Nitrogen Filled Tyres, any good?

[T9 man]

Have a friend who 4 months ago had the air removed from his tyres and then had them filled with Nitrogen! He says it was one of the cheapest and best modifications he has ever done to the car, £1.50 per tyre, he drives an Audi RS4 by the way!

He is experiencing a much better ride, it feels more sure when pushing it around tight bends, also he has not lost a lb of pressure after having them checked on Friday last!

Is the Nitrogen really that good? am giving it some thought for my own car, but only after I have consulted you chaps for guidance!

Cheers for any help you can give!

 

[obi_waynne]

The benefits are they keep the pressure for longer and they avoid the variation in pressure associated with heat. To see how bad this can be, take your tyre pressures from cold, go for a spirited run, and take the pressures again.

I doubt it would be that noticable though unless you are regularly driving on the edge.

 

[T9 man]

The benefits are they keep the pressure for longer and they avoid the variation in pressure associated with heat. To see how bad this can be, take your tyre pressures from cold, go for a spirited run, and take the pressures again.

I doubt it would be that noticable though unless you are regularly driving on the edge.

In an RS4 driving on the edge is a must I would have thought! lol


Cheers Waynne

 

[HDi fun]

It's not the nitrogen itself that makes a big difference, it's the fact that correct pressures are maintained for longer.

If you check your tyres regularly then there's not really much benefit to nitrogen filled tyres

 

[T9 man]

It's not the nitrogen itself that makes a big difference, it's the fact that correct pressures are maintained for longer.

If you check your tyres regularly then there's not really much benefit to nitrogen filled tyres

I see! I do check the tyres once a fortnight actually as I have this thing about tyres! merely thought that for £6.00 all round what harm could it do? My friend is pleased with his cars performance on the Nitrogen and he knows way more than I when it comes to these things; which is why I joined the forum, which was to increase my limited knowledge on this subject! :bigsmile:

 

[HDi fun]

I'm a bit neurotic about tyres as well. Along with steering alignment, brakes, and vision.

Not a bad thing I suppose.

 

[obi_waynne]

For the cost you have nothing to lose. Go for it and report back.

 

[HDi fun]

For the cost you have nothing to lose. Go for it and report back.

Good point - at six quid it's hardly worth thinking about.

 

[geraint13]

how popular is this then ? never heard of it before. i cover alot of miles in my car and am constantly busy. and for the cost then its all go if i can find someone local to do it.

 

[HDi fun]

It's been around for about a decade if my memory serves me right. Something else to look into is a permanent puncture sealant - Ultraseal.

 

[old-git]

It's been around for about a decade if my memory serves me right. Something else to look into is a permanent puncture sealant - Ultraseal.

Not too sure about this. How do you know when you get a nail in your tyre? Also, wouldn't fancy driving at ten tenths with the knowledge that my tyres may not be 100%

 

[old-git]

Copied this from the Uniflate site:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Under inflated tyres create drag which increases tread wear, fuel costs and the risk of punctures as well as having a significant effect on a cars performance both in handling and cost. Uniflate produces a stable inflation mixture that has improved pressure retention properties that will ensure tyres remain fully inflated for longer. By having your tyres at the correct pressures you will experience the following benefits:

1. Better handling and road holding
2. Reduces tread wear and increases tyre life by up to 25%
3. Correct inflation pressures reduce puncture risk by up to 33%
4. Reduced rolling resistance improves miles per gallon by 2%
5. Improved pressure retention "

All these benefits are achieved by correct tyre pressures. So if your tyres don't lose pressure and/or you check them regularly then nitrogen doesn't offer much but has the disadvantage of very few top up locations. I think I will stick with the free stuff for now
[/FONT]

I don't think that there would be any pressure difference advantage due to heat as air is 78% nitrogen anyway.

The guy noticed the difference because his tyres were probably underinflated prior to refilling with nitrogen. Very few people bother to check their tyre pressures until they look flat.

 

[HDi fun]

Not too sure about this. How do you know when you get a nail in your tyre? Also, wouldn't fancy driving at ten tenths with the knowledge that my tyres may not be 100%

I have used it very successfully. It is not, however, a substitute for checking your tyres pressure and general condition. Personally I don't think the manufacturers make this clear enough.

