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Old 04-10-2011, 03:14 PM   #1
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Nitrogen filled tires

I just took delivery in a 2011 F-150 Eco-Boost which came with Nitriogen filled tires. According to the car dealer and from what I read on the internet, the benefits of Nitrogen are the tires run cooler and can improve gas mileage. Does anyone have anything to say about these claims. Of course the immediate question to the Ford dealer was could they fill my Airstream tires with Nitrogen if I wanted? Yes they could for so much per tire - $30 or something like that. Let me know if this is a positive or negative idea.
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Old 04-10-2011, 03:46 PM   #2
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Well,

You basic air right out of the pump is already 78% Nitrogen. A nice molecule but not extraordinary. Air is cheap.

Now, Mr Tire store whips out their nitrogen bottle and fills your tire. Since there is uncompressed ambient air in the tire carcass before inflation, you will not achieve 100% nitrogen at any rate. Say, high 80's percentage wise.

So, the new mixture will be drier (tanked nitrogen is very dry) but the claims seem a little, shall we say, "overreaching".

Are there benefits, maybe. Are they worth $120. I don't think so. I believe this is really clever marketing.

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Old 04-10-2011, 03:59 PM   #3
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Air is mostly nitrogen anyway. Density? Close to the same I'd guess. Specific heat? (ie, ability to transfer heat) Again ... close to the same by seat of my pants. I don't understand any explanation about them running cooler.

Other threads:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ires-4975.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...res-32063.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...gas-37684.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...gen-46605.html
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Old 04-10-2011, 04:00 PM   #4
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When you checked on-line for info did you also search "nitrogen tire scams"?
I've been in the auto service end of the biz for 38 years and IMHO this is just another way to up-sell work without any risk.
There is a lot of junk science tossed about and the promotional literature uses extreme examples based on aero-space and racing.
I'll bet you get a Lifetime Warranty for your $70 bucks. Are you going to hook up and head down to the Ford dealer when a tire goes low? BTW there is a gauge that comes with most packages that measures the nitro content of the gas in the tires. Not 90+% nitro? Had to fill up with air on the road? SORRY.
As long as you can live with the up-front charge it won't hurt anything. I'd be more inclined to buy a good digital tire pressure gauge and continue to check your cold tire inflation pressures before each trip as recommended.

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Old 04-10-2011, 04:08 PM   #5
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Greetings from the Florida Panhandle

I, too, am a little skeptical about the enormous benefits of using nitrogen in your tires as opposed to regular air. This is a little thing that I read some time ago when I was trying to work through Lucy's tire problems. The following quoted information is referring to using nitrogen in your tires.

"Oh, there are plenty of benefits: (1) Cool fluorescent green valve stem caps (assuming your nitrogen vendor has any marketing savvy), which will look sharp with your spinning wheel covers. (2) Bragging rights. OK, you were behind the curve with cell phones, iPods, thong underwear, etc. Nitrogen in tires is relatively new to the mass market. Now's your chance. (3) Reduced fire danger next time you land your space shuttle or commercial aircraft, and tell me you won't sleep better knowing that. "

This pretty much sums up my opinion on this issue. Is the Nitrogen better than plain? Probably. Is it worth $30 per tire to do it? Probably not, unless yoy are flying a 747.

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Old 04-10-2011, 04:12 PM   #6
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I did not fall for the pitch, but if we think there could be a better mouse trap it is a good idea to do some research before you go off the high dive. Thanks for your replys. I will keep my $120 in a safe place and not go out and buy some cool air.
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Old 04-10-2011, 04:42 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mysecondjoy View Post
I just took delivery in a 2011 F-150 Eco-Boost which came with Nitriogen filled tires. According to the car dealer and from what I read on the internet, the benefits of Nitrogen are the tires run cooler and can improve gas mileage. Does anyone have anything to say about these claims. Of course the immediate question to the Ford dealer was could they fill my Airstream tires with Nitrogen if I wanted? Yes they could for so much per tire - $30 or something like that. Let me know if this is a positive or negative idea.
Thanks,
John Dibble
John.
Pure nitrogen, will keep the tires cooler at highway speeds.

Costco uses it to fill all the tires they install. They add a "green" valve stem cap for identification.

$30.00 per tire, is outrageous.

$10.00 or so, is far more like it.

Fill just one tire, and check it's temperature against the other tire using an infra-red, temperature gauge. That will answer you questions, and alter your doubts.

