Is the CTIS on 5 ton A2's better than the Deuce's?

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Wondering if the CTIS on 5 ton trucks is more dependable/less problem prone than the deuce?

 

[Carlo]

I have a M923A2 and was told there can be problems but I have yet to have any. My M35A2 is not a A3 so I cant say for the 35. Sometimes its a little slow lowering the air though but it could be normal. Like I said I have nothing to compare.

 

[BKubu]

I think they are equally bad.

 

[jcappeljr]

Me too.

 

[pmramsey]

Keep the CTIS clean, dry, and blow a little veggie based oil into the system once a a year to help the seals from drying and cracking and you will stay far out ahead of the problems associated with those systems.

 

[Carlo]

Keep the CTIS clean, dry, and blow a little veggie based oil into the system once a a year to help the seals from drying and cracking and you will stay far out ahead of the problems associated with those systems.

Good advice! Thanks

 

[glcaines]

I know it's popular to knock the reliability of the CTIS on M35A3 trucks, but I have to say that mine works very well and I've had only one problem. This problem was caused by an idiot in the military mangling the seal retainers on one of the rear axles. A relatively easy fix. However, I seldom use the CTIS because it is limited to 45 PSI highway pressure and I normally run 60 PSI as the truck drives much better with the higher pressure. A lot of these trucks have been sitting around for years, not being driven regularly, and with almost no PM.

 

[chadande]

Keep the CTIS clean, dry, and blow a little veggie based oil into the system once a a year to help the seals from drying and cracking and you will stay far out ahead of the problems associated with those systems.

Please explain a little more. What type of veggie oil and how much? Where do you introduce it into the system?

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

I know it's popular to knock the reliability of the CTIS on M35A3 trucks, but I have to say that mine works very well and I've had only one problem. This problem was caused by an idiot in the military mangling the seal retainers on one of the rear axles. A relatively easy fix. However, I seldom use the CTIS because it is limited to 45 PSI highway pressure and I normally run 60 PSI as the truck drives much better with the higher pressure. A lot of these trucks have been sitting around for years, not being driven regularly, and with almost no PM.

I've had two orings and rubbers for the turrets replaced on two wheels, they both are leaking again, My left front now has a slow leak, I've serviced two of the wheels which had washed the grease right out of the bearings. It just seems to be a really problem prone system to me. 60 PSI huh? Haven't gone above 45, I'll have to try that, I get some pretty bad death wobble on some of the roads around here.

 

[glcaines]

I've had two orings and rubbers for the turrets replaced on two wheels, they both are leaking again, My left front now has a slow leak, I've serviced two of the wheels which had washed the grease right out of the bearings. It just seems to be a really problem prone system to me. 60 PSI huh? Haven't gone above 45, I'll have to try that, I get some pretty bad death wobble on some of the roads around here.

I run 60 psi and it drives much better than at 45 psi. The tires can take 80 psi, but the wheels are redlined at 60. I still get the death wobble, but not nearly so much as with lower tire pressure. I also find that the more I drive the truck, the less the death wobble. I don't think the tires like sitting for long periods. The only tire I've had leak after replacing o-ring and grommet on was one I had done at a tire shop. It kept leaking slowly from the grommet. I took it apart myself and found that the brass nut on the valve stem wasn't torqued to 45 - 60 lb-ft like the TM calls for, but only about 20. I simply re-torqued it to 60 and installed a new o-ring and it stopped leaking. So far all of my tire leaks have come from leaky grommets, not from leaking o-rings. Most of the brass nuts were almost loose enought to unscrew with my fingers because the grommets had deteriorated. I still have two tires leaking slowly from the grommet area that I haven't gotten around to fixing yet, but I'm going to wait for warmer weather. Good luck with yours.

 

[mendo069]

First thing I did was rip all that CTIS crap off the truck...can't imagine being stuck on the road somewhere needing all kinds of tools to change a tire.....boo..

 

[Karl kostman]

I have friends in the Armed Forces and they say you can always tell the CTIS trucks in the lot, just look for the flat tires. Good bad I have heard both sides of the story, one thing I do know is I was looking at an A3 at one point and priced out some wheel bearings for this truck and the inside wheel bearings were just under 700.00 each, THAT is more than 600% more than a non CTIS equiped truck, no thanks!
KK

 

[glcaines]

First thing I did was rip all that CTIS crap off the truck...can't imagine being stuck on the road somewhere needing all kinds of tools to change a tire.....boo..

It's not that hard to change out a flat for the spare on an A3. You don't hook up the CTIS on the spare, so only a crescent wrench is required to disconnect a couple of plastic fittings.