nitrogen
 

I used nitrogen in the slicks this past weekend for the first time, and noticed took more effort to bring smoke off the tires in the box, is this characteristic of N in the tires? Anyone have similar experience? Otherwise worked really well, much more manageble in the heat! Joe Helms

Re: nitrogen
 

Joe I spoke to the Hoosier rep earlier this year and he advised againt using nitrogen in the slicks and the reason being is that it will keep the temperature of the tires at a lower point and not allow them to hook as well. I am currently using nitrogen in my front tires and find that my front tire pressure is very stable.

Re: nitrogen
 

Mark, I had heard similar comments, thought I would try anyway. On bias10.5/30s, track temp 130f and tires 180f had no problem with traction or consistency, in bracket setup. Main advantage was much easier heat management! Sidewalls show a little discoloration, though.. Joe.

Re: nitrogen
 

Bringing this post to life again. Anybody have any thoughts on using nitrogen in a stocker. Is it worth the investment, since you check them everytime before you run anyway? Does it give any ET advantage?

Re: nitrogen
 

i want to know if there's that much difference between 80% N and 95% N....and if there's that much difference, can you PROVE it?

helium makes better sense to me cuz 80% nitrogen is whats already in the air....

Re: nitrogen
 

First, I am not for it or against it but it is the make up of the air we breathe is the big difference.
Its the moisture in the air that makes the pressure go up and down radically with heat or cooling in the tires.
With nitrogen there is almost no moisture as to bottle the Nitrogen it has been cooled to liquid which requires cooling it to if I remember correctly about -190 degrees C therefore there is basically no moisture in it.
Bottled nitrogen is made from air because there is so much in the air we breathe.
Helium is much more expensive and much lighter which would make it less stable with temp changes. It also leaks out much easier.
Just My 2 Cents

Re: nitrogen
 

Helium wouldnt work in a tire well for a couple reasons. but it on top of that is a HUGE thermal dispersant.

If youve ever breathed helium ox mix in mixed gas diving....well itll litteraly suck the heat out of you from your lungs......unless its warmed, and youre in a hot water suit great way to go hypothermic in about 20 minutes flat.

Re: nitrogen
 

oops, i forgot the ";)".......it was a joke (about the helium,EVERYBODY knows hydrogen is the hot ticket)

Re: nitrogen
 

I have never seen that much variance in my tires, even on back to back runs, with just regular air . That is why I am asking the question. I can't see the logic in it, or the expense, but I am open to opinions.

Re: nitrogen
 

Simple, nitrogen makes your tires run cooler. You will have too heat them longer to hold the heat this will = faster tire ware costing you more than the worth of buying nitrogen.

Re: nitrogen
 

Isn't one of the advantages of nitrogen that the molecules are bigger and less prone to "seep" out through porous rubber? - Slicks as well as street tires.

If it does keep tires cooler, it sounds like a good idea for trailer tires!

Re: nitrogen
 

QOUTE-If it does keep tires cooler, it sounds like a good idea for trailer tires! QUOTE

That doesnt sound like a bad idea.

Re: nitrogen
 

Hydrogen is not hygroscopic...does not contain absorb water as air and pressure will remain more consistent.
However, Nitrogen also runs cooler. It will not expand or increase its pressure as air does in a racing slick; therefore, a drag slick will not grow with Nitrogen.
This is one of the many reasons why NASCAR, airplanes and military vehicles run Nitrogen in their tires. With NASCAR race cars, the tires growth is consistent and does not change the the suspension settings.

Re: nitrogen
 

If you used helium, would'nt you have to add weight back to car,LOL,put in front tires would help with wheelstands. LOL LOL If took wheel/tire off would have to put on rope to keep from floating off.LOL
Mike Taylor 3601

Re: nitrogen
 

Nitrogen has to be a way that tire dealers sell the public 20% more of what what they get 80% of for free.

Just my opinion.

Re: nitrogen
 

This is the kind of answer I was looking for. So far nobody has said anything good about it, to justify it, so I think I will skip it. Thanks for all the responses, and even the funny ones.

Re: nitrogen
 

Now that I think about it, I couldn't help but wonder...... "How" does it make the tire run cooler? The same amount of burnout heat will not cause the nitrogen to expand as much as regular air. So one may need to start out with more nitrogen pressure in the slicks to provide the optimum established contact patch after the burnout.

The only way I can think of nitrogen helping a tire appear to run cooler is that if it does not absorb heat as much as regular air, so pressure doesn't go up. But the actual rubber temperature would still seem to remain the same.

After doing some research on the net, it seems nitrogen may be better in certain applications, but for different reasons. Might not be worth the trouble as long as you check your tire pressures anyway. Even if nitrogen doesn't seep as much as air, keeps pressures more consistent and may be less corrosive due to a lack of humidity and oxygen, one still needs to check tires for air seepage/loss due to punctures!

Re: nitrogen
 

nitrogen has smaller molecules and will find small holes to seep out of. Helium is even worse. If tou have the tiniest of leaks you better take an air tank to the staging lanes with you.

Re: nitrogen
 

Nitrogen does not have smaller molecules and it does not have anything to do with it. It is the chemical composition that is different. Nitrogen does not make tires run cooler. Nitrogen is an inert gas and non-reactive; it is a byproduct of a reaction.

Nitrogen inerting is used in aircraft to reduce the probability of residual fuel gases igniting in empty fuel tanks.

Re: nitrogen
 

"If you used helium, would'nt you have to add weight back to car,LOL" I always wondered about this......

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/eng99/eng99085.htm

name Don
age 40s

Question - I am a Weight Reduction Engineer at Lockheed
Aircraft. One of my fellow worker suggested using helium in the tires as
a 3 lb savings. After I finished laughing I realized he was serious. I
have included his original E-mail to me. Questions Will the helium stay
in the tires and how much weight do you see this saving.

Don,

I was teasing you a little when I suggested using Helium in the tires.

A little closer but still dirty look seems to indicate that over three
pounds is possible per ship set. Dirty because I do not have all the
numbers exactly and made some guesses...

Re: nitrogen
 

One way to tell for sure is weigh a tire empty, then pump it up with air. See what the difference is. Probably not worth it, or everyone would already be on it. Since I had to add so much weight to my car, it definitely would never help.

Re: nitrogen
 

SSDiv6 I stand corrected. The molecules of nitrogen and compressed air are about the same. Actually the leak rate between nitrogen and compressed air @ 30PSI is very small.
I did some experimentation at work where I used Hydrogen that was mixed with a 5% solution of nitrogen that made it inflamable. That is how I got the two confused. The hydrogen solution would find a hole as small as 1 X 10 to the minus 6. My statement on Helium stands. It will get through a hole 1 x 10 to the minus 4.

Re: nitrogen
 

nitrogen is clean ie. no water vaper, how much water passes from your air compressor into your tires? i personally do not know if this is a big issue or not, but i do know air compressors make a lot of water...