Color Me Annoyed

Morgans wrote:

Have you adopted the use of nitrogen for filling your tires?

Why, what does that do for you? Air is 78% N2, and 21% O2. The O2 is a
bigger molecule than N2, so I wouldn't expect to see any difference in
the leak down. The only benefit I am aware of relates to tire fires in
airplanes that go much higher and faster than our spam cans.

It would be an interesting science fair project for a suitably inclined
middle school student though!

There are two on the market: Michelin makes an "airstop" tube, I think
the other is made by Dresser and is called a "leak-guard" tube. They cost
a little more than the swiss cheese tubes, but if you have piper wheel
pants, it is very worth the extra couple of bucks.

My A&P ordered the Dresser brand. Still waiting for them to arrive.

Our "Fancy Pants" have been modified by my A&P over the years so that they
now attach with Phillips screws and a couple of bolts. They are MUCH more
secure than they were with the old wowed-out dzu connectors -- but, OH MY
GOD, what a friggin' pain in the ass to remove!

It has become my absolute least favorite task of the annual -- even worse
than pulling a gas tank. (Which I had to do yesterday -- on of our
sending-unit floats had fallen off, and had to be fished out and
re-attached.) The screws strip easily, the fiberglass breaks easily, and
the whole procedure must be done while laying sideways under the plane,
usually in a puddle of gas or oil. IT SUCKS.

I'd fly without wheel pants, except the guy who put 'em on told me that --
of all the speed mods he put on Atlas (and it's got all of them) -- the
wheel pants got him the biggest increase in speed.

So, I suffer once a year. If the tires/tubes/rotor comes tomorrow, you can
think of me sitting in that puddle, cursing...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Ray Andraka" wrote

Why, what does that do for you? Air is 78% N2, and 21% O2. The O2 is a
bigger molecule than N2, so I wouldn't expect to see any difference in the
leak down. The only benefit I am aware of relates to tire fires in
airplanes that go much higher and faster than our spam cans.

It would be an interesting science fair project for a suitably inclined
middle school student though!

It is an increasingly common practice, and it does seem to leak more slowly.
Heat transfer is also helped.
It is even becoming more common with tire shops for cars.
--
Jim in NC

The new, new wrist pins came next day air yesterday... I will take
them out to The Kid after office hours today noon and maybe we will
even hang the cylinders since I will be there to give him a hand...
He called yesterday with the news that he found a 'ring' cracked when
he went to mount the prop after replacing the crank seal... Mumbled
something about $400 if he can find one used... I was so unsurprised
by this time that I just said - fine, do it - and hung up... I will
clarify what is cracked when I get there - I suspect the starter gear
ring... This is actually the only 'surprise' so far and if it is a
few hundred and some labor it will be a minor addition to the total
bill...
In spite of everything I have posted on this annual the problems have
been delays and the aggravation of exchanging incorrect parts... The
costs have amounted to a few extra dollars for shipping...

More later...

denny

"Morgans" wrote in
:


"Ray Andraka" wrote

It is even becoming more common with tire shops for cars.

Wouldn't be the first time the auto industry has copied something from the
aviation industry for the sake of allowing people that are too stupid to
know any better to part with their money for something which is of
absolutely no benefit to them.

Let me guess, these shops also charge extra for a nitrogen fill too right?



--
Made in China.....A label used to warn of dangerous materials.

The Discovery Channel did a segment explaining why N2 is better. This page
has a link to the segment:

http://www.getnitrogen.org/

Basically, it leaks more slowly and preserves the rubber.

--
Best Regards,
Mike

http://photoshow.comcast.net/mikenoel


"Ray Andraka" wrote in message
...
Morgans wrote:

Have you adopted the use of nitrogen for filling your tires?

Why, what does that do for you? Air is 78% N2, and 21% O2. The O2 is a
bigger molecule than N2, so I wouldn't expect to see any difference in the
leak down. The only benefit I am aware of relates to tire fires in
airplanes that go much higher and faster than our spam cans.

It would be an interesting science fair project for a suitably inclined
middle school student though!

On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:36:08 -0500, Ray Andraka
wrote:

RST Engineering wrote:
Perhaps not leak-free, but a hell of a lot better than what we've come to
know and love as swiss-cheese inner tubes.

Desser Tire and Rubber has them for about half the price of a recapped tire.
I've been using recaps for about forty years now on everything I've owned
and/or worked on without a bother. Half the price of "new" and they'll take
your old tires in on trade.

I figure if the airlines use recaps on a regular basis they should be good
for an asel.

Jim



There are two on the market: Michelin makes an "airstop" tube, I think
the other is made by Dresser and is called a "leak-guard" tube. They
cost a little more than the swiss cheese tubes, but if you have piper
wheel pants, it is very worth the extra couple of bucks.

I've been using the Dresser version for a couple of years now. I went
from pumping up the tires every 4 to 8 weeks to over a year with the
change. Last time the mains were pumped up was over a year ago. They
are still good.


Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Mike Noel wrote:
The Discovery Channel did a segment explaining why N2 is better. This page
has a link to the segment:

http://www.getnitrogen.org/

Basically, it leaks more slowly and preserves the rubber.



OK, I'll buy the reducing the oxidation of the rubber on the inside.
Since I've never had to replace an aircraft tire or tube due to the
rubber breaking down, I don't think this is significant except maybe for
a hangar queen.

I don't buy the "leaks more slowly", not for an instant. Oh wait, it is
published on a website that is promoting use of nitrogen in tires. That
means it must be true, right? Silly me.

If the air loss is indeed due to the other gasses leaking out, then each
time I top off my tire, the N2 concentration inside the tire should
increase, since presumably the pressure lost was due mostly to the
oxygen molecules leaking out and my making up the difference with air
which is 78% nitrogen. Eventually, I'd have near pure nitrogen in my
tires just from replenishing the air each time the tire is low if I
followed this reasoning to an extreme.

I understand that in certain aircraft, the oxygen in tires can be a fire
hazard, which I think is where filling with nitrogen originated. For
our light aircraft though, this isn't a concern. No, I suspect most of
the nitrogen for tires hype is just another way to separate cash from a
wallet.

"Ray Andraka" wrote

I don't buy the "leaks more slowly", not for an instant. Oh wait, it is
published on a website that is promoting use of nitrogen in tires. That
means it must be true, right? Silly me.

Too bad you musta flunked high school chemistry. N2 is a bigger molecule
than O2.

It leaks more slowly. It is common knowledge, among those that have open
minds.
--
Jim in NC

"John Smith" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Morgans" wrote:

"Ray Andraka" wrote

I don't buy the "leaks more slowly", not for an instant. Oh wait, it
is
published on a website that is promoting use of nitrogen in tires.
That
means it must be true, right? Silly me.

Too bad you musta flunked high school chemistry. N2 is a bigger molecule
than O2.

Jim, I think that is what Ray said.

No, read the whole thing in context. He was making fun of the fact that it
is said to leak more slowly, because it is being promoted by the people who
are selling the nitrogen.
--
Jim in NC