Why Nitrogen, Do I Need It?
Filling up Nitrogen in car tyres has been among the most asked topics relating to vehicle tyre maintenance. In some nations, the federal governments are examining the possibility of making Nitrogen in tyres obligatory. Some existing governments intention is to pave the way for new regulations for tyre producers to use silicon with rubber which might help minimize roadway accidents and enhance overall tyre quality.
The whole ‘Nitrogen in tyres’ thing originated from the fact that race cars and aeroplanes use Nitrogen instead of regular air in their tyres. This is because tyres of both racecars and aeroplanes function at very high speeds which translates into high operating temperatures. Regular Oxygen-Compressed air (air from most service stations) doesn’t work very well at those temperatures.
Any Advantages?
A lot of them really.
There are multiple aspects that make Nitrogen more appropriate as the inflating gas of choice than routine air. Essentially, Nitrogen is less likely to leave the tyre’s rubber compared to air which equates into the tire pressure staying the same for a longer duration. Even more, Nitrogen also shows less pressure modification with the change in temperatures as against Oxygen, which results in consistent air pressure. Additionally, Nitrogen withstands moisture better than Oxygen and thus there is less chance for your rims to get rusted. All this leads to a drop in the tyre upkeep expenses together with fuel expenses.
Tests have shown that, even with a small amount of moisture present in a nitrogen-filled tyre, pressures can increase more than when simply filled with compressed air. Some companies have also claimed that nitrogen can improve ride quality as well as increased tyre life but there are no differences to the benefits associated with maintaining the correct tyre pressure for your car and driving conditions.
Interestingly, It has been recorded that most tyre bursts are due to the tyre running at a lower pressure than the manufacturers recommended settings
Nitrogen stays in the tyre longer than regular air, so the chances of the tyre losing pressure are lowered as compared to when the tyre is with regular air. Lastly, Nitrogen also helps the tyre run at a lower temperature and this leads to less stress on the tyre and overall longer periods between replacement
Conclusion
Even after all the benefits above, about Nitrogen in tyres, the expense of using it rather than compressed air outways the decision by most Just keeping your tyres pressure at the correct level and topping air up frequently will give you the exact same results of superior and better fuel performance and vehicle handling. Car safety is more about tyre pressure rather than the gas utilized in the tyre.
But when you can fill up at most service stations for free, Is the extra expense of between $5 and $10 per tyre worth it? and most Aussies would say no.
