Why oh why are we still putting air in tyres?
The need for a "soft" filling inside tyres giving the cushioning effect must be better than all of the related problems of the air filled: punctures, tyre blow-outs, correct/incorrect pressures, leaking valves, changing tyres at the side of busy motorways/dark country lanes, can't get the wheel off/nuts overtightened by garages, space taken up by spares, wasting time looking for a working/reliable air pump at filling stations, etc, etc..
It must be possible in this tecnologically advanced age of ours to design (if there isn't one already) a suitable "filling" for tyres.
|
|
Anything you put in tyres increases the unsprung weight making the suspension less responsive to bumps. If they filling moves around the tyre it could create imbalance and vibration.
|
It's probably because an air filled tyre won't fatigue and change its elasticity. It's unlikely there is a foam replacement which will retain its properties for the life of the tyre. Think of the foam in the cushions on furniture.
Also no adjustment for load is possible. Oddly, there is one benefit with punctures - the air loss makes you aware that there is a foreign body in the tyre - otherwise you could drive on unknowingly damaging the tyre with the risk of catastrophic failure later.
Regards
John
|
|
In Germany you can have your tyres filled with No2 ,It is supposed to last longer than air ?
|
Andrew
What's No. 2? What's the definition of 'lasts longer' - does this mean pressure loss is less?
john
|
|
I know we used to use Nitrogen in aircraft tyres because a) it is lighter than air at sea level and b) in the event of a fire it would not assist the fire. Can't see the advantage in car tyres but truck and trailer tyres, maybe.
|
|
|
nitrous oxide .The molecules are denser so allowing less leagage
so I am told
|
|
You're 'avin a larf !!!!????
|
|
|
Andrew
Yes I guessed it was something like this - larger molecules, less leakage. May also be a benefit on aircraft as they will tend to leak more at altitude as the outside pressure drops.
Did you hear about the racing bike riders trying to same a few grammes by filling their tyres with hydrogen (apparently true)? They soon found out about the small molecules size of hydrogen as it leaks through a latex tube in no time!
regards
John
|
|
|
|
Nitrous oxide is also known as laughing gas. An anaesthetic commonly used by dentists and vets. So don't breathe in the air as it comes out yer tyres!
|
|
|
|
|
|
As a daily motorcyclist I would welcome an alternative.
Back tyres seem to pick up nails all too frequently, especially in London, and without a spare you are stuck at the roadside for at least an hour and a half whilst a mobile unit comes out, takes out the wheel, puts in a new tube and reassembles everything.
I recon on a puncture every six months or so on average!
|
|
|
