Anybody run Nitrogen in their tires?

[outkast]

I know I know....snake oil right, or is it?

Long story short, my buddy drives an 04 Silverado SS. He avg 14.9 hwy to and from his job 99% hwy. He changed over to nitrogen, 4$ per tire, and claims to now be running, 18.4 mpg at the same speed 70MPH, and a lil over 20 at 55.

Is this real? The local news last night just did a story on a city here, that changed all of their company vehicles to Nitrogen, and claim this will save the city big bucks.

I guess I wanna hear from you if you tried it or know someone who has tried it, and what the outcome was. They claim better MPG's, longer tire life, and better ride

 

[ELVATO]

The only things I'd believe would be longer tire life.

The only way I could believe better MPG would be because N2 keeps pressure longer. Air (which is almost 3/4s N2) does eventually leak out of the tire. But, as long as you constantly check your tire pressure with normal air, you should have the same benefit.

Also if you are going to do it, you'd have to make sure you completely deflate the tire, and refill with N2. Just adding N2 to the compressed air you already have in there will do nothing.

 

[outkast]

yes, it goes on a machine and is put on a vacuum then refiled with Nitrogen

 

[seeker]

Nascar and Indy car teams use nitrogen in tires. They are able to predict tire pressure fluxuation more accurately. The nitrogen filled tires have less water vapor in them. The water vapor contributes to wider fluctuations in pressure as the tire heats up and cools down. The more constant the tire pressure the better your mpg and better wear. I have heard that NASA and commercial airlines also use nitrogen in their tires. However I believe that if you maintain your tires by checking pressure often then save your money. You probably dont put your trucks tires to the same extreme conditions as Nascar or Indy race cars. Besides I hate the pretty green valve caps they use.

 

[walnuts4x4]

I agree 100% with ELVATO... i don't see how it would be that much better if you are religious with your tire pressure... but if you wanna do it I got some "headlight fluid and muffler bearings" that will give you 500 more HP

 

[KWT2000]

i tried nitrogen in my semi tires at a cost of a 120$ and the shop claimed i would see 5 to 7 tenths increase in fuel mileage well after two months of tracking my milage really close i didnt gain anything then got a flat om the road now one tire has regular air.. so i am convinced its just snake oil

 

[dgray69]

i ran N2 in my semi also and gained nothing, i had a pete 379 with a 550 cat and 18, i miss that truck, to bad every thing went to hell with the economy.and we still havent gotten out of the slump we are in,

 

[outkast]

Nice to know I'm in good company...I'm a trucker too....turned dispatcher..lol

I miss it bad...not the money, or lack there of, but driving in general.

 

[outkast]

I run a fleet of Petercar 357's

 

[walnuts4x4]

I feel out of place.... non-trucker LOL.... but for 8 months I drove a fully armored freightliner with a 40ft trailer in Iraq while I was in Air Force... and have been shot at and a IED blew up next to my humvee..... does that count as a "trucker"???