What do you think of inflating tires with nitrogen?

Costco does the same thing. 80 lbs on my 2006 Sonata V6 when they rotate the
wheels.

Shaman

 

And what if I didn't even bought my tires there? My tires doesn't come from
Costco, and they charged me a big 0$ So the price of their tires doesn't
affect me. I never bought tires from them, and I think never will.

Shaman

 

Maybe should go back to school to study me physics, as you said...

Shaman

 

A rarity (and a keeper). Most tire jockeys have no idea what a torque wrench
is.

 

I have to agree here with Edwin. At least in my area, you can't find a
shop that doesn't use an impact wrench to put the lugs back on. And I am
talking all the way from the "best" tire store, right down to Costco. The
last time I had tires done for me (I usually do them myself at work now if
the auto shop guy gives me permission) I had to demand a torque wrench be
used. I think they only agreed because the prior visit to them resulted in
two broken studs on one of my Elantra's. One of the mechanics had to drive
across the street to Sears to BUY a torque wrench. Can you believe they
didn't even HAVE one! The even funnier thing is that I went with a friend
recently to Sam's Club (like Costco) and while I was waiting for him to
shop, I was watching the tire installation department....they were actually
using a torque wrench...go figure.

Eric

 

Sad, but true. I rotate my own tires partially so that I can ensure
they are torqued correctly. The other reason is that it gives me a good
chance to inspect the brakes, suspension, etc., when I have the car off
the ground and the wheels off.

Matt

 

Well, I have going on eight years of college, six of that in
engineering. What is your experience with physics? I'd like to see
your explanation as to why you think adding air won't increase the
nitrogen fraction if the oxygen is continually leaking out.

Matt

 

I've been a tire engineer for 15 years. N2 won't hurt anything but I
wouldn't pay an exrta dime for it. If you go that route you still
need to check your tire pressures regularly. In theory, N2 does
permeate a tire's innerliner slightly more slowly than normal air, but
if you pick up a nail or are leaking at the rim or valve it won't help
a bit. Checking your tire pressure is also your best chance to notice
irregular treadwear patterns before it's too late and to spot any
potentially dangerous tire damage (like a bulge) before your tire
falls apart at 70 MPH.

N2 is not drier than dry air. Any decent tire shop you go to will be
using dry air (to protect their air tools if nothing else).

Getnitrogen is a sales group for nitrogen, it shouldn't surprize
anyone that they support its use.

 

Pat Goss's recommendations are paid for by the manufacturer of the product.
Take a closer listen to the show. You'll see it's quite a bit about
selling product and not so much about answering questions.

 

"One of the mechanics had to drive across the street to Sears to BUY a
torque wrench."

ROFL!

 

Oh, I wasn't laughing at the time, but it is hillarious now. How does
someone call themself an auto mechanic and not even own a torque wrench!!??
I have 3 of them myself and wouldn't even call myself a mechanic. Although
I pretty much do swing wrenches all day at work, but it sure isn't on
automobiles. If I didn't use a torque wrench, I would void the warranty on
most of the equipment here at work. And believe me, when I have to call a
manufacturer for service, that is usually the first thing the tech will
check.

Eric

 

That obviously isn't a true statement. A mechanic would already own a
torque wrench. The person who went to buy the wrench was not a mechanic.

Matt

 

Why not Carbon Dioxide? What's it's molecular size, and how does it behave
with regard to volume / temperature? According to Michelin's web site, Air,
Nitrogen, and Carbon Dioxide are allowed for inflation purposes.

 

Ed's right. You really should educate yourself regarding things
automotive, as there's no telling when this guy or some other moron
could give you some really bad, even potentially dangerous advice. I
can't think of a single industry that's more full of myths, BS, outright
lies and thievery than the automotive service industry.

 

There is no problem with the nitrogen in your tires; the problem is that
you readily accepted a line of complete BS as to why nitrogen is
"better". I'm not trying to rag on you or anything, but you really need
to educate yourself or at least do some research before some idiot or
slimebag screws you over. You got lucky this time.

 

How do you torque a tire?

 

There you go! If we all inflated our tires with CO2, we could prevent
climate change! ;-)

 

May I add something here;

It's another marketing scheme to separate you and your hard-earned money. I
go through this all the time with my wife.

I use a locally-owned shop for all my tire needs. He refuses to install an
N2 system, citing it's a waste of customer's money (and his).
He does offer the brand name/higher priced tires but rarely suggests them.
His dad opened the shop 30 years ago and I have yet to
return anything that he's sold me.

Higher pressure? My brother increases his TP to 50 lbs when he drives
cross-country and claims he get 2-3 MPG better, but I know he's got to wear
a kidney belt.
Never mind the increased wear and tear on the suspension components.

My Sonata has 225/50R17 and I keep them at 40.

My point here is that this is reminiscent of a scam by a station near my
grandma's house (senior community) where the local garage/gas staion got
busted for charging seniors to replace the air in the tires, "old air loses
its ability to properly support the vehicle and causes decreased mileage".

My local Hyundai dealer doesn't even try to sell me this garbage. He knows
I'm an ex-mechanic and that I wouldn't buy into such a thing. Beware of the
"Club" tires and services.

Steve

 

To set the record straight Nitrogen has less moisture than the air we
breathe. When a tire heats up it expands. The less moisture in a
tire the less expansion. Tire expansion or overinflated tires MAY
increase fuel economy (by decreasing rolling resistance) slightly...
BUT as a tire expands the contact patch (rubber on the road) decreases
causing your traction, handling, and ride comfort to diminish. An
over-inflated tire is also more prone to puncture or to damage (ie
when you run over a pot hole, etc). The guy from Costco just didn't
quite have his facts straight... but he is headed in the right
direction, and we know that it is NEVER possible that someone could
have their facts straight but the person listening to the sales pitch
was the dummy that couldn't accurately recall or didn't understand the
concept........ no this is not possible........

 

You can't say this with certainty. It all depends on the source of the
nitrogen and the source of the air. I was in Las Vegas a couple of
years ago and the RH was 3%. Depending on the source of nitrogen and
how it was processed, it may or may not have as much moisture content as
air depending on where your air is from.

Matt