Rusty Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Anyone on this board using N instead of regular compressor air ? Supposedly, not susceptible to condensation, and corrects the problem with the corrosion inside the wheels. I only just learned it's available from one of the local discount tire outlets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CadiKing Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Anyone on this board using N instead of regular compressor air ? Supposedly, not susceptible to condensation, and corrects the problem with the corrosion inside the wheels. I only just learned it's available from one of the local discount tire outlets. Yes, I have heard of it at Sam's Club. $5/wheel. N molecules are larger and will leak out slower... I was not aware of the corrosion fix. Sounds like a good idea. I have a 300m which requires air every week. The rims are crap. Oxidation is relentless. I have tried everything to no avail. I am considering N. We'll see what others say. good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Anyone on this board using N instead of regular compressor air ? Supposedly, not susceptible to condensation, and corrects the problem with the corrosion inside the wheels. I only just learned it's available from one of the local discount tire outlets. Yes, I have heard of it at Sam's Club. $5/wheel. N molecules are larger and will leak out slower... I was not aware of the corrosion fix. Sounds like a good idea. I have a 300m which requires air every week. The rims are crap. Oxidation is relentless. I have tried everything to no avail. I am considering N. We'll see what others say. good luck. There wouldn't be any water vapor with pure nitrogen - that might help slow down any corrosion but I wouldn't think nitrogen filled tires would leak slower than compressed air since compressed air is 80% nitrogen anyway. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garlicdude Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I doubt that the rims are crap, I think the problem might be if the chrome gets the smallest of nicks you create a place for rust to start. The rust migrates under the chrome and in a short while the chrome starts to flake off. The small nicks probably come from changing tires, and normal wear and tear. I would think the problem would be worse where they salt the roads. One of the few remaining benefits of living in California, no salt on the roads, at least in the flatlands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OynxSTS Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Moisture is not the cause of corrosion, it just makes it easier to occur. For something to oxidize you need oxygen (or some other oxidizer ). Moisture is almost never pure H2O on our cars, even spring rain contains dissolved salts and O2 which cause the corrosion. Of course Air is about 18% O2 so it too is a great source of oxygen. Now theoretically if you fill the tires with N2 (which is mostly inert) or Ar (which it totally inert) the wheels should not corrode. That is if they are corroding from the inside out; my tire guy feels that the tire corrode from the outside in... And the evidence tends to support this as (on my car anyway) the inside (read wettest/dirtiest) edges of rims were corroding first. If they were corroding from the inside out then the corosion should be even on the "inside" and "outside" rims... But for $5 bucks a wheel... give it a shot... It can't hurt. Easin' down the highway in a new Cadillac, I had a fine fox in front, I had three more in the back ZZTOP, I'm Bad I'm Nationwide Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buchat Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Costco fills their tires with nitogen at no extra charge. Both my cars have it now. New tires with N2 have the tell tale green caps installed on the valve stems. This technology is to preserve the rubber from oxygen infiltration that will degrade the tire over time (from the inside out). The experts claim regular compressed air leaks through the side wall, thus ruins the tire. The store owners have to warantee the tires with less returns is the driving force here, rim health is a bonus! Also only a small cylinder and regulator is needed, not a huge air comp system= more profit. They can fill a lot of tires on one tank! I believe in time all tire dealers will be using it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hud Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I worked on airplanes several years ago, and we were required to use "dry nitrogen" on the systems. I think it is somewhat more expensive and different than what Costco or Sam's use to fill auto tires. Is what they are selling "dry" or "regular" nitrogen and just charging more for something that is a cool thing to use or make us think it is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spurlee Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Cosco here in IL will fill for no charge, I put it in my Corvette tires. They did not require topping off during the season. If they did, though, I'd be running to Cosco all the time which could be a pain. I was told the stuff is less sensitive to heat related expansion and tires maintain a more even pressure. True? Scott 1996 El Dorado 2006 STS 2000 Corvette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I was told the stuff is less sensitive to heat related expansion and tires maintain a more even pressure. True? True, that is why aircraft use Nitrogen. Huge temp differentials between ground and cruise altitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyG Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Good post! I was wondering about the stuff myself. Now, how do you get all the "regular air" out before filling with N? Never underestimate the amount of a persons greed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stefank Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Last spring I got new summer tires (Michelin) on my Cadillac and had them filled with nitrogen at a little extra charge (don't remember exactly how much it was). Don't know about effects pos or neg regarding the rims, but the tires kept their pressure for one year now without any loss. Not bad. Stefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gygmy Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 I had my tires filled with laughing gas. No problems with rust or anything. The only problems were that when I went to a Phish concert I came back to find that my tires were flat. Go figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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