[Rover Addiction]

I'm considering getting in on the testing of the first models of another portal axle. This would be basically a bolt-on directly to the axle housing and therefore shouldn't requre additional suspension mods. Unfortunately, this is for Rover axles, so it won't help many of you guys out there, but what do you think about how they look? Any suggestions? I know I'm drooling already!

-John

<IMG width=612 height=792 SRC="http://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/uploads/RoverPortal2.jpg">

 

[Cliffy [JD]]

Well it looks cool and is a cool idea, but I bet it could be made to work on any axle (or any axle could be modified to work with it)

 

[gunracer1]

looks pretty cool but why only a 1.3 reduction, t seems that if you are going to do that much work, make it a little lower. mike

 

[Rover Addiction]

I'm not sure why they chose to go with 1.3:1, but I think it was initially conceived as a bolt on for a mud-runner that already had 4.7 gears. They deemed that was enough. I'd love to have more, that way I could run a stronger R&P set. As it is right now, I run 4.11:1, so I'll probably keep those and just bolt on the portals. Kinda cool to think of an easy bolt-on 5" lift. The only think I'm worried about is breaking the mounting onto the axle housing. I think this should probably be ok as long as I don't go to crazy back-spacing.

Hopefully, I'll get to run 'em!

-John

 

[gunracer1]

i don't know if i would jump them but they should be bad ass. the 5 in lift and some fender trimming it shold be killer.

 

[gunracer1]

o yea what kind of money are you talking here? mike

 

[Rover Addiction]

Price is yet to be determined, but I've heard rumors around $2k per corner including axleshafts and hardware. Not cheep, but consider the going rate for custom portals right now.

 

[Patman]

2k per corner!!!! WOOOOOOOWWWWWW!!! <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0">

I talked to CTM a while back and then they were getting 7500 for a pair of 9"/Mog hybrids with your choice of gears, arb in the front and spool in the rear (non steering)

 

[nasvik]

Seems to me you would have to do some suspension mods if you install them. Yes the angles will work, but if you raise the rig that much higher and don't fix a few things you'll have trouble. Like axle wrap, hop and squat/antisquat. I think. <IMG SRC="smilies/jester.gif" border="0">

As for the gear choice, seems like a good compromise for a bolt-on. You could step up to a 30% larger tire without losing any gear power. From a 35 to a 45 inch tire. Cool. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

Paul

 

[66CJdean]

The more reduction you do places more of the load on the stub axle. I like the idea of a portal but this one looks weak. I think they have in mind chasing wart hogs in their Range Rovers and having a bloody good time not rock crawling.

 

[Lance]

Originally posted by 66CJdean:
<STRONG> I think they have in mind chasing wart hogs in their Range Rovers and having a bloody good time not rock crawling.</STRONG>

<IMG SRC="smilies/laughing.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/laughing.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/laughing.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/laughing.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/laughing.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/laughing.gif" border="0">

 

[fcfred]

how about a built in gusset?
and lets see the front steering axle

 

[FattyCBR]

Any pics with those on the front axle? It might be interesting to see how they're running the steering. So would you convert to brakes at the pinion?

 

[TR]

if you read closl it looks like the rover axle have bolt on FF ends. so that company just has a bolt on drop box. as for the front i think its the same, the joint it before teh reduction and it bolts on where the spindle should bolt onto.

 

[roverhybrids]

I like the lift and the added track width(approx 6") but I don't think they are strong enough. perhaps the portal part is but you still have the limiting factor of the 24 spline axles. even upgraded to 30 spline seems a waste to have all that lift and not run at least 38" or larger tires. The Aussies seem to