Proven, Not Promised
How Aussie CTI raises the standard for central tyre inflation systems!
By the time a piece of Aussie CTI equipment is bolted onto a working truck, it has already lived a life. Not on the highway yet, but on the bench, under scrutiny, being pushed to the limit, measured, scored, and judged without sentiment. That is an essential behind-the-scenes detail you never see when a central tyre inflation system quietly does its job kilometre after kilometre.
At Aussie CTI, that unseen hero has a name. They call it the Stuometer, and, like all promising shed-born innovations, the story behind it matters as much as what it does.
If the results are not all but perfect, the unit does not pass.
A test bench built on lived experience
The Stuometer exists because reliability is not an accident. It is a process. And in this case, it is a process designed, coded, wired, and built by Aussie CTI founder Andrew Kee’s son, Stuart, who wrote the program, designed the printed circuit board, had it manufactured, and then built the test bench itself.
Stuart is not a hobbyist tinkering after hours. He is a central tyre inflation specialist with decades of real-world experience, the sort that only comes from being elbow deep in systems that earn their keep in logging coupes, mine haul roads, and corrosive agricultural environments. The Stuometer reflects that mindset. Practical, unforgiving, and quietly clever.
Bedding in, properly
Every CTI unit that leaves the Morwell factory runs through a regimented sequence designed to do one thing above all else: bed in the internal seals properly before the customer ever sees it.
The process begins gently. For the first few minutes, the unit runs with no pressure at all, allowing the carbon seal to wipe cleanly onto the tungsten carbide insert. It is a subtle but crucial step, establishing an even contact surface before any real load is applied.
From there, the Stuometer steps it up. Five minutes at low pressure, followed by measurement and testing. Then five minutes at high pressure, again tested and logged.
The results are not eyeballed. An algorithm scores them. If the numbers are not all but perfect, the unit does not pass. Simple as that. Only then does it go into stock, quality assured, tested, and proven.
“This process minimises our warranty claims and significantly reduces any inconvenience to our customers,” explains Andrew Kee. It is a throwaway line delivered matter of factly, but it neatly sums up the philosophy. Do the hard work here, so the operator never has to think about it later.
The Stuometer. Designed and built in house to rigorously test every CTI unit before it enters service.
Materials that earn their place
There is a reason Aussie CTI hubs last. The primary sealing surface uses a carbon seal running against a tungsten carbide insert, a pairing chosen for wear resistance, stability, and consistency over huge distances. Carbon is forgiving enough to bed in smoothly, while tungsten carbide shrugs off abrasion that would quickly punish lesser materials.
Behind that sits a proper double lip seal, keeping contaminants away from the bearings where they can do real damage. Dust, water, fertiliser residue, none of it is welcome, and this seal arrangement makes sure it stays where it belongs, outside.
Bearings themselves are a story of long, methodical trial. Andrew has tested just about everything available over 25 years of CTI development, and his conclusion is unequivocal. In this application, nothing performs better than Japanese Nachi bearings.
“There might be other jobs where something else is equal,” he admits, “but for our application, there is nothing that performs better.”
The carbon seal, incidentally, is Australian-made, a deliberate choice to back proven local manufacturing with equally proven design.
Designed for real world conditions across mining, logging, and agricultural operations.
Built for life on the road and beyond
Once machined, the rotators are sent to Melbourne for hard anodising. That hardened anodised outer finish provides a long service life, particularly in corrosive environments such as fertiliser spreading, where untreated components simply do not survive.
The results speak quietly but convincingly. Aussie CTI is now seeing customers achieve over one million kilometres on their systems, without drama or fuss.
And when service is required, these units are designed to be serviced in the field. Rebuilds are straightforward, fast, and supported by dedicated service kits: no waiting weeks, no unnecessary downtime, just sensible engineering for real-world operations.
Aussie CTI designs and manufactures its central tyre inflation systems in Morwell Victoria, supporting local industry and skilled trades.
Made in Morwell, for the long haul
All of this happens in Morwell, where Aussie CTI designs and builds its systems, supporting local trades, suppliers, and industry. It is manufacturing within a postcode, and with pride.
In an era where marketing noise often drowns out substance, the Stuometer is refreshingly honest. It does not make promises. It measures. It proves. And it quietly ensures that when an Aussie CTI system rolls out the door, it is ready to do the hard yards long before it ever hits the highway.
That is not just quality control. That is respect for the customer, the machine, and the kilometres ahead.
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