Playing around with an old treated tyre the stuff did seal tread area penetration very effectively, even after removal of the offending object.

It did not, however, stand up to cut made in the sidewall, which is, in fairness, what the makers say should happen because such a situation would be very dangerous leaving the driver unaware of the problem. I think this is what you're driving at and I agree totally.

Of course, I didn't actually mount the wheel on the car to test this for real. That would be like having a crash to see how the airbags deploy.

If, however, the stuff simply slowed down the total deflation of a burst sidewall it would give the driver a couple of extra seconds to take evasive action.

Permanently sealing small wounds in the tread area is beneficial in my opinion though.

Driving at 11 tenths with perfect tyres is of course the idea situation. But if you picked up a nail at 11 tenths it's nice to know that you stand less chance of a total pressure loss.

Again, and I am stressing this to everyone, tyre sealants and other such products, runflats, tyreon bands, pressure monitoring systems are all very good but you must inspect your tyres regularly.

 

[obi_waynne]

Nails in tyres get really really hot. I had a screw in mine and after a fairly short drive it was too hot to touch.

I think I will look into this tyre sealant stuff, even if it saves me a puncture repair fee and I've had 1 every 3 months it should pay for itself.

 

[herb]

I know hot and cold effect tyre pressure. But i'm not sure do you check your tyres and adjust while the tyres are hot or cold?

 

[obi_waynne]

As with most things it is a best guess average. If you do low mileage and short journeys in winter you need higher base pressures than in the summer or for high speed, hard driving.

 

[obi_waynne]

An alternatieve view http://www.tyresave.co.uk/nitrogen.html there are no discernable benefits.

 

[old-git]

An alternatieve view http://www.tyresave.co.uk/nitrogen.html there are no discernable benefits.

Says it all - a waste of money. Put the money towards a set of plugs - this will give you better performance and improved fuel efficiency.

 

[HDi fun]

Says it all - a waste of money. Put the money towards a set of plugs - this will give you better performance and improved fuel efficiency.

A lighter right foot will achieve good results as well.

 

[T9 man]

Says it all - a waste of money. Put the money towards a set of plugs - this will give you better performance and improved fuel efficiency.

Cheers for the advice! never been one for bothering about fuel economy,
if it needs more petrol then I fill the tank again, simples!

 

[T9 man]

A lighter right foot will achieve good results as well.

The old right foot has developed much better control over the years thanks! but I think for only £6 I should try this for purely scientific reasons! some Kwikfit garages believe it or not, supply Nitrogen now! I will report back with my findings at the weekend as i'm now booked in tomorrow afternoon to have the tyres filled. I have a nice long run out to Bromsgrove Worcestershire on Thursday to Viezu, so I shall see if there is any noticeable difference.

 

[HDi fun]

The old right foot has developed much better control over the years thanks! but I think for only £6 I should try this for purely scientific reasons! some Kwikfit garages believe it or not, supply Nitrogen now! I will report back with my findings at the weekend as i'm now booked in tomorrow afternoon to have the tyres filled. I have a nice long run out to Bromsgrove Worcestershire on Thursday to Viezu, so I shall see if there is any noticeable difference.

Please report back - I'd like to know your findings.

 

[geraint13]

would be intrested to know the results.

 

[obi_waynne]

Me too! You can't beat a real world test.

 

[HDi fun]

Me too! You can't beat a real world test.

Of course, we do expect you to corner up to and far beyond the limit of lateral grip. Not 'til the door handles are upon the road surface should you relent in pursuit of accurate technical feedback.

 

[turbonutter69]

My focus tyre's got filled with nitrogen a few weeks ago and it made very little difference at all. Infact if anything it's made the back end a bit twitchy.

 

[old-git]

Being that there is not much difference between the make up of the gases (78% nitrogen/21% oxygen and 94%nitrogen/5% oxygen) I still reckon the differences noticed are more the differences in tyre pressures before and after filling along with unconscious changes in driving technique - a bit like changing the air filter and the car feeling faster, but only because you are pushing the throttle slightly harder!

If the pressures in the tyres are the same before and after I can't see why there would be any handling differences, other than in the drivers head

 

[geraint13]

i was looking through some of my recipts for my car, then i noticed my new tyres fitted at kwik - fit where nitrogen filled. i last checked them 3 weeks ago and checked them again today and noticed they havent lost any pressure at all. so, it does work. where as my fronts were air filled and they lost 7psi. down from 39 to between 32-33psi. i have got to start reading my invoices instead of just paying the bill. lol.

 

[pgarner]

how long a period was the 7psi lost ? were the previous tyres in good condition ?

cant say mines have changed in 3 months filled with just good old air

 

[old-git]

A properly installed tyre on a good condition rim should remain stable for months, even years.

Nitrogen doesn't guarantee no leaks, so you could end up looking for a supplier away from home or have to fill up with 'ordinary' air, thereby negating any perceived advantage.

I fail to see any point or advantage in spending hard earned cash on what appears, to me, to be a gimmick aimed at the gullible I can just see people filling up with nitrogen and never checking their tyres again.

 

[HDi fun]

A properly installed tyre on a good condition rim should remain stable for months, even years.

Nitrogen doesn't guarantee no leaks, so you could end up looking for a supplier away from home or have to fill up with 'ordinary' air, thereby negating any perceived advantage.

I fail to see any point or advantage in spending hard earned cash on what appears, to me, to be a gimmick aimed at the gullible I can just see people filling up with nitrogen and never checking their tyres again.

My opinion is the same with sealants. Tyres must be checked regularly. Low mileage drivers often forget that a 6 year old tyres, despite having plenty of tread, may well be due for replacement due to atmospheric ageing and rubber deterioration.

 

[obi_waynne]

Absolutely agree, check pressures, sidewalls and tread across the full width of the tyre regularly.

Rubber deterioration should not relistically happen to a properly inflated tyre under about 10 years. Underinflated tyres flex, overheat and breakup and these exhibit accelerated wear and tear.

 

[Twamgl3]

This is the funniest thread I've read in a while!

I knew a mechanic quite well and he explained to me that a chap came in asking for his tyres to be filled with nitrogen. The mechanic told him he could do 78% nitrogen and the chap was happy with that.

Later on he came back to tell him what a good job he'd done and how happy he was with his nitrogen tyres!

The mechanic told me he just put the tyres to the right pressures!

Ha ha ha ha

 

[obi_waynne]

! Typical, I bet he charged extra for it as well!

 

[T9 man]

Please report back - I'd like to know your findings.

Well its done, the car is full of Nitrogen! and I must say that I cannot notice any discernable difference in the cars road handling capabilities.

Have just completed 360 miles on the motorway and 30 around town and can honestly say that there was NO wow factor here! although I did note a slight improvement if I push the car round a roundabout but that's about it i'm afraid gents!

Tried to be very objective here and to report back with accurate findings and not to be caught up in believing the hype!

 

[HDi fun]

I'm not even slightly surprised that the results are as they are. Thanks for reporting back.

 

[ronniecalcutta]

It's not the nitrogen itself that makes a big difference, it's the fact that correct pressures are maintained for longer.

If you check your tyres regularly then there's not really much benefit to nitrogen filled tyres

Straight to the point..

 

[old-git]

This is the funniest thread I've read in a while!

I knew a mechanic quite well and he explained to me that a chap came in asking for his tyres to be filled with nitrogen. The mechanic told him he could do 78% nitrogen and the chap was happy with that.

Later on he came back to tell him what a good job he'd done and how happy he was with his nitrogen tyres!

The mechanic told me he just put the tyres to the right pressures!

Ha ha ha ha

 

[obi_waynne]

I still get people asking about Nitrogen filled tyres and claiming all sorts of performance advantages!

 

[old-git]

Unless ALL of the air is removed from the tyre (not just let down as it will still be full of air at atmospheric pressure) you will not achieve much more nitrogen than if you simply refilled with normal air, which is already 80% nitrogen. If you get to 90% you will be doing very well. Do you really believe that an increase of 12.5% will make any difference? If you do, please explain your reasoning.