View Full Version : Nitrogen inflation for tyres
Guys,
I'm considering having the above done on the Merc and wonder if any of you had your car's tyres filled with nitrogen, and if so, whether the benefits claimed below, by ATS, are real or simply marketing bollocks:
http://shop.atseuromaster.co.uk/car-products-services/tyre-services/nitrogen-inflation/8
All views welcome from those with relevant experience of the process - especially if in your case it was worse! :)
Marco.
it is not overly expensive, especially for a high performance vehicle, although I think I will stick to good old fashioned air as it is free and has a good enough. track record for my car...I don't go very far anyways!
Stratmangler
24-06-2013, 14:45
It's marketing bollocks.
Your car is not high performance enough to warrant the use of nitrogen, nor will you ever drive your car to the limit of what the tyres can withstand.
Factor in the wallet rape factor of having to go to someone to check your tyre pressures and inflate them if necessary, and you soon see that it's nothing but a fiscal relief exercise.
I'm happy to make do with the 78% nitrogen I get every time I inflate my tyres :eyebrows:
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/safety/filling-tyres-with-nitrogen.html
Oldpinkman
24-06-2013, 15:08
Ah
glad to see tyres have as many diverse views as hifi. I have my tyres installed by an independant I have known long enough to consider a friend. I have had to accept a couple of long-held beliefs were not quite so today, but I would be really disappointed to think Harry bullshits me. He nitrogen fills every time, and charges no extra for it. I believe they hold their pressure much more accurately that way. Mind - if for any reason I have to top them up, they get good old 3rd rock out from the sun raw atmosphere cocktail for the purpose.
Thanks for your comments, chaps, which are noted. I think that for a fiver I'm intrigued enough to try it, especially as we're due to drive to Italy on holiday (with four people and a large roof box), and so any potential advantage, however small, in terms of fuel consumption would be very worthwhile. If it turns out to be bollocks, then I've only wasted a fiver :)
Btw, on the subject of roof boxes, does anyone know how badly they affect the fuel economy of a car? We've just bought a Thule Motion 800, like this:
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/620/97fz.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/94/97fz.jpg/)
I would be good to hear from those who have experience of using a roof box on long journeys - cheers! :cool:
Marco.
Oldpinkman
24-06-2013, 19:28
Afraid they affect it. Usually i have a boat or caravan in tow too, but even solo at least 10% on a freelander 2
Stratmangler
24-06-2013, 19:43
Anything on the roof of a vehicle is a big airbrake.
I had roof bars on my last vehicle and frequently carried step ladders - fuel economy was not good.
prestonchipfryer
24-06-2013, 19:45
Have to say it's a good idea imo, will keep your pressures correct for longer, so a monthly (instead of weekly) check will be needed. ATS have a good reputation for honest service. No connection with the company btw.
Gotta be worth at only a fiva.
John
Anything on the roof of a vehicle is a big airbrake.
I had roof bars on my last vehicle and frequently carried step ladders - fuel economy was not good.
Yup, pretty much what I thought. That's why we got one of the most aerodynamic fookers available - still bad, but as least bad as possible. Got to be done, though, to bring back the vino!! :D
Marco.
Nitrogen...utter marketing nonsense for the average car. Unless you're driving an F1 car, or touring car where pressures need to be maintained as near as dammit, then it makes bugger all difference for the road, especially if your rims are scraped and the lacquer's removed as the nitrogen will escape via oxidised aluminium (tyres wont seal properly on scraped rims where lacquer's flaked off and will lose air faster than rims in good nick). You're better having the rims thoroughly cleaned next tyre change. Even when I was thrashing big bikes around racing circuits, I never considered Nitrogen, just ensured that pressures were adjusted for a 10 to 20% increase from cold to working temperature. That was on the bike, car tyre pressures are generally specified for cold setting.
Roof boxes...expect 10% less fuel economy to about 50mph, 20% to around 70mph and perhaps 25% less above 90mph. That increase in frontal area make a big difference to drag and the faster you travel the greater the impact on economy. Keep the speeds low and you'll save more fuel. Having a few open windows on a car also increases fuel consumption by around 10% due to drag.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your input.
...especially if your rims are scraped and the lacquer's removed as the nitrogen will escape via oxidised aluminium (tyres wont seal properly on scraped rims where lacquer's flaked off and will lose air faster than rims in good nick). You're better having the rims thoroughly cleaned next tyre change.
Apologies for being thick, but I'm not getting the relevance of the scraped rim thing.... Are you talking about the wheels? If so, mine are mint AMG alloys. No scrapes, baby! :nono:
No doubt you're right about Nitro (as is Chris), however, for a fiver it ain't gonna break the bank.
Roof boxes...expect 10% less fuel economy to about 50mph, 20% to around 70mph and perhaps 25% less above 90mph. That increase in frontal area make a big difference to drag and the faster you travel the greater the impact on economy. Keep the speeds low and you'll save more fuel. Having a few open windows on a car also increases fuel consumption by around 10% due to drag.
Cheers, Paul. Pretty much what I thought. Open windows? Who does that these days with air-con, unless you're a smoker.....
Marco.
The Grand Wazoo
24-06-2013, 20:27
Open windows? Who does that these days with air-con, unless you're a smoker.....
Unfortunately, you can't win there either Marco!
From What Car: (http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/what-car-q-and-a/does-air-con-affect-mpg/217592)
The air-conditioning system on a car is powered by a compressor, which, when switched on, places extra load on a car’ engine. This ultimately has a negative affect on the overall performance and efficiency. You can expect a 5-10% decrease in fuel consumption by switching the air conditioning system off.
Lol... Yeah, I know. I only use it when I have to (when the car is boiling hot inside). What I meant was that I don't drive around with the windows open :)
Marco.
Jonneville
24-06-2013, 20:38
We use nitrogen in the tyres at Bonneville but I'm not so sure about its usefulness at speeds of less than 200mph...
Regards
Jon'.
If we decide to go through Germany, I might take her up to 150 mph on the Autobahn... Or maybe not, with a roof box!!:lol:
Marco.
If we decide to go through Germany, I might take her up to 150 mph on the Autobahn... Or maybe not, with a roof box!!:lol:
Marco.
If you try this dump the roofbox. I tried to do 150+ on an autobahn in a V6 petrol A6 20 years ago. I could only get to 141....until I turned off the a/c. Small things make a big difference at these speeds. 2-lane autobahns get awfully narrow at 150/160 and inconsiderate cars doing 80 come as quite a surprise, though they are used to it.
The roof box will hit economy, ours did though strangely 2 mountain bikes on the roof seem even worse.
Lol - noted! Do you rate the Nitrogen thing, Clive? :)
Marco.
Lol - noted! Do you rate the Nitrogen thing, Clive? :)
Marco.
My tyres hold pressure well with the usual temp variations, I've had nitrogen in the past, I can't say I noticed any advantage, for a fiver you can't go far wrong. I bought 4 Zoot Sims albums today for £6, I'm sure this was better value!
Hi Paul,
Apologies for being thick, but I'm not getting the relevance of the scraped rim thing.... Are you talking about the wheels? If so, mine are mint AMG alloys. No scrapes, baby! :nono:
Any thoughts on this, Paul? :)
Marco.
Marco, the scraped rim comment will be about the internal part of the wheel where the tyre bead meets the rim. Tyre levers cause damage that you don't normally see.
Beobloke
25-06-2013, 13:31
Lol... Yeah, I know. I only use it when I have to (when the car is boiling hot inside). What I meant was that I don't drive around with the windows open :)
Marco.
As I recall, up to a certain speed it's more economical to open the windows rather than use the aircon, however above a certain speed where the air turbulence due to the open windows becomes greater, this affects fuel economy more than the load of the compressor on the engine.
Of course, I don't know what that speed is and I'm sure it varies from car to car so I'm not sure exactly how much help I've been...:D
Any thoughts on this, Paul? :)
Marco.
Hi Marco, yes
the lacquer peels off scraped rims from around the scrape (eventually) and it causes the rims to leak. Had it with an older volvo and with my bimmer. First thing I did when I bought the S60 was to have the rims reconditioned as the previous owner had scraped them quite badly.
Marco, the scraped rim comment will be about the internal part of the wheel where the tyre bead meets the rim. Tyre levers cause damage that you don't normally see.
This...
Its not just tyre levers though. Alloys need to be lacqured to prevent the aluminium corroding. When it corrodes, the oxidised film that forms prevents a decent air tight seal between tyre bead and rim...this was passed onto me by someone who's in the trade.
This...
Its not just tyre levers though. Alloys need to be lacqured to prevent the aluminium corroding. When it corrodes, the oxidised film that forms prevents a decent air tight seal between tyre bead and rim...this was passed onto me by someone who's in the trade.
My experience is that wheels with a smooth finish (invariably lacquered) age quite well and don't seem to oxidise. Where I've had problems it's been with anodized wheels which don't have any lacquer at all. These seem to fur up inside requiring a good seeing to with a wire brush when changing tyres.
Another issue with alloys on older 2nd hands cars is that you don't know what you're buying, so many people get them repaired nowadays, you might be buying more filler that you expect. Plus the quality of some repairs is very poor.
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