Is there any benefit to filling tires with Nitrogen ?

 

Nitrogen molecules are larger that air molecules so it will not escape through the beads of the tires like compressed air would.... or so I have been told.

 

Nitrogen is less prone to change tire pressure with heat. Your pressures will remain more constant.

Roy

 

isn't the atmosphere about 80% nitrogen anyways?

 

Also you get less wheel corrosion with Nitrogen. I've used nitrogen in my race bike tires so that the tires dont' gain as much pressure when they get hot and subsequently lose grip. At any rate its only a couple of pounds you gain (3-5 depending on your initial tire pressure on a bike - not sure about a car) from cold to hot, and as long as you know that and take it into account when setting your initial pressures, its not a factor... again thats on a race bike, I assume car tires would be similar but I don't know for sure.

The local bike shops are charging $7 per tire to put it in, and you don't get $14 worth of benefit from it. We had a nitrogen tank at the track so we used it. If, for whatever reason, we didnt have the tank, it was no big deal, you just have to check your pressures hot and cold.

Argon is actually even better as an inert gas, but harder to come by.

 

As stated the basic reason is for consistent air pressure, depending on the tire and ambient temps you can get a 5psi change pretty easily.

Oh and try costco, from what I recall they will fill your tires with N.