Nitrogen Tire Fill Anybody?

[PETSNKE]

A few weeks ago a co-worker was telling me how he got the optional nitrogen tire fill when he ordered new tires at Costco Warehouse Club. He said he noticed a big difference right away, but I discounted his opinion since he actually upgraded to quality tire.

After running at Gingerman last month I saw my tire pressures exceed 60 PSI a couple times through the course of the day and had to adjust pressures accordingly. I was thinking maybe I should look into nitrogen for more consistant tire pressures. The following week I called Costco to inquire about it, basically told me they only offer it with a tire purchase and I had to become a member for $45/year.

Well now a local tire shop has it available and cost is approx. $5-8 a tire. Since it's new to them also they didn't know if they could legally fill my portable air tank with nitrogen or if I would have to purchase a small tank & regulator from their supplier. I have to have a supply to adjust my pressures from street-track, front-rear and left-right.

Anyone here have any opinions? Am I just wasting my time and money or should I pursue this.

 

[ShelbyGuy]

in order to do it right you need to pull a vacuum on the tire too.

you could always drill a 2nd hole in your wheels and run a pressure relief valve. change the pill inside it to control what psi it bleeds off at.

 

[Cobra-R]

get a nitrogen tank and a regulator. It's not that expensive to get setup, nitrogen is very cheap to get refilled.

Brian

 

[PETSNKE]

in order to do it right you need to pull a vacuum on the tire too.

I bet there not pulling a vaccum at $5-8 a tire. Maybe I'll call there other location and see if someone over there is little more knowlegeable.

The pressure relief valve idea sounds cool, but way too much work for a guy that attends 8-10 track days per year :dw:

 

[ac427cobra]

Larry:

I use a Nitrogen tank to fill my tires. It's kept in the hauler. Like John said, to properly do it you need to either vacumn out all the air or you can fill and purge the tire with the Nitrogen several times to get all the air out. (3 or 4 times should do it) I only do it twice cause I'm a miserly Scot!! ;-)

I was just reading an article about this and moisture is the only reason Nitrogen is used. Some race teams are just using compressed air now but they are implementing real sophisticated air drying systems to dry the air.

The pressure in the tires does not build nearly as much with the Nitrogen. They do make a bleeder that you can buy and it will not allow your tires to pressurize higher than the specified amount.

FWIW :thumbsup: :coolman: :beer:

 

[svtcobras]

Aircraft use nitrogen, problem with it seems to be that it actually leaks through the "pores" of the tubes/ tires. Great for racing, but not street use as you may have to contantly check pressure due to seepage. (more often than normal)
Just my 2 cents.

 

[ShelbyGuy]

and in the off season you can have guinness on tap

 

[Mr. Mysti]

and in the off season you can have guinness on tap

Wouldn't that be w/ CO2?

Larry,

A friend of mine got me some info from a place in Joliet and told the guy I was racing (Which I'm not) and the guy offered to set me up N/C if I would put a sticker on my car. :-D Anyways, he told my friend that the tank rental was like $50 ~ $100 /year (No sticker) and it is not the type of tank you want to transport to the track. There is a good thread on it @ CC.com

 

[PETSNKE]

Thanks for the replys, alot of good info.

I'm going to research this some more for next year when I'm running a fresh set of tires. Since I don't trailer my car, any tank I buy would have to be one of those small ones like I have on my oxy/acetlyne torch set. It would be alot easier if they would just fill my portable air tank that I use at the track now :??:

 

[ac427cobra]

Thanks for the replys, alot of good info.

I'm going to research this some more for next year when I'm running a fresh set of tires. Since I don't trailer my car, any tank I buy would have to be one of those small ones like I have on my oxy/acetlyne torch set. It would be alot easier if they would just fill my portable air tank that I use at the track now :??:

Larry:

I have seen the small Nitrogen tanks but the name of the company escapes me at the moment? You might want to do a search?

 

[PETSNKE]

and in the off season you can have guinness on tap

Would nitrogen enhance the guinness effect?

 

[b4409]

IMHO, using nitrogen for anything but a land speed record car seems like overkill. We use air all the time in aircraft tires when nitrogen is not available - there really is no performance difference that I've ever noticed. Nitrogen is considered an inert gas and therefore doesn't feed fires in aircraft wheel wells due to overheated brakes, etc. It's also dry and stable so it's a nice known quantity which is what we want when possible in the airplane business.

 

[b4409]

guiness on tap - that could be enough of a reason though :beer:

 

[Mr. Mysti]

IMHO, using nitrogen for anything but a land speed record car seems like overkill. We use air all the time in aircraft tires when nitrogen is not available - there really is no performance difference that I've ever noticed.

Bruce,

Thinking back to Aviation Weather, you know that humid air is thinner than dry air. So a tire filled w/ air and moisture will heat up and expand more as the relative humidity increases in the tire due to higher tire temp. Wasn't it every 10 Degree Centrigade that cuts atmospheric air ability to hold moisture in half? I think I read the increase in PSI while tracking are 1/2 ~ 2/3 when using Nitrogen vs Air. Nitrogen is supposed to provide more stable tire PSI. Then again, I am a CC.com Newbie Retard, so somebody chime in if I am wrong.

 

[ac427cobra]

Vince:

Dry air will expand less than moist air when heated. How much depends on the moisture content.

If it's important enough for the Big Boys, it's important enough for me. I need all the help I can get! :read:

 

[svtcobras]

If you are racing, great, otherwise I personally would'nt hassle with it.

 

[Mr. Mysti]

Vince:

Dry air will expand less than moist air when heated. How much depends on the moisture content.

That's what I was trying to say. :beer: