Racing cars have used this strategy for a long time. Airlines have used this same strategy on their jets and planes. Even large retailers are starting to offer it to their customers.



Now you may be saying to yourself, alright already, what is this all about? It is all about the new rage in car and truck tires. That new rage is filling your tires up with nitrogen instead of air.

This new idea of inflating tires with nitrogen is becoming so popular that now Costco offers nitrogen fill ups for their customers as an option when they buy new tires. Why would you want to fill your tires with nitrogen? Why do race cars and jets use nitrogen? Is there something they know that we don't?

The claim is nitrogen offers a number of advantages over air. The first claim, nitrogen can keep your tires at the correct pressure longer than air can. The claim suggests that nitrogen loss from your tires is up to three times slower than air. (All tires loose pressure through air loss through the semi permeable surface of the tire). It is assumed that if your tires are at the correct inflation for longer periods, you will save fuel because under inflated tires produce increased road friction and this in turn decreases fuel economy.

The supporters of nitrogen use say that aside from the gas saving benefits there are other benefits. Nitrogen supposedly runs at cooler temperatures than air. That means your tires will run at a cooler temperature and that means less expansion in the tire. The result of that is your tires should require less maintenance and could have a longer life.

The benefits of nitrogen are further enhanced by claims that there will be less internal corrosion of the rubber and the rim. Since air contains oxygen it starts to oxidize everything it comes in contact with. That means the tire rim will be oxidizing or rusting as soon as it is exposed to the air filling the tire. The tire itself also is oxidizing and eventually will break down.

Filling a tire with pure nitrogen means there is no oxygen in the tire. Therefore there is no oxidation occurring. The claimed result? Your tires will last longer and be safer.

Are these claims and benefits of using nitrogen true? Is nitrogen a wonder drug for your tires? It is certainly worth considering. There are many car experts who say that the benefits of nitrogen are limited and given the extra cost and hassle of filling up with nitrogen it is not a good investment. There is still much controversy and many questions as to whether nitrogen filled tires are the way to go.