AEsco48

like used in most other shock applications

Maelstrom 

Different types of seals aren't they. Most other shock applications use nitro shocks I believe.

hank2230

I used to use Nitrox to scuba dive, just wondering why you use it in tires?

Maelstrom 

huh?

zx108

my thought exactly

hank2230

Pretty deep question, can't you answer my question or did you not read that far?

Maelstrom 

You question makes 0 sense in the context of the post. I am not talking about tires. If I am wrong about shocks cool, but tires? I am pretty sure I use air.

Before attempting an insult try and keep the respond in line with the question. If I had come out and said "your underwear is pink" it would have made about as much sense.

AEsco48

Scuba diving "Nitrox" is a completely different composition then the Nitrogen gas used in race car tires and shocks...that gas is nearly 100% nitrogen...hence its called nitrogen gas....

ref the seals...i thought of that but kind of put that though of to the side....

should have also asked if any of the mountain bike/DH shocks do currently use nitrogen

AEsco48

did you skip the whole theoretical part of getting Nitrox certified?

AEsco48

Nitrogen is used in hi performance tire applications b\c for a given delta temp change there is a smaller delta pressure change in the tire then if regular atmospheric air was used....one of the reasons being there is no water vapor in Nitrogen...and in compressed air there is a water vapor

Maelstrom 

I remember reading something on ridemonkey that nitro wouldn't work in pure air shocks because it would seap through the seals. Not 100% sure though.

Aren't most coil overs nitro? Also I believe a lot of shocks use remote resevoirs that do use nitro. Avy DHS is one that is built like that. Fox Vanilla is also a shock that has a nitro charge.

Maelstrom 

Which makes total sense. I do understand the reasoning, just not the context in relation to your question about air shocks on bikes. Maybe I just don't see why the statement pertains.

Blazinall91

i was gonna say that, a lot of race cars inflate the tires and such with nitrogen, supposed to be less intensive then air.

JBehrmann

Nitrogen in tires always cracks me up. The Earth's atmosphere is 78% nitrogen. In order to get 100% nitrogen in a tire, you would also first have to remove any existing air in the tire. It's a waste of time.

bruiser2

Do you even have a clue what you're talking about? Nitrogen is compressed and put into tires through an air hose, just like air, so how is that a waste of time? Also even if it is a little harder to do the performance gains in the world of racing (automoblie atleast) are worth the cost. The difference of 2-3 PSI in a tire could completely screw up the handling of a race car which could prove to be potentially dangerous. As nitrogen is heated it expands much less than typical air.

AEsco48

on a 5 mile decent, a shock might cycle 2000 times...that generates heat which causes expansion...and that heat is also transfered to the oil (in an oil/air shock)...if the oil boils....the shock fails due to the air bubbles int he oil....

Maelstrom 

Again thats its purpose. But why did the other guy pull in the reference. I completely understand WHY it is needed but the reference still makes no sense.

I meantioned seals and he mentions my tires? The line of thought doesn't apply. You wanted to know about shocks and he mentioned tires. oh well looks like this is a gigantic line of miscommunication. I am out. My response is above. There are other people here who likely know the principle of nitro in air shocks better than I do. I still remember there being a leakage issue in the seal of the shock but couldn't find the reference I was looking for.

AEsco48

Yea....thats why we use a non-water based tire bead lubricant when mounting the tires (water based would boil and introduce water vapor, thus neglecting the point of using nitrogen which is dry)....we then evacuate the tire while mounted on the wheel, fill it with nitrogen, evacuate it again and then refill with nitrogen.....

there can be a delta 2-3psi final difference difference in tire pressure when using air vs nitrogen....you are thinking well you adjust your initial pressure so that the final pressure is the same if you use air or nitrogen....but what you are not realizing is that the less pressure difference between initial and final pressure means there is less difference between a cars handling between initial and final pressure

to put it into perspective how its not a waste, Formula 1 teams make half (.5) PSI tire pressure changes....

And when top Formula 1 teams spend between 600 million and 1 Billion USD....its not a waste

bruiser2

Nice to see someone knows what they're talking about.

mx_599

nitrogen is used for high heat applications. there is no way forks approach those temps

AEsco48

I had heard that on long down hill trails air/oil shocks have been known to crap out......i live in florida so...

mx_599

no its not. of course there is residual air in tire, but you're still pressuring the system with a lot more of the "other" gas. if it troubles someone that much, you can pressurize it then bleed it out and fill again. that eliminate much of the air composition

mx_599

they might crap. they never get so hot that you cannot touch them.

AEsco48

who cares what the actual temp is...if they crap at due to heat> the oil boiling...its hot enough...

mx_599

no...they won't get that hot