Nitrogen in tires.

Oxbow

Well-known member
This may not belong in a truck forum, but I am curious about the use of nitrogen in truck tires.

We purchased new tires for our Excursion from Costco. They installed them and filled them with nitrogen. I had not heard of this before, and asked them about why they filled them with nitrogen. My assumption was that perhaps there was less variation in pressure going from summer to winter, or some such thing. They stated that the nitrogen improved fuel mileage. I'm not sure how that works, but I was wondering; Does anybody use nitrogen in truck tires?
 
This may not belong in a truck forum, but I am curious about the use of nitrogen in truck tires.

We purchased new tires for our Excursion from Costco. They installed them and filled them with nitrogen. I had not heard of this before, and asked them about why they filled them with nitrogen. My assumption was that perhaps there was less variation in pressure going from summer to winter, or some such thing. They stated that the nitrogen improved fuel mileage. I'm not sure how that works, but I was wondering; Does anybody use nitrogen in truck tires?
No nitro in my big truck, but in my pickup I do. It was like that when I bought it. Your assumption is correct about psi influx. I am not sure about fuel mileage, lots of items claim that & are very hard to prove. My tires do keep a steady psi across the board when it comes to different weather.

One downfall is filling a low tire. I was told you can put a few pounds of air to top off the tire, but nothing more than that - or it negates the advantages of nitrogen b/c of the air/nitro mix. A couple of the dealerships I have dealt with will top of your nitro for free, but that doesn't do any good if you are 30miles away from civilization.
 

Mitch504

Well-known member
The idea behind it is: air is 79% nitrogen, and 21% oxygen, (all the other gases together are a small fraction of a percent). Oxygen molecules are much smaller than nitrogen molecules, and the theory is that the smaller oxygen molecules pass through the pores in the rubber, and the larger nitrogen molecules don't.

According to this theory, a nitrogen filled tire won't lose pressure over time. The mileage claims are based on less rolling resistance from properly inflated tires.

Thus, if you frequently check your tire pressure and keep them topped up, there is no advantage to nitrogen filled tires.
 

Oxbow

Well-known member
Good to see you here Oldnotslow!

I am not aware of any commercial truck tire stores that carry nitrogen, but one would think that if it was cost effective in passenger vehicles it would really pay in truck tires.
 

CarolynMuro

New member
Yes, you are right nitrogen filled tires are efficient in pressure during the climatic changes from summer to winter.
 
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