Andy
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Old 04-10-2011, 05:00 PM   #8
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Old 04-10-2011, 05:13 PM   #9
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My truck came with nitro or I wouldn't have sprung for it. Here are facts about nitro: 1. Tire pressures don't change with outside temperature changes from 0 degrees to 100 degrees or from elevation changes from sea level to 6,000 feet. 2. Tire pressures stay amazingly constant for months. 3. It's o.k. to add regular air to nitro tires. 4. Only one service station in Kansas City has nitro. Here are opinions about nitro: 1. It's a dealer "up-sell." 2. Regular tire pressure checks are better than nitro. 3. Tires with nitro will last longer than tires with moist air. 4. Tires wear out from being out-of-balance and out-of-round. 5. Nitro doesn't help that.
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Old 04-10-2011, 05:21 PM   #10
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I buy my tires from Costco. In this area their prices are better than I can get elsewhere. Costco uses nitrogen when filling tires it installs. It is hard to tell whether there is an appreciable difference in fuel mileage. I highly doubt it is worth the $30/tire your dealer wants to charge.
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Old 04-10-2011, 05:25 PM   #11
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Complete waste of money for all of us. I can see an advantage in race cars where 1/4 pound of pressure difference can make or break handling. Nitrogen is more predictable and drier, therefore pressure rise in race track heat up is predictable. For you and me, who cares about a 1psi variation more or less?
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Old 04-10-2011, 05:28 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mysecondjoy View Post
I just took delivery in a 2011 F-150 Eco-Boost which came with Nitriogen filled tires. According to the car dealer and from what I read on the internet, the benefits of Nitrogen are the tires run cooler and can improve gas mileage. Does anyone have anything to say about these claims.
It is up selling to make more money. Only air carrier aircraft require nitrogen in thier tires..
The tires typically won't last long enough to warrant Ultra dry Nitrogen.
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Old 04-10-2011, 05:29 PM   #13
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yah, yah, yah.........more nitrogen hoopla!

Personally, I use CO-2 in my tires (along with any ambient air that might be in there). There is a very simple reason for this. I have a CO-2 tank that is set up for filling tires and gives me 200 PSI at 25 cfm. I use this nice little gizmo when I have to top off the large 22.5" RV tires found on the large, diesel motor homes that I service in a couple of minutes instead of 10-12 minutes with a compressor. And besides, a compressor that would get me 130 psi that some of these new , larger steer tires require would be big, heavy and expensive.

I can add 15-20 psi to 24 of these tires before I need a $10 refill of the tank.

Nitrogen...............NO THANKS!
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Old 04-10-2011, 05:33 PM   #14
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They put nitrogen in my new tires at no charge, normal is $10 tire. If I had to pay I would have said "no thanks".
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Old 04-10-2011, 05:57 PM   #15
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I asked our Ford service mgr. He just rolled his eyes!
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Old 04-10-2011, 06:15 PM   #16
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Ive been using nitrogen for yrs. I get my nitrogen tank refilled for $12. I would guess that bottle would fill more than 30 tires. I fill my friends tires for free. There is benefits using it, but its not worth more than $3. a tire.
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Old 04-10-2011, 07:58 PM   #17
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Was considering the purchase of a Nissan GTR a short while ago and noted that nitrogen fill on tires was a must. I imagine that the expansion of the heated air in your tire generated by your 170+ mph turn around the track is not something you'd want to risk.

I asked the dealer what it ran for the N2 fill service, and he said it was about 6 bucks/tire. Cheapest thing you'll ever see on that car.....

For $30 a tire you could fill the tire with liquid N2 (not that you'd want to).
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Old 04-10-2011, 08:28 PM   #18
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I run nitrogen in all of our vehicles as well as the Airstream. I also have my own tank to fill from, so it is almost as cheap as compressed air. I find the tires hold pressure longer and don't react to thermal changes as much. The primary use of nitrogen in tires that I am aware of is in aircraft tires. The minimal pressure change with wide thermal differences being the reason. Thankfully, my Airstream does not have to spend eighteen hours at -60f then almost instantly accelerate from 0 to 160mph at +95f.
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Old 04-11-2011, 07:58 AM   #19
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The primary use of nitrogen in tires that I am aware of is in aircraft tires. The minimal pressure change with wide thermal differences being the reason.
The reason Aircraft tires have Nitrogen is it does not support combustion.
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Old 04-11-2011, 08:40 AM   #20
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