Who wants CTIS?

[RMP&O]

I don't see the point in CTIS...

Are you on and off pavement so much that you need an auto system to adjust your tires? To me that would mean on and off more the once per day and more than once per week.

Are you carrying a load and then dumping it in the same day, mutiple times?

Are you racing on all types of terrain from sand to mud to rocks to dirt track to pavement? Dakar maybe?

If your answers to those questions are yes than maybe CTIS is for you. If you say no then it is just a "bling" item that costs lots of money and could be full of problems.

Are you so lazy you can't get out of your truck once during the day to let your tires down and then once again to fill them back up? Geez....that just sounds like to much, um well laziness for me!

 

[Metcalf]

hey now, I explained why I thought it was a good idea. Its not about being lazy!

And yes. On a given day of wheeling I can cover varied terrain that requires many different tire pressures. Sometimes this means going back up to street pressure, sometimes this only means going from low single digits for deep snow back up to low teens for regular trail work, only to need to drop back down again for the next section of deep deep snow. Sand and desert is another area this could really help. Being able to drop pressure for those long deep sandy washes that commonly get people stuck would be really nice...especially if you didn't have to stop your forward momentum to do it. Just hit a button and the tires drop as you keep driving. Both sand and snow can have very different textures and consistency where they require slightly different tire pressures. I have been in deep snow where the different between stuck and go was only 1psi.

Please, lets keep the cheap shots to a minimum.

 

[RMP&O]

hey now, I explained why I thought it was a good idea. Its not about being lazy!

And yes. On a given day of wheeling I can cover varied terrain that requires many different tire pressures. Sometimes this means going back up to street pressure, sometimes this only means going from low single digits for deep snow back up to low teens for regular trail work, only to need to drop back down again for the next section of deep deep snow. Sand and desert is another area this could really help. Being able to drop pressure for those long deep sandy washes that commonly get people stuck would be really nice...especially if you didn't have to stop your forward momentum to do it. Just hit a button and the tires drop as you keep driving. Both sand and snow can have very different textures and consistency where they require slightly different tire pressures. I have been in deep snow where the different between stuck and go was only 1psi.

Please, lets keep the cheap shots to a minimum.

I wasn't trying to cheap shot the idea or thread or you. Just staing my opinion and view on the subject.

If you feel you need it and by your example it seems you do....then by all means! I got junk in my trucks that a lot of people wouldn't feel they need or even want. So I am not one ot judge at all.

For me though dropping to say 12psi is fine for 95% of terrain. I may go down to as low as 5psi on rocks and yeah anything eblow 20psi is not fun on pavement. But an onboard compressor and about 10 mins fixes any of that.

I never seen 1psi make a difference, 5 or 10 psi yes. More than anything it has always been the line, traction, driving skill and suspension that has got me through 99% of terrain or obstacles.

CTIS is going to be expensive no matter what. Most of us are going to not get our money out of it and or damage the system rock crawling or in nasty situations.

 

[Metcalf]

I understand....it's not for everyone.

Deep deep snow is where 1psi can make it or break it. There is a very big difference between 3 and 2 and 1 psi

 

[charlieaarons]

I'm very curious about how Eaton designs their system with non portal big truck axles, as far as the air passage route through the distal axle to the fitting on the hub.
It seems much simpler with portal axles.
If one of you genuinely wants CTIS it seems the route would be to order a set of portals from Portal Tek or Axletech "CTIS ready" and design your own plumbing.
I wonder if "CTIS ready" includes the though-hub fitting with O-rings?
A contributor to Benzworld.org/Unimog site designed his own system including the though-hub fitting for a non CTIS Unimog, SBU I believe, or earlier.

Charlie

 

[corax]

how about something like what Robby Gordon used on his H3 in the '07 Dakar? IIRC, since he ran 2wd he could use a remote inflation device. It consisted of some kind out outrigger to route air to the tires (eliminating axle variation / fitment issues) and looks like it would retro fit easily. Most likely would only work for the rear / non-steering wheels and it would be a vulnerable point in close quarters, obviously not for full time use

read the 3rd paragraph

Does anyone know more about this system?

