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Nitrogen Tires?


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I had the tires rotated on the van at costco. Now i saw signs up at costco that said that they use nitrogen as their "air" for the tires. i forgot to ask them about it because it slipped my mind and just remembered when i saw the cover on the tires were green when i got home. Is it safe to use? Advantages? Can i check the tire pressure with a regular tire pressure gauge??

AHHH! I made a mistake in the title. I meant NITROGEN "air" for the tires, not hydrogen, no wonder it looked kinda worng. mods please change title!!!

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I had the tires rotated on the van at costco. Now i saw signs up at costco that said that they use nitrogen as their "air" for the tires. i forgot to ask them about it because it slipped my mind and just remembered when i saw the cover on the tires were green when i got home. Is it safe to use? Advantages? Can i check the tire pressure with a regular tire pressure gauge??

AHHH! I made a mistake in the title. I meant NITROGEN "air" for the tires, not hydrogen, no wonder it looked kinda worng. mods please change title!!!

According to this article: http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Arc...ptember/05.html , unless you are driving on an oval at very high speeds, there isn't any reason to have nitrogen in your tires - especially if they charge you to put it in.

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I had the tires rotated on the van at costco. Now i saw signs up at costco that said that they use nitrogen as their "air" for the tires. i forgot to ask them about it because it slipped my mind and just remembered when i saw the cover on the tires were green when i got home. Is it safe to use? Advantages? Can i check the tire pressure with a regular tire pressure gauge??

AHHH! I made a mistake in the title. I meant NITROGEN "air" for the tires, not hydrogen, no wonder it looked kinda worng. mods please change title!!!

According to this article: http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Arc...ptember/05.html , unless you are driving on an oval at very high speeds, there isn't any reason to have nitrogen in your tires - especially if they charge you to put it in.

rotation is free ("air" or nitrogen also) when u buy the tires from them.

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Remember air is about 78% Nitrogen anyway. And nitrogen is very slightly "lighter" than oxygen (atomic weight of 2 Nitrogen atoms is 28; it's 32 for 2 Oxygen atoms; both come as a 2 atom package Oxygen makes up about 21% of air (water vapour, Carbon Dioxide, rare gasses, etc make up the rest). And the lighter gas will diffuse slightly more rapidly out of your tires (most tires average a pound or so of pressure/mo). Unless you are driving under really, really weird conditions, stick with compressed air. I betcha it's a gimmick to keep you coming back to Costco; rotation may be free, but not balancing and alignment. Besides, Costco may not be that convenient to add air. You should check your pressure with the tires "cold", which means at least 3 hours or more after parking it in the shade. And yes, you can check the pressure with a regular gauge. Now wasn't that more than you really wanted to know?

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Remember air is about 78% Nitrogen anyway. And nitrogen is very slightly "lighter" than oxygen (atomic weight of 2 Nitrogen atoms is 28; it's 32 for 2 Oxygen atoms; both come as a 2 atom package Oxygen makes up about 21% of air (water vapour, Carbon Dioxide, rare gasses, etc make up the rest). And the lighter gas will diffuse slightly more rapidly out of your tires (most tires average  a pound or so of pressure/mo). Unless you are driving under really, really weird conditions, stick with compressed air. I betcha it's a gimmick to keep you coming back to Costco; rotation may be free, but not balancing and alignment. Besides, Costco may not be that convenient to add air. You should check your pressure with the tires "cold", which means at least 3 hours or more after parking it in the shade. And yes, you can check the pressure with a regular gauge. Now wasn't that more than you really wanted to know?

What are all the benefits (if any) of putting nitrogen in your tires (other than what is mentioned) over regular air? :unsure: I've never heard of putting anything but regular air in tires before. :huh::blink:

Without being smart about it......as an example, why not heilium & such?

:cheers:

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Remember air is about 78% Nitrogen anyway. And nitrogen is very slightly "lighter" than oxygen (atomic weight of 2 Nitrogen atoms is 28; it's 32 for 2 Oxygen atoms; both come as a 2 atom package Oxygen makes up about 21% of air (water vapour, Carbon Dioxide, rare gasses, etc make up the rest). And the lighter gas will diffuse slightly more rapidly out of your tires (most tires average  a pound or so of pressure/mo). Unless you are driving under really, really weird conditions, stick with compressed air. I betcha it's a gimmick to keep you coming back to Costco; rotation may be free, but not balancing and alignment. Besides, Costco may not be that convenient to add air. You should check your pressure with the tires "cold", which means at least 3 hours or more after parking it in the shade. And yes, you can check the pressure with a regular gauge. Now wasn't that more than you really wanted to know?

yes, very much more! all i really wanted to know is if it is REASONABLE and ok to use in normal everyday city driving! ayyy, Costco and ther gimmicks! :pirate:

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Nitrogen is inert. Nitrogen in place of air will keep moisture out of the tires. Contrary to popular opinion, tire rubber is not impermeable. Tread separation in radial tires can often be traced to moisture from the air in tires, wicking it's way through the plies and corroding the steel belts. Nitrogen filling might be a way to avoid that.

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Without being smart about it......as an example, why not heilium & such?

:cheers:

Helium is a much smaller atom and much lighter than nitrogen. It will also diffuse faster becasue of it's lighter weight (atom size). This would lead to more rapid tire pressure loss; also helium isn't as inexpensive as nitrogen or compressed air... And, if you've ever breathed in helium, when you speak, your voice sounds like a cartoon character. Maybe your horn would sound weird also. (Ha Ha)

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Without being smart about it......as an example, why not heilium & such?

:cheers:

Helium is a much smaller atom and much lighter than nitrogen. It will also diffuse faster becasue of it's lighter weight (atom size). This would lead to more rapid tire pressure loss; also helium isn't as inexpensive as nitrogen or compressed air... And, if you've ever breathed in helium, when you speak, your voice sounds like a cartoon character. Maybe your horn would sound weird also. (Ha Ha)

lol HRP :lol:

The benefits sound great to using nitrogen instead of compressed air........I just wish it was more readily available as Costco is kind of out of my way to get my tires filled.......it's wise to adjust your air pressure when the tires are cold......by the time I get to Costco.......I will get an inaccurate reading :blink:

:cheers:

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  • 2 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...
costco does free tire rotation and also does many other services

that is if you buy the tires from them. otherwise, you'd have to pay (but very inexpensive though). like my GX, i had it rotated about 8 months ago at costco (can't remember how much it was) but they didn't have nitrogen yet. must be a new thing for 05! :wacko:

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  • 1 month later...

I got new tires replaced at Costco last week, and they filled them with Nitrogen. The employee there said that with Nitrogen in the tires, the tires will not lose any pressure unlike with regualar air. I believe the person said i would never have to worry about loss in tire pressure, but that sounds extreme.

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I got new tires replaced at Costco last week, and they filled them with Nitrogen. The employee there said that with Nitrogen in the tires, the tires will not lose any pressure unlike with regualar air. I believe the person said i would never have to worry about loss in tire pressure, but that sounds extreme.

I would have to agree........only filling your tires once & that's it? I doubt it. Especially if you have hot summers & extreme cold winters as in Toronto & other parts. :rolleyes: I'm sticking with normal air here.......sounds like a gimick to me honestly. :whistles:

:cheers:

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