Increasingly incessantly 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 may reply. The reply was all the time ‘No’, however then I acquired to pondering, ‘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 received’t trigger any hurt, however increasingly individuals are paying an upcharge to have pure nitrogen put of their RV Tires.
Why Would You Put Nitrogen In RV Tires?
This development acquired its begin on the planet of Motorsports like NASCAR, Indy, Method 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 means 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 once 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 will probably 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 all the 48 Continental United States and cannot for the lifetime of me bear in mind seeing one signal on the interstate that stated the subsequent gasoline station had a Nitrogen Filling Station.
You may’t drive it there on a ‘flat’ tire anyway, you’ll destroy it. For those who pump that may of repair a flat into it, properly, that could be a mixture of compressed air and inexperienced goopy stuff. Positively not the pure nitrogen we’re discussing right here immediately.
What Do I Do?
In my trustworthy 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 critically, this will 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 type of occasions that these outdated timers had been proper.
The most effective factor you are able to do is test your tire stress usually. If checking your tire stress is one thing that you simply simply merely aren’t going to do, you’ll be able to all the time get a Tire Stress Monitoring System that may warn you when one in all them is low on stress.
I truly purchased one myself over a 12 months in the past once we began residing within the RV full time. It nonetheless hasn’t been put in. I simply added Verify Tire Pressures to my ‘Leaving Day Guidelines’ and whereas I’m ingesting my espresso within the morning, stroll across the RV and pop the tire gauge onto the tires. The additional advantage of this, you truly 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 learn 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 strong No.
You don’t NEED to be working nitrogen in your RV Tires. If the tire store goes to throw it in totally free with the 6 new 10 ply tires you simply purchased, then certain, why not. It isn’t going to harm something to have it in there. But when you will need to pay 10 or 20 bucks a tire to have it put in, I personally would save that cash for the gasoline invoice on the gasoline pump. Or, use it to choose up a great high quality tire stress gauge.