Should nitrogen be used to inflate car tyres for better performance or normal air? Nitrogen for car tyres is the latest topic of consideration for car owners as many service dealers would convince you to make the switch. But before you decide which gas to use, you need to know all about nitrogen, its use, and the pros and cons of using it.
What is Nitrogen?
Nitrogen is a non-toxic gas that comprises 78% of the air we breathe. For years, nitrogen has been used in X-Ray machines, CPUs, aircraft and racing car tyres. As of recently, nitrogen is being used to pump up tyres for passenger cars.
Nitrogen for Car Tyres – Benefits
The reason why car service dealers promote the use of nitrogen is due to its ability to keep a constant pressure in tyres and maintain stability in pressure over a long time. Moreover, nitrogen also enhances the ride quality and increases the tyre’s durability without causing any corrosion to rims or damaging the interior rubber. All in all, nitrogen helps in lowering the rate of pressure loss and gives the tyre a long life.
Disadvantages
After being acquainted with these benefits why wouldn’t you want your car’s tyres to be filled with nitrogen? Well, for one nitrogen is considerably expensive than normal air and hence not a great option in the long run. Furthermore, the tyres are susceptible to some pressure loss and will gradually require a little air to be added to them to function properly. Once normal air is added to tyres inflated with nitrogen, it is going to lose its benefits and become ineffective. Moreover, nitrogen is not readily available at every service station as it is restricted to certain specialist dealers only. Therefore, tyres with nitrogen require higher maintenance and may not be worth the conveniences they offer.
Final Thoughts
Tyres with nitrogen work well for racing cars as their tyre’s pressure keeps varying as the grip changes constantly. However, using nitrogen for a normal car may not be very practical considering the costs and maintenance required.