An increasing number of often individuals are asking if we run nitrogen in our RV tires. I need to admit, each single time somebody would ask me it took me a second to course of the query in my head earlier than I might reply. The reply was all the time ‘No’, however then I received to considering, ‘Ought to I be?”. Let’s dive into it.
The combination of the conventional air we breathe, and subsequently run by way of an air compressor and into our RV tires is round 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, and 1% different gasses. So no, It gained’t trigger any hurt, however an increasing number of individuals are paying an upcharge to have pure nitrogen put of their RV Tires.
Why Would You Put Nitrogen In RV Tires?
This pattern received its begin on the planet of Motorsports like NASCAR, Indy, Components and so on. The rationale behind it was constant tire pressures all through the race, since nitrogen doesn’t escape by way of the rubber in the identical approach that common air will when the tires are below extreme temperatures, in addition to a extra constant stress change by way of the warmth ranges.
So, for instance in case your tires are sitting within the Pit on an 80 diploma day, they usually get thrown on the quickest automobile on the tremendous speedway, the pit crew is aware of precisely what the stress in them goes to be after they get warmed up. Tremendous essential math at 200 miles an hour within the Florida solar in August. Not a lot in your half-ton towable RV.
How Do You Refill It When It’s Low?
There are going to be occasions when for completely no purpose in any respect, or since you clipped a curb with the facet wall, that your tire might be low on stress. Some, not all tire outlets will have the ability to refill the nitrogen in your tire for you, however how distant is it? I’ve been to the entire 48 Continental United States and cannot for the lifetime of me keep in mind seeing one signal on the interstate that mentioned the subsequent fuel station had a Nitrogen Filling Station.
You possibly can’t drive it there on a ‘flat’ tire anyway, you’ll destroy it. If you happen to pump that may of repair a flat into it, effectively, that could be a mixture of compressed air and inexperienced goopy stuff. Undoubtedly not the pure nitrogen we’re discussing right here at this time.
What Do I Do?
In my sincere opinion, and I’m however a easy man, and I simply run that good ole free air out of no matter air compressor I can discover. No however severely, this may increasingly sound like a ‘my daddy and his daddy earlier than him did it this manner’ sorts of logic, and possibly it’s, however that is a kind of occasions that these outdated timers have been proper.
The very best factor you are able to do is test your tire stress commonly. If checking your tire stress is one thing that you simply simply merely aren’t going to do, you may all the time get a Tire Stress Monitoring System that can warn you when one in every of them is low on stress.
I really purchased one myself over a yr in the past once we began dwelling within the RV full time. It nonetheless hasn’t been put in. I simply added Test Tire Pressures to my ‘Leaving Day Guidelines’ and whereas I’m consuming my espresso within the morning, stroll across the RV and pop the tire gauge onto the tires. The additional benefit of this, you really have a look at your tires so if there’s a bizarre put on sample on the tread, or a gash within the sidewall, you’re going to find out about it earlier than attempting to beat the tempo automobile up the doorway ramp onto the freeway.
What’s The Verdict?
I’d actually say the reply is a stable No.
You don’t NEED to be operating nitrogen in your RV Tires. If the tire store goes to throw it in free of charge with the 6 new 10 ply tires you simply purchased, then positive, why not. It isn’t going to harm something to have it in there. But when you’re going to must pay 10 or 20 bucks a tire to have it put in, I personally would save that cash for the gasoline invoice on the fuel pump. Or, use it to select up an excellent high quality tire stress gauge.
