Check and verify your tire pressure.

[Skidrowe]

Yes, oxygen is 80% nitrogen but not 100% nitrogen. Nitrogen is an inert gas that displaces less denser gases like oxygen that creates moisture. Moisture is what heats a tire…. Remember oxygen adds fuel to a fire… nitrogen extinguish fire.
Argon is the best but too expensive for a non industrial application. Aircraft tire are inflated with argon.

This is some epic level trolling!

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[inchman254]

It still fluctuates, just a little less.

All of the aircraft I have worked on use nitrogen. The reason being the immense heat differential from cold to touchdown. We still need to adjust it for colder or warmer ambiant temps.

You're right... it still fluctuates. The reason for the nitrogen in aircraft tires is not due to pressure changes caused by temperature. That's going to happen anyway.

One reason is for dryness. The constant condensation due to the humidity along with the oxygen in air can cause wheel corrosion.

In addition, if a hot brake gets retracted, it could cause a wheel well fire. If the temps get too high, the fuse plugs will melt, filling the wheel well with pure nitrogen to prevent or extinguish a fire. The wheel well is not pressurized, but sealed well enough that the nitrogen will remain for quite a while.

Finally, an oxygen molecule is (slightly) smaller than nitrogen so 100% nitrogen leaks less quickly than 80% nitrogen (air). At aircraft tire pressures (up to 200 psi) this does make make a slight difference. Not so much at 40 psi.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Thank you for the chart. Forgive me if this a dumb question, but would it be reasonable to expect the same pressure in all three examples? I realize they are close, but I was thinking the equations should get you to the exact pressure?

Not a dumb question. The reason they don't intesect is because the different temperature of the tires.

It doesn't matter which gas is used, the temperature and volume of the gas determines the pressure.

 

[Calvin H-C]

As several others have said, nitrogen is a waste of money. In looking into this years ago, I came to the conclusion that there is a benefit to filling tires with nitrogen, but not enough to pay extra for it. So, a waste of money.

Here's how I came up with that conclusion using a thought experiment...

Apparently, oxygen and argon can leak from tires easier than nitrogen. I'm not sure of why this is so, or even if it is, but I assume it's true for this.

Atmospheric air is about 80% nitrogen. Let's say you fill with air and the 20% non-nitrogen air leaks out in a month. Not that it would, nor would you wait for tires to be down 20%, but just for this we'll assume this.

You then replace the 20% loss with new air that is 80% nitrogen. Now the air in your tires is 96% nitrogen. In another month, the 4% leaks out and you again replace it with air that is 80% nitrogen, making the tire now contain 99.2% nitrogen. That's close enough for practical purposes to be 100% for me.

Your mileage may vary.

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