Nitrogen cures a lot of the problems inherent to air bag suspensions. It also creates a few problems at the same time. Nitrogen allows you to air up and down many times w/o having to wait for the compressors to refill the tank. Since it is pressurized to 1800 psi or higher, it can be regulated to output a constant 150 psi. This means there will be no pressure drop across the system when the bags inflate. With a normal electric compressor and tank set-up, when the valves open to air up the vehicle, the pressure drops from 150 psi to 110 very quickly, causing the compressors to run and start filling the tank back up. The actual pressure level in my tank running a 145 psi switch is 130psi because of where the switch is mounted (close to the compressor). Being able to push a constant 150 psi through the system makes it much faster.

Sooner or later you will run out of "juice" and have to refill your tank. Expect to spend anywhere from $15-$30 or more for a refill, depending on the size of your Nitrogen tank. A 40cu.ft container costs $15 to refill locally while an 80 cu.ft container costs $25. The smaller bottle is similar in size to a large fire extinguisher.

PROBLEMS WITH NITROGEN:

First and foremost, it can be very dangerous if not handled correctly. Care must be taken to protect the valve from disengaging from the bottle and the bottle must be thoroughly secured to the vehicle. This is the worst case scenario in a Nitrogen set-up. You NEVER want the valve to break loose from the bottle. If it does, the high pressure inside the bottle can transform the bottle into a small missle and do a lot of damage. This is why it must be secured to the vehicle. There are safety precautions that can be taken to prevent the valve from breaking off of the bottle.