The next best thing is always just around the corner. One of the latest and fastest growing available services in the automotive world is the use of nitrogen gas in your tires as opposed to regular air. The purpose of a tire is to not only provide traction for the car, but also to support the weight of the car. But anyone that has ever had a flat tire knows that it is in fact the air that holds up the vehicle.

Although new to consumers in the automotive world, nitrogen inflation in tires has actually been around for a long time. Pure nitrogen has been commonly used in race car tires (NASCAR, Formula 1, IndyCar, GT500), Aircraft (Commercial, Military and NASA), as well as heavy-duty and industrial equipment (cranes, earth-movers and mining equipment). This being said, it hasn’t been the unfamiliarity with the gas, but rather the supply and cost that has kept it from common use for so long.

Similarities:

Nitrogen and our air are both gases and do have some similarities. Did you know that the air we breathe is actually made up of 78% nitrogen (N2), along with only 21% oxygen (O2) and another 1% of other miscellaneous gases? Also, as with all gases across the board, temperature affects their pressure per square inch (psi). For about every 10° Fahrenheit increase in temperature, there is about a 1 psi increase in pressure. This is one of the reasons that we must check are vehicles air pressure constantly throughout the year due to temperature change, and in the morning prior to the heat generated when driving and the warmth of the sun.

Differences:

The rubber in tires, when observed through a microscope, are actually a porous weave of spaghetti like strands. Because of this, regular air is actually able to permeate or escape through the microscopic holes in tires at about a rate of 1-2 psi per month. Nitrogen molecules actually have more trouble finding their way escaping through tires. The pressure will decrease at a rate of 3-4 times slower than air. This makes it easier to maintain tire pressure considering the majority of automobile owner’s never check their own.

Nitrogen is also a slow-moving or inert gas due to its non-reactive nature with other elements and materials. This makes it more pure and a dry gas that doesn’t support the moisture that air has in it. The moisture in air is reactive with the steel inner cord and the various metals used in wheels. This reaction will cause wheels to rust, chrome to peel and the tire to develop unusual wear due to inner tire cord corrosion. This is especially beneficial to low mileage drivers and those that use higher mileage tires (60,000-80,000 mile warranty).

The impurities in air make the pressure less consistent and less predictable under increasing temperatures in a racing development due to moisture. This is the reason nitrogen gas is used. It is more reliable in determining the handling characteristics of the tire. A highly competitive race car driver would definitely benefit from nitrogen where every little bit matters.

As a free service, nitrogen gas in tires is a great deal and will provide some added benefits. It can be helpful to those that procrastinate or just disregard their tire maintenance. A lot of shops will charge $5 dollars a tire which isn’t so bad to a less desirable $10 a tire. If you have high mileage tires that are expected to last a long period of time or just don’t drive that often, this product is right for you. Considering tire prices are constantly on the rise, any little thing that will save us money helps.