H: Hubs, Wheels and Tyres Inner Tubes, Pressures and Argon Gas

LoneStar

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Not sure, but I suspect the use of inert gas in tires is snake oil. In the case of argon,

- Is argon necessarily drier than air?
- Does water that may be present not boil in an argon atmosphere?
 

Robert Watson

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Argon from a cylinder has Zero (or virtually zero) moisture. Air as we know here on the west coast can contain a significant amount of moisture! So argon for sure if 1/4 psi is critical to your air pressures or air if you are amongst the 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999% of tire users.
 

ClassicBiker

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Argon doesn't transfer heat as readily as air. On my dry suit for cold water diving I had a holster on the left leg for an argon cylinder. To prevent the dry suit squeeze becoming excessive as you dive deeper you introduce a compressed gas into the suit. Argon being better than just compressed air as it, argon, doesn't transfer the heat from your body as readily as air does. So it's use in tires of high speed vehicles doesn't surprise me as it doesn't expand as much as it heats up, so the tire pressure doesn't increase.
 

oexing

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Typical tire fill and in gas struts in landing gear on aircraft is nitrogen, not argon. And reason is no water in production of nitrogen for fill up cylinders and maybe less dangerous if tires catch fire from heavy braking compared to when you just take compressed air for fillups. Also oxygen from compressed air could possibly do some corrosion in landing gear struts, 20 percent in athmosphere is oxygen, rest nitrogen anyway. But then, I wouldn´t care for that bit anyway. I think somebody said nitrogen had a bigger head than oxygen so the tire in the inner tube keeps its pressure a bit longer - possibly. But then, this is not worth the hassle for getting nitrogen and I use compressed air at all times.

Vic
 

brian gains

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
nitrogen has larger molecules so does not leak as readily, ask classic biker for gas details. As for moisture reaching boiling point ?, we're not talking F1 running conditions here.
 
Top