AT tires are the only way to go imo. they're so well constructed these days that they give off little in the noise dept while getting you quite a bit in on-road/offroad driving options. the main hit is the 1-2 mpg due to the heavier, bigger sizing.

so i gladly dumped the boring soccer mom street tires and picked up a set of Toyo Open Country AT 285/60/18s on some aftermarket wheels with perfect width/offset. looks way better and the truck remains super quiet.

 

Went to Costco and bought the Michelin LTX M/S 2s on the last day of the $70 rebate. Had every intention of going with the Cross Terrains since I got 70,000+ on them (OEM 06 GX470) but the strong #1 ratings on Tirerack and Consumer Reports for the M/S 2s were compelling. Tires feel great so far. Tough to beat the prices at Costco along with the free flat protection, nitrogen and ongoing rotations/balancing.

 

You got nitro in your tires? I always thought about doing that but didn't know if its worth the additional expense.

Can you share your experience (beneifits, differences, etc) with the nitrogen in your tires?

 

For average consumer it is not worth the extra expense to have the tires filled with Nitrogen.

Mostly extreme service tires will really benefit from Nitrogen - race cars, airplane tires, etc...

While it sounds like a great idea, it is mostly a way for tire shop to generate additional revenue.

I'd take it if it was offered for free (and I believe Costco does), but would not pay an extra dime for it.

 

Air is 78% nitrogen, that should be enough, ya think?

 

It is the 21% of oxygen that is a problem - it is reactive leading to oxidation. The moisture that comes with regular air certainluy contributes to the corrosion process.

Pure nitrogen is inherently dry and non-reactive.

But even considering these facts, using nitrogen to fill your tires is a waste of money and energy.

 

Also a larger molecule so less bleeding through the rubber, but still subject to the same changes associated with temp change and when it gets cold and you need to adjust pressure what will you use? Either back to Costco or plain old air.