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Nitrogen In Tires

Nicks J
Whether it is a two wheeler or a four wheeler, nitrogen filled tires are recommended by many vehicle manufacturers and dealers. This is because, nitrogen helps to increase tire life as well as improve the mileage of vehicles.
Whenever we think of inflating tires, normal compressed air is the first thing that comes to our mind. However, did you know that commercial aircrafts, Formula One cars as well as vehicles in the US Military use nitrogen in tires. Why? Simply because nitrogen provides better stability to vehicles, while driving in extreme conditions.

Benefits

Increases Tire Life: Are you thinking of how to increase the durability of your tires? Well, replacing air with nitrogen is all that is required. Nitrogen works by decreasing oxidation on the rim, which is responsible for deterioration of tires.
This dramatically provides a boost to the average lifespan of your tires. Studies have also proved that tire inflation with nitrogen can prolong their life by 30%. So, for a longer tire life, filling it with more than 90% nitrogen seems to be the best option.
Improves Fuel Economy: As we all know, tire inflation pressure is very important to prevent accidents and improve gas mileage. Insufficient tire pressure often leads to more fuel consumption. The rate at which pressure loss occurs with nitrogen is very less, as compared to normal air. Nitrogen keeps the tire inflated for a longer period of time and provides a far superior tire pressure than achieved through regular compressed air, which certainly helps to reduce fuel consumption.
Wheels Free from Rust: Rim rust is a common problem that many vehicle owners face. This happens because regular air in the tires leads to moisture buildup in the rim, which causes rim to rust over a period of time. Nitrogen, being an inert dry gas, does not change to liquid state, so there is no question of moisture affecting the rim.
Eliminates Oxidation: Oxidation is a destructive process that accelerates the aging of tires. As aforementioned, normal air contains more oxygen, which can react with other substances and decrease the longevity of tires. Tires with more than 90% nitrogen surely help to prevent this harmful oxidation.
Better Vehicle Handling: Ask any person who has filled nitrogen in his tires and he would remark that vehicle handling has become safer. Thus, driving the vehicle on the road is more reliable with nitrogen inflated tires.
Maintains Tire Performance: Tire performance is measured considering parameters like durability, rolling resistance, and handling. Specific studies that were conducted recently revealed that nitrogen in tires improves these inherent properties.

Cost

The only downside of filling tires with nitrogen is the cost. Using nitrogen is costlier than filling tires with normal compressed air. You may have to pay around $3 - $10 per tire. But with so many benefits, using nitrogen to fill tires is indeed a feasible option.
Nitrogen might not be budget friendly, but certainly the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Since managing the car while driving is much easier when tires are inflated with nitrogen, you should not mind shelling out some extra bucks.