Tire Barn inflated my new maxis tires at 45 psi with nitrogen

[joindy]

I think tires were rated at 50 psi, but they installed new tires at 45 lbs.....not 50. What was their logic??? if any. Also, if inflated with nitrogen and I later top off with regular air...they were around 41 lbs after sitting in storage after 4 months....and I filled up to 50. Second question...is it normal to lose 4 lbs in each tire after only 4 months?

[Javi]

Air them up, the nitrogen thing is nothing; 78% of the air we breath is nitrogen anyway.

And yes it isn't unusual for a tire to lose 4 psi in 4 months especially if one takes into account the difference in pressure on a 100 degree day vs a 60 degree day. Heck even the side in the shade can vary a pound or two from the side in the sun,.

[cabinfever]

Nitrogen in tires is beneficial for a few reasons. Doesn't expand as much when heated, less leakage during long storage, and dryer than "regular" air so helps with corrosion of the wheels.

[diugo]

Nitrogen in tires is beneficial for a few reasons. Doesn't expand as much when heated, less leakage during long storage, and dryer than "regular" air so helps with corrosion of the wheels.

The third point is true, but the first one violates the Ideal Gas Law and the second one is also BS since pure nitrogen molecules are statistically smaller than air molecules. Back to HS chemistry you go!

[tanman32225]

The third point is true, but the first one violates the Ideal Gas Law and the second one is also BS since pure nitrogen molecules are statistically smaller than air molecules. Back to HS chemistry you go!

Must have been a bad science teacher... here is a exert from a paper talking about the size of Grahams Law.

It is often mistakenly assumed that "molecular size" correlates directly with "molecular weight". O2 does have a greater
molecular weight (32) than N2 (28), but O2 is actually smaller in size. Thus, O2 fits through the relatively tight passage
ways between polymer chains in the rubber more easily than does N2. The difference is size between O2 and N2 is
very small, only about 0.3 times 10 to the -10th meters (0.00000000003 meters).

Nitrogen molecule is smaller than O2.

[Festus2]

Based on any articles that I have looked at, it would seem that, while there may be some minor benefits to filling tires with nitrogen, the cost, convenience and performance which might be realized , it just isn't worth doing. The benefits are minimal at best.

While it is claimed that there could be significant benefits to using nitrogen, it appears that when subjected to testing, these benefits are not as good as one is led to believe. There appears to be a very slight benefit in maintaining a more stable tire pressure over time resulting in reduced pressure loss and there is only a very small change in temperature.

These comments are not based on any scientific data that I have seen or have analyzed - just from reading various articles about nitrogen and tires that have appeared in non-scientific publications. Send me back to HS Chem class if you like or better yet, to the Principal's office for being a bad boy and not knowing anything about Graham's Law, the Ideal Gas Law or any other Laws on the book.

It could all be BS for all I know.

[Javi]

Graham's law really doesn't apply unless there is a leak in the tire, Frick's law of permeation and Henry's law of solubility are more applicable.
Regardless the differences are so minuscule as to be immeasurable to the normal person.

Fill your tires with nitrogen if it makes you feel better... I'm not going to worry about it and I use O2 free Nitrogen on a daily basis for my laser... ;)

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

Ran a tire shop in the Navy for a few years, used
'Dry pumped Nitrogen' in all the tires. N2 is considered
more stable (that's what I was told), than regular 'air',
being 'dry pumped' it was definitely drier than regular
air, even if you use an air oil separator. The n2 kept the
tires from rotting on the interiors and help prevent corrosion
inside the wheels themselves. Still when one blows they all
make a big whoomp especially when there is 450psi in them!
I stick with regular air from my compressor, it's easier to locate
and I haven't run out of it yet...

hankaye

[diugo]

Must have been a bad science teacher...

Nitrogen molecule is smaller than O2.

Your unintended typo notwithstanding, one really should consider the source of your quote---mere propaganda from the Nitrogen Industry.

The truth is, Graham's Law simply states that the rate of effusion of a gas through a container (such as a tire) is inversely proportional to the square root of its molecular mass---molecule length has nothing to do with it. Nitrogen effuses 1.07 times faster than oxygen.

Nitrogen also reduces the weight of one's wallet much faster than air :)

[pjhansman]

Oh good. Another Nitrogen vs Air discussion.....

It's like Groundhog Day "bouncey:

[IdahoSRT10]

Nitrogen is a better fill for tires period. Is it worth the extra money for most RV owners, no. For a race car, Yes..for a government pressure test Yes because it is more stable on the Bristol gage recorder.

[CWtheMan]

I might have posted this here before, cant remember. So here it is again.

http://www.getnitrogen.org/pdf/graham.pdf

BA

[jsmith948]

Forget the N2 - just buy the little green caps - nobody will know!:)

[SAABDOCTOR]

oh it's monday and i just have to! NITROGEN WORKS BETTER IN A FORD THAN IT DOES IN A DODGE! Ok all have fun with that one i'm going back to work!:D

[cdawrld]

I switched to Helium. Increased my towing capacity. Now my DW can pack whatever she wants :jester:

[SAABDOCTOR]

OH I LIKE THAT ONE!"bouncey: THAT'S ONE WAY TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD!The dw says i am full of hot air... thats good for 50lbs more cargo weight!:banghead:

[Jager]

Oh good. Another Nitrogen vs Air discussion.....

It's like Groundhog Day "bouncey:

LMAO !


Anyway, here is another site on the subject.
http://www.powertank.com/truth.or.hype/