Nitrogen filled tires?

[Spletbr]

Any experiences with nitrogen filled tiers, pro/con? And what happens when you have to top up with plain old air?

[JRTJH]

Plain old air is 78% nitrogen. Most people don't see an obvious advantage to the expense/increased problems finding nitrogen to add pressure to trailer tires. Now, if you were towing at 30K feet (jet fighter), concerned with a potential blowout at 200 MPH (NASCAR) or just like the sight of those "pretty green valve stem caps"......

For me, about 3 years ago, I bought an aluminum utility trailer with "nitrogen filled tires". That lasted for about 6 or 7 months until we were in Las Vegas and I checked tires getting ready to tow back home. Yep, now that trailer, like everything else I own, has "mixed air" with probably 85% nitrogen instead of the 78% like the rest...

If the nitrogen fill comes as part of a package, why not... If you've got to pay extra, how long will it be before you're also paying extra to air them up ???

[dutchmensport]

This topic has come up on many different RV / camping forums over the years and the general consensus is, it's just a marketing ploy. Use regular air and don't loose any more sleep over the issue. In the end, there is no advantage to having nitrogen in your street tires, except it makes your wallet thinner. Multi-million dollar race cars with million dollar tires is a different matter, but on your "street tires", there is no advantage. Buy your own air compressor and don't look back.

[sourdough]

I agree with the above. Promoting nitrogen for normal use is simply a gimmick and not feasible.

[notanlines]

A repost from about five years ago:


This website has a fairly good comparison/tests and is worth a read, although a little long.
https://powertank.com/truth.or.hype/
I am reprinting their conclusion here.
"Conclusion of High Pressure Gas Test:
At the higher tire pressure commonly seen in RV tires we took the gases through a temperature range of 154ºF (-20ºF up to 134ºF). Our start pressure was 80 PSI @ -20ºF and over the 154ºF temperature increase we saw the gas pressures all increase virtually the same amount to within 2 PSI of each other. In the end, the N2 and "air" test samples topped at 108 PSI while the CO2 sample topped out at 110 PSI. Note that the pressure changes that we saw in our bottles are the same as what you'd experience in your big RV tires despite the difference in volume. What does this mean? No matter which of these gases is in your RV tires, your handling, performance and tire wear will be the same."

[rjrelander]

But feel free to keep using the "pretty green valve stem caps" because they look cool.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by rjrelander

But feel free to keep using the "pretty green valve stem caps" because they look cool.

I took mine off; they "clashed" with the looks of my truck.

[chuckster57]

So my question is- if they are filled with only nitrogen, how did they keep the tire on the rim when they pulled the vacuum needed to extract everything else?

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by sourdough

I agree with the above. Promoting nitrogen for normal use is simply a gimmick and not feasible.

Nitrogen filled tires on a 1/2 ton towable 4 season 5th wheel!!!
There's a mouthful for a rv salesman.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Nitrogen filled tires on a 1/2 ton towable 4 season 5th wheel!!!
There's a mouthful for a rv salesman.

Along with all the other things they spew in that "mouthful".

[CWtheMan]

A USTMA Nitrogen use document.

https://www.ustires.org/sites/defaul...B_44_USTMA.pdf