Found at least one company that makes this: Syegon

I'm very curious about how Eaton designs their system with non portal big truck axles, as far as the air passage route through the distal axle to the fitting on the hub.
It seems much simpler with portal axles.
If one of you genuinely wants CTIS it seems the route would be to order a set of portals from Portal Tek or Axletech "CTIS ready" and design your own plumbing.
I wonder if "CTIS ready" includes the though-hub fitting with O-rings?
A contributor to Benzworld.org/Unimog site designed his own system including the though-hub fitting for a non CTIS Unimog, SBU I believe, or earlier.

Charlie

This might explain it

 

[charlieaarons]

This might explain it

Thanks. I know Meritor and/or Eaton provide CTIS axles to International and Western Star trucks that go to the military, also for other mfgs building vehicles like MRAPs.

Charlie

 

[4Mogger]

I have CTIS on my rig (4Runner with Mog 404 axles)
Exaxt in B.C. built the axles and did all of the machining for the unions and hub bolts.
Wheels and CTIS bits are from a hummer h1-- Hutchinson wheels. I am not sure where they sourced the unions.
I use a simple mechanical regulator with 0-30 psi gauge for simplicity-- no electronics for control of pressures. I went overboard on my OBA system but I have a lot of things running on compressed air (suspension, CTIS, lockers F and R)
Also have 2 15# Powertanks for backup.

I love the system. It does leak a little and will leak down over a period of about a few days to a week. Driven daily it is not an issue. It may be something else that leaks and I just have not traced it down yet. My entire OBA system is currently all on the same circuit so that is a problem. I just have not had the time to separate them out with check valves and separate regulators/ gauges.

I can air all my tires up from zero in just a couple of minutes to about 20 psi but it takes a while to air down through the regulator-- maybe 5-10 minutes as I drive-- from 20 psi road pressure down to about 8 psi trail pressure. The regulator has a very small vent-- maybe 1/16" diameter. May be able to add a valve at each wheel to dump pressure faster at some point but that would add to complexity and my rig is already complex enough.
Anyone wants to go wheeling in SW Colorado give me a call.

*edit* almost forgot, I have wheel cap centers that are solid billet aluminum with a recessed port for the CTIS line, and I use extra long lug nuts to further protect the lines. The lines are plumbed into the inner portion of the wheel so there is no way to snag at the wheel lip.

Very clean and no issues so far. But not cheap.

 

[4Mogger]

another pic of my rig,
changed a little, this was last summer

 

[Redline]

That is a nice, serious crawler you have there :sombrero:

Nice air system too.

Welcome

another pic of my rig,
changed a little, this was last summer

 

[Ron B]

another pic of my rig,
changed a little, this was last summer

nice set up, and nice rims -- they are rare. Only a small batch made by Hutchinson several years ago.

rb

 

[Pskhaat]

Are you on and off pavement so much that you need an auto system to adjust your tires? To me that would mean on and off more the once per day and more than once per week.

Any given trip to do trails in just simply Moab? Absolutely, 5-10 times per day.

 

[4Mogger]

nice set up, and nice rims -- they are rare. Only a small batch made by Hutchinson several years ago.

rb

Thanks, I would like a little more offset but I love the wheels... quality is excellent. Mine are all stamped "prototype" and I had to wait for about a year in 2004 for them to be made because the military was buying virtually all of them. As an example, one option is the "mine resistant run-flats." I did not get those, just the beadlock insert.:sombrero:

 

[Ron B]

Thanks, I would like a little more offset but I love the wheels... quality is excellent. Mine are all stamped "prototype" and I had to wait for about a year in 2004 for them to be made because the military was buying virtually all of them. As an example, one option is the "mine resistant run-flats." I did not get those, just the beadlock insert.:sombrero:

funny -- I ditched my runflats as well. I don't plan on getting shot at while wheeling, and they are heavy...about 35 lbs per wheel. I have the double beadlocks like you but on the 12 bolt steelies you see on humvees.

 

[4Mogger]

funny -- I ditched my runflats as well. I don't plan on getting shot at while wheeling, and they are heavy...about 35 lbs per wheel. I have the double beadlocks like you but on the 12 bolt steelies you see on humvees.

I have these rubber inserts. They are pretty light but I am limited in tire selection since they are designed for 37" MTR sidewall/bead thickness. I am running the same tire in 40" but I will have to be careful that the bead thickness is not any thicker than the MTR's on the next set, whatever they may be.