I want to know if anyone has ever used nitrogen in their tires? I can get it for 5$
per tire but was wondering if its worth it. The claim is that the tires run cooler and last considerably longer, any truth to this? I know the high performance tires on the S only last 8-12,000 miles on the rears and would like to get maximum mileage from them. Any responses would be appreciated, happy v-tecing.

 

Well, I run about 80% nitrogen in my tires all the time -- always have. Never caused me any problems, and it's always been free. HPH

 

It's a good idea, as the tires do not loose (change) pressure as much.

If you buy the tires through costco, they fill it up with nitrogen for free. Anyone knows if other places do it for free to?

What about helium?

 

It's worthless. Nitrogen is used in racing tires because there is less fluctuation in tire pressure due to water vapor in the air and other irregularities. Tires on professional race cars are filled with 100% nitrogen, where tire pressure is extremely important.

However, your tire starts off with regular air in it. (Did you know regular air is 78% nitrogen?) Then nitrogen is pumped in. Your tire isn't really better off. If they pumped out all the air so there is a vaccuum in the tire, and THEN fill it with nitrogen, there might be some value.

Also, you can no longer fill up with air at gas stations--you'll have to pay $5 to fill your tires back up with Nitrogen if the pressure drops, which it inevitably will.

 

Apply the $5 to your gas budget instead.

 

Actually, you can fill the nitrogen filled tire with any air pump at gas station if it ever looses pressure.

I agree though, that the application is not really worth it if you're paying for it--the only benefit is that the pressure it holds will be more consistent, ie decreased tire wear, fuel consumption... pretty useless on a car like the s2k where you cant keep the tires for more than 20k miles anyways (due to more aggressive alignment and driving characteristics)

 

Oh, I know. My point is that it won't be OMG Nitrogen gas that you're filling up with anymore, which kinda defeats the purpose.

 

Sorry, way too anal retentive for me.

ps. Speaking of which, what's with all the double posting?

 

Comming from the racing industry that is all that goes in my tires. Studies have shown that not only does it decrease pressure fluctuations due to heat build, but because bottled nitrogen is pure it helps prolong the life of your tires because it does not have any of the moisture that compressed air has in it. Unless their is air system that pumps your tires has a descant air purification system installed there can be high levels of moisture in regular compressed air. The tricky part is finding some one who has the equipment to mount the tires with nitrogen, then pull a vaccum on the tire once it is mounted and reinflate them with pure nitrogen. I have a rig fixed up at the shop that hooks to my vaccum pump which will let me pull the tire to full vaccum then reinflate it will pure nitrogen.

But here is the catch is it really worth $20 to have some one put nitrogen in your tires? Proably not. Unless you track the car on often, and I'm talking for more than 30 mins each run you're not going to tell any difference. During street driving you will not build up very much heat in your day to day driving, and even autocross runs are to short to heat the tires enough to gain more than .5psi a run. To add to this is the fact that you'll most likely burn through a set of tires in less than a year, the moisture has not time to deteriate the tire from the inside. So unless you plan on circuit racing the car or storing it for a long time don't waste the money. I do it because we have the nitrogen sitting there and I have the ability to vaccum the tire. Oh and a large 2500psi bottle of nitrogen is only $15 to have filled so whoever is charging $5 a tire to fill them with nitrogen is ripping you a new one.

 

You should run with WINTER air all year round;tires run much colder !!!
I put the air in,around January,when it's about -30 C*;very effective !!!