| When considering filling your tires with | | | | had an emergency road service or air fill in |
| Nitrogen vs. air there are a number of | | | | an area that nitrogen is not available you |
| factors that should be considered. Safety, | | | | will need to have this corrected at a later |
| fuel economy, cost, Nitrogen availability, | | | | time in another location to benefit from your |
| and the cost of your time. | | | | nitrogen fill program. |
| | | | |
| Nitrogen advocate claims: | | | | So does Nitrogen really make sense? |
| | | | |
| -Filling your tires with pure nitrogen and | | | | Let's look at safety for a moment. Running |
| you'll get better gas mileage, your tires | | | | your vehicle with the correct air pressure as |
| will be safer, and they'll last longer. | | | | identified on your vehicles data plate is |
| | | | very important. Low air pressure will |
| -The Nitrogen fill up and maintenance fill | | | | negatively effect handling, create tire |
| costs will be recovered from fuel savings and | | | | friction and heat causing a higher failure |
| tire longevity | | | | probability and also a high rolling |
| | | | resistance creating a reduction in fuel |
| The Nitrogen Cost: | | | | efficiency. The benefits of Nitrogen do |
| | | | address these issues however is it the right |
| The average Nitrogen fill or top off is $7 | | | | way? |
| per tire or $28 per vehicle. Keep in mind | | | | |
| this cost will be occurring each time you buy | | | | If you were to simply check your tire |
| tires and also when you have your tire | | | | pressure regularly, the air pressure loss, |
| pressure adjusted such as during service or | | | | safety and fuel economy issues would be |
| when your find your tire pressure low | | | | addressed and solved however most of us are |
| | | | not good at checking tire pressure on a |
| The Nitrogen fleet cost perspective: | | | | regular basis. This was recognized and |
| | | | addressed by our government..... |
| ABC Company has a fleet of 500 units. | | | | |
| | | | In short, Nitrogen was not chosen as a |
| Assume vehicles are being serviced every 3000 | | | | mandated safety solution. Effective 2008 the |
| miles | | | | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration |
| | | | has mandated all new passenger cars, |
| ABC company vehicles average 21,000 miles per | | | | multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and |
| year | | | | buses that have a gross vehicle weight rating |
| | | | of 10,000 pounds or less, except those |
| That would be 7 services a year where air | | | | vehicles with dual wheels on an axle be built |
| would be checked or topped off (or NITROGEN) | | | | with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System- TPMS. |
| | | | (§571.138 Standard No. 138) This system |
| The average Nitrogen fill or top off is $7 | | | | monitors and warns the driver when tire |
| per tire or $28 per vehicle | | | | pressure falls out of system specification. |
| | | | This does not mean you should not check your |
| Total cost $98,000 per year for a nitrogen | | | | tire pressures checked regularly however if |
| fill. | | | | you would "forget" your vehicle will have |
| | | | something to say about it when your tire |
| The Nitrogen time factor: | | | | pressure changes. |
| | | | |
| If you were to decide there is a benefit in | | | | My take on this matter is as simple as the |
| using Nitrogen vs. air you will need to | | | | air we breath- stick with "air" and keep your |
| ensure you visit only vendors that have | | | | money in your pocket. |
| nitrogen fill capability and in the event you | | | | |