leonm47

My 08 came with nitrogen in the tires. Now I was told that my dealer would inflate my tires free of charge. The problem I have is that tires are to checked cold is that not right? If my cold reading is say 26psi and it should be 30psi, by the time I drive to the dealership approx 5 miles from my house how am I to get a true reading to fill the tires to 30psi? Come on you experts school this dummy.

CQRT

Unless you changed tires and wheels from those the factory put on, I'd be skeptical about the claims that your dealership drained `em and refilled `em with nitrogen.

The sticker on the door reads 30 lbs- cold and that's a good number regardless of what inert gas you fill them with. I also would be skeptical about gaining 4 lbs in five miles - - -they'll build heat=pressure with use, but not that quickly with normal highway driving.

BigJoe

Hmmm, my tires are filled with 80% nitrogen and I can fill them in my own garage... The dealer just wants to make sure you have to come back often. IMO (and many others here) nitrogen is snake oil.

If all the hype were true the pressure change in a 5 mile drive would be unmeasurable. If you see more then maybe the nitrogen isn't working...

Vettin08

I actually got a coupon from my dealer where I pay once for the service, and they give you lifetime re-fill service on it. They also point out that they have the thing that sucks the air out or whatever. Even w/ it being free, it's just not worth the hassle for me to have to go to the dealer every time I need air. I'd rather spend .50 and do it myself in 1 minute.

Michrider

Set them at 30 cold at your home with good old air. It's worked for 100years of automotive history.

Nitrogen is the tire industry's latest snake oil.

JLMounce

FYI, nitrogen has been required by the FAA in corporate and commercial aircraft for years upon years. There's a reason for that.

If you live in a climate that has highly fluctuating temperaturs (like Colorado where it's 50 degrees today and will by 15 tomorrow) having nitrogen makes sense.

If you live in So Cal where the temps are usually in the upper 70's low 80's it doesn't make sense.

Vette_DD

It's not rocket science.

1. Measure the pressure at home with cold tires. If the pressure is lower than 30 psi, subtract that number from 30 and that's how many pounds of nitrogen you need. If the pressure is greater than 30 psi, let out enough nitrogen to make the pressure 30 psi and don't go to the dealer.

2. If it was less than 30 psi, drive to the dealer. Now measure the tires again. Add however many psi were low from step 1. If they were 28 psi in step 1, add 2 psi to whatever they are now.

Dang. Anyone here watch the TV show, "Are you smarter than a 5th grader?"

Good luck getting your dealer to put nitrogen in your tires at 2 AM when you're going somewhere and the tires are low.

su8pack1

Air works just fine.

talon90

Don't waste your time with nitrogen. You will not realize any benefit for every day driving that would make it worth your while to drive to the dealership or worse, put this much thought in to having a nitrogen fill.

Chevtech

FYI :
Use of Nitrogen Gas in Tires #05-03-10-020A - (01/03/2008)



Models: 2008 and Prior GM Passenger Cars and Trucks (including Saturn)

2008 and Prior HUMMER H2, H3

2008 and Prior Saab 9-7X




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This bulletin is being revised to add the 2007-2008 model years. Please discard Corporate Bulletin Number 05-03-10-020 (Section 03 -- Suspension).


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GM's Position on the Use of Nitrogen Gas in Tires
General Motors does not oppose the use of purified nitrogen as an inflation gas for tires. We expect the theoretical benefits to be reduced in practical use due to the lack of an existing infrastructure to continuously facilitate inflating tires with nearly pure nitrogen. Even occasional inflation with compressed atmospheric air will negate many of the theoretical benefits. Given those theoretical benefits, practical limitations, and the robust design of GM original equipment TPC tires, the realized benefits to our customer of inflating their tires with purified nitrogen are expected to be minimal.

The Promise of Nitrogen: Under Controlled Conditions
Recently, nitrogen gas (for use in inflating tires) has become available to the general consumer through some retailers. The use of nitrogen gas to inflate tires is a technology used in automobile racing. The following benefits under controlled conditions are attributed to nitrogen gas and its unique properties:

• A reduction in the expected loss of Tire Pressure over time.

• A reduction in the variance of Tire Pressures with temperature changes due to reduction of water vapor concentration.

• A reduction of long term rubber degradation due to a decrease in oxygen concentrations.


Important: These are obtainable performance improvements when relatively pure nitrogen gas is used to inflate tires under controlled conditions.


The Promise of Nitrogen: Real World Use
Nitrogen inflation can provide some benefit by reducing gas migration (pressure loss) at the molecular level through the tire structure. NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has stated that the inflation pressure loss of tires can be up to 5% a month. Nitrogen molecules are larger than oxygen molecules and, therefore, are less prone to "seeping" through the tire casing. The actual obtainable benefits of nitrogen vary, based on the physical construction and the materials used in the manufacturing of the tire being inflated.

Another potential benefit of nitrogen is the reduced oxidation of tire components. Research has demonstrated that oxygen consumed in the oxidation process of the tire primarily comes from the inflation media. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that oxidation of tire components can be reduced if the tire is inflated with pure nitrogen. However, only very small amounts of oxygen are required to begin the normal oxidation process. Even slight contamination of the tire inflation gas with compressed atmospheric air during normal inflation pressure maintenance, may negate the benefits of using nitrogen.

GM Tire Quality, Technology and Focus of Importance
Since 1972, General Motors has designed tires under the TPC (Tire Performance Criteria) specification system, which includes specific requirements that ensure robust tire performance under normal usage. General Motors works with tire suppliers to design and manufacture original equipment tires for GM vehicles. The GM TPC addresses required performance with respect to both inflation pressure retention, and endurance properties for original equipment tires. The inflation pressure retention requirements address availability of oxygen and oxidation concerns, while endurance requirements ensure the mechanical structure of the tire has sufficient strength. This combination has provided our customers with tires that maintain their structural integrity throughout their useful treadlife under normal operating conditions.

Regardless of the inflation media for tires (atmospheric air or nitrogen), inflation pressure maintenance of tires is critical for overall tire, and ultimately, vehicle performance. Maintaining the correct inflation pressure allows the tire to perform as intended by the vehicle manufacturer in many areas, including comfort, fuel economy, stopping distance, cornering, traction, treadwear, and noise. Since the load carrying capability of a tire is related to inflation pressure, proper inflation pressure maintenance is necessary for the tire to support the load imposed by the vehicle without excessive structural degradation.

Important: Regardless of the inflation media for tires (atmospheric air or nitrogen), inflation pressure maintenance of tires is critical for overall tire, and ultimately, vehicle performance.

Hawk07

I coudn't begin to imagine driving to the dealer then waiting at the dealer while some lot monkey takes my car and fills the tire with a worthless product. You've got to be kidding...

RushThruLife

What do you know, someone else fills their tires with 80% nitrogen too. I also fill mine in my garage. Did you get the special nitrogen filling nozzle from discount auto like i did?

Wayne O

For all practical purposes, nitrogen isn't going to help much. If it's free and convenient fine. In your case, it isn't convenient. Besides, I'd be curious to watch the dealership actually going through the process of purging all their tires and putting-in 'pure' nitrogen. I'd be surprised if you really had a 95% (or higher) nitrogen purity level.

User 020720

Aww jeez not another nitrogen thread.

VetteManRay

Thanks for sharing.

Vettin08

Yeah, because it's cold at 38,000 feet

candlemuse

HotRodNeil

I have a special tire pump that pumps 79% nitrogen, which is good enough for me.

PappyTinker

That is true but I believe that the main reason for nitrogen inflation of aircraft tires is that nitrogen does not support combustion if the tires heat up too much on landing. Also, without oxygen, the inside of the tires won't oxidize. Anyone got another reason?

TehZ

GUYS!!! I filled my tires with liquid nitrogen and my car ROCKS now!!!!


LOL

I am a fan of gaseous Nitrogen fills... No more adding air due to season changes!