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Nitrogen in Tires


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Some of the reasons the Motorcycle Race Team I hang with uses nitrogen in their tires are:

1. Less gas expansion with the increase in tire temp. This leads to...

2. A more consistant base line to catalog tire performance info from. This allows...

3. Repeatable setup by removing/minimizing the pressure change variable. This is because...

4. Race tires run very hot because they are run at lower pressures, have a stickier compound, and are run harder than street use tires, which generates more heat.

 

When you are spending $5000 on a set of forks, $1300 for a rear shock, and $300+ on tires, and 20K on your bike, you want to minimize unknown variables in your suspension setup. That's what nitrogen offers the racer...in 1/2lb increments!! It has been shown that tire pressure can change from one corner to the next (racing) so running nitrogen is an inexpensive component that offers significant returns.

 

As for your street vehicle, the tire manufacturers have factored in the use of atmospheric gasses compressed for tire inflation, so they know that when you fill up your tire to the recommended 35PSI it will be an operating pressure of 40PSI (or whatever it really is). They don't give you a slide rule with every tire purchase...they have done the work for you by allowing a pretty generous range of operational specification.

 

On a quad running 4PSI, an increase in pressure of even 10% makes it...what...4.4PSI? Not a huge difference. I don't think a quad running on the sand is anywhere close to the frictional coefficient the rubber/asphalt contact a road vehicle generates.

 

I Like Coffee!!

 

Jay From SanD.

Edited by jayzx750
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Some of the reasons the Motorcycle Race Team I hang with uses nitrogen in their tires are:

1. Less gas expansion with the increase in tire temp. This leads to...

2. A more consistant base line to catalog tire performance info from. This allows...

3. Repeatable setup by removing/minimizing the pressure change variable. This is because...

4. Race tires run very hot because they are run at lower pressures, have a stickier compound, and are run harder than street use tires, which generates more heat.

 

When you are spending $5000 on a set of forks, $1300 for a rear shock, and $300+ on tires, and 20K on your bike, you want to minimize unknown variables in your suspension setup. That's what nitrogen offers the racer...in 1/2lb increments!! It has been shown that tire pressure can change from one corner to the next (racing) so running nitrogen is an inexpensive component that offers significant returns.

 

As for your street vehicle, the tire manufacturers have factored in the use of atmospheric gasses compressed for tire inflation, so they know that when you fill up your tire to the recommended 35PSI it will be an operating pressure of 40PSI (or whatever it really is). They don't give you a slide rule with every tire purchase...they have done the work for you by allowing a pretty generous range of operational specification.

 

On a quad running 4PSI, an increase in pressure of even 10% makes it...what...4.4PSI? Not a huge difference. I don't think a quad running on the sand is anywhere close to the frictional coefficient the rubber/asphalt contact a road vehicle generates.

 

I Like Coffee!!

 

Jay From SanD.

I agree with you except for the part about race tires run at lower pressures. Tire pressure is a component of chassis setup. The concept of lower or higher pressures is really subjective. I mean, every pressure is low compared to a semi truck tire.

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I agree with you except for the part about race tires run at lower pressures. Tire pressure is a component of chassis setup. The concept of lower or higher pressures is really subjective. I mean, every pressure is low compared to a semi truck tire.

 

Good point...

I run 65PSI in the MoHo!!

 

For instance, when I commute on my street bike, I run 35PSI but when I hit the canyons/back roads on weekends, my setup is to drop the tire pressure to 30PSI. While the motorcycle manufacturers may recommend tire pressures in the 40s, street canyon riders run around the 30s, my nitrogen running friend that races Superbike runs 24-28PSI.

 

Still trying to figure out what to run my haulers at though..... :cool:

Edited by jayzx750
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Still trying to figure out what to run my haulers at though..... :cool:

If you are in the general neighborhood of having the right diameter and number od paddles on your Haulers then the air pressure you run can simply be a function of the moisture content of the sand. :geek:

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If you are in the general neighborhood of having the right diameter and number od paddles on your Haulers then the air pressure you run can simply be a function of the moisture content of the sand. :geek:

 

Not that I have much experience in sand, but it usually seems pretty dry at Glamis. I'm running 21x12x8 8 paddles.

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Not that I have much experience in sand, but it usually seems pretty dry at Glamis. I'm running 21x12x8 8 paddles.

Glamis is always dry except for in the shady side of a large dune early in the morning. Pismo's sand moisture level changes alot through out the year. :thumbsup:

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Ok now I am more confused then ever..lol.. The reason I brought this up is my wife came home from work last week talking about this. She said a guy at her work told her about it after he tried it saying it improved his gas mileage by 30%. As we all know with the price of gas if you can gain 30% it just might be worth a shot. Before I waisted some money on it I thought I would ask you guys here being you guys are a hell of alot smarter then me.

 

Thanks,

 

Ron

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Better yet...it's what she's used to getting....

As long as that's in check...it really doesn't matter....

 

LOL...

 

:biggrin:

 

I am not sure what that means? Is there a Stunt Cock involved?

 

I am not sure what I posted before that meant either.................. :laugh:

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