco told me that Nitrogen is better than air because it keeps
the tires more "cold" so the high temperature in the tire won't effect the
pressure. With air, hihg temperature = hihg pressure, wich is bad for the
tire, and gas mileage.

For the Costco thing, the Costco store is at 5 minutes from my place, so I
shop there every weeks.

Shaman

 

Hello Shaman,

S> For the Costco thing, the Costco store is at 5 minutes from my place,
S> so I shop there every weeks.

Same here. May go there today, even.

Regards,
Wayne Moses
Houston, Texa

 

Wow, you can't make this stuff up! And I bet he even has a high school
diploma.

 

Regardless the diploma he has, I think this is just right. And if not... why
bother? I did'nt even pay for that service

Shaman

 

I do too. About 78% of the air in my tires is Nitrogen. So, inflated to
38 PSI, even if the other 22% escapes, I'll still have the 30 PSI
recommended by Hyundai for my tires.

Eric

 

You think what is right? High pressure is bad for gas mileage? It usually
improves. Or that nitrogen has cooling effects? It may not expand as much
as oxygen, but it is not going to act as a coolant to keep the tires more
"cold". Higher pressure may or may not be bad for the tire, depending on
actual pressure and speed traveled.

I'd take if for free too, but I'd still not believe the un-natural acts of
physics he is speaking.

 

It still isn't free. Even it if only costs $5/tire, that means that
Costco could use air and lower their tire costs by $5.

Matt

 

Wow, it just keeps getting more ridiculous all of the time. However, I
guess if you buy tires at a store like Costco, then you are pretty
gullible to start with and will believe most anything.

Matt

 

Yes, that is even more scary to think of...

Matt

 

I like your logic and use much the same logic. I tend to run my tires
at 35 psi and check them every month or two. I rarely lose more than a
pound a month and that just isn't consequential. And the more times I
add air to my tires, the more pure the nitrogen inside is getting as the
oxygen "leaks" out!

Matt

 

Who said that I bought my tires there? I never bought tires at Costco, the
little shop where I go always have unbeatable prices on tires. Anyway, I had
it for free (Nitrogen inflated tires), so where is the problem?

Shaman

 

False. As you add new air, you add 21% of oxygen and 1% of other gases, wich
I don't know what gas it is. So when you add air to you tires, you
contaminate the Nitrogen in it. That's my logic. So you wil always have 78%
of Nitrogen.

Shaman

 

How so does this make you gullible? They sell dam good tires there, and
reasonably cheaper than anywhere else. I'll be getting my next set there,
Michelin Energy MX4's. On the other hand, I don't buy into that nitrogen
story either.

 

False.
If you start out with 78% nitrogen, leak out some oxygen, then replace say,
5% of the total volume with air, the nitrogen is still increasing, albeit by
a smaller amount than adding pure nitrogen. Only 20% of the 5% is oxygen
wile 78% of the 5% is nitrogen.

 

It isn't the tires, it is the installation. Most places like Costco,
Wally World, etc., don't properly torque the tires and often don't get
them balanced all that well. I use a tire store that advertises that
they use a torque wrench to properly torque the lug nuts and they do as
I've watched them to be sure.

Matt

 

You need to study your physics. If you start out with 80% nitrogen and
20% oxygen (rounding to simply the numbers) and all of the oxygen leaks
out, you have now 100% nitrogen, but your pressure is down by about 20%.
If I now add air to bring the pressure back up to where I started, I
have 80% nitrogen, plus 80% of the 20% air that I just added is
nitrogen, so I now have 96% nitrogen and 4% oxygen am at my normal
pressure again. If all of the oxygen leaks out again, I'm not down only
4% in pressure. So, I add enough air to bring me back to normal
pressure. I now have 96% nitrogen, plus 80% of the 4% air that I added,
which gives me 99.2% nitrogen. I will asymptotically approach 100%
nitrogen, however, even after one cycle I have as pure a nitrogen fill
as the Ford article claims was adequate.


Matt

 

Ed, I think this is a lost cause. Folks that get their tire information
from Costco surely aren't going to understand even basic physics.

Matt