| Since the invention of the automobile, tires have | | | | harder. All these changes are normal and occur with |
| been filled with plain old air. In recent years, however, | | | | air filled tires, and while it doesn't make much |
| nitrogen has moved in as the tire filler of choice for | | | | difference in the short term, over time it will have an |
| many motorists as it has supposed benefits over air. | | | | impact on gas mileage as well as tire and engine |
| Some people believe that the benefit of nitrogen in | | | | wear. |
| tires outweighs the one drawback, price, and others | | | | Nitrogen Prevents Leakage |
| think filling tires with nitrogen is a waste of money. | | | | Tires filled with nitrogen can avoid the long term |
| So is nitrogen really better than air? In some | | | | leakage of air as nitrogen does not react with rubber |
| circumstances, yes it probably is; and in others, no it | | | | like air does and will not leak out. Nitrogen filled tires |
| probably is just a waste of money. | | | | will stay inflated, unless there is a puncture, which will |
| More Expensive | | | | reduce tire and engine wear when compared to air |
| It has become pretty easy to find tire dealers that | | | | filled tires. Gas mileage will also remain at optimal |
| offer nitrogen filling service. But where you would | | | | levels as tires suffer no loss of psi. Of course, if a |
| pay 25 cents (or nothing) to use an air compressor | | | | tire is already riddled with microscopic holes caused |
| to fill all four tires, you can expect to pay up to ten | | | | from air leakage, nitrogen will still have a chance to |
| dollars per tire to have them filled with nitrogen. It | | | | escape. |
| may seem like a great expense, but if nitrogen really | | | | Nitrogen is used in many high dollar tires that are |
| does all that it is supposed to, it may be worth it. | | | | used with race cars, aircraft, and military vehicles. |
| Nitrogen is supposed to prolong the life of tires and | | | | These tires are very expensive and the cost of |
| increase gas mileage. Tires normally lose small | | | | replacing them makes the cost of nitrogen in tires |
| amounts of air through minuscule holes in the surface | | | | worth it. It is more economical to pay for nitrogen |
| of the tire. Over time, this leads to a small decrease | | | | and preserve the life of the tires. |
| in tire pressure, usually no more than a couple of psi. | | | | |
| While most drivers will not notice this small drop in | | | | When Is It A Good Idea? |
| tire pressure, it will affect gas mileage and cause you | | | | Since car tires are considerably less expensive than |
| to use more fuel. | | | | space shuttle tires, it is not necessarily a good idea to |
| | | | use nitrogen. If you have just invested in a brand |
| The Costs Of Losing Pressure | | | | new set of high quality tires and you want to |
| Losing pressure also causes the tires to wear faster | | | | preserve them, using nitrogen from the start will |
| as more of the surface comes in contact with the | | | | probably be an economical choice. If you have older |
| road. This increase in surface area on the road also | | | | tires that have already been filled with air, switching |
| creates friction which will make the engine work | | | | to nitrogen is probably not worth it. |