Nitrogen filled tires

[Mikelff]

Ok, here’s the deal on nitrogen filled tires. If you took high school chemistry, remember that the nitrogen molecule is larger than the O2 molecule. Over time, the O2 molecule escapes through the walls of the tire, as believe it or not, they are porous. Nitrogen looses pressure at a much, much slower rate because of the size of the molecule. Nitrogen is also less affected by heat, thus the tires run cooler, maintaining a more level tire pressure under load. Nitrogen is also far less affected by altitude, which is why aircraft tires are all nitrogen filled. Would I pay for nitrogen filled tires? No. My local Costco fills my tires with nitrogen for free. Can you add air to nitrogen filled tires? Yes, in a pinch, no problem. When you fill your tires with nitrogen, you need to get as much air out of them to start. My Costco literally puts a vacuum on the tire to suck out as much air without breaking the seal on the tire, then fills with nitrogen. Those are the basic benefits of nitrogen filled tires. Worth doing? Definitely, especially traveling through mountains with changing elevations. That’s about it! Safe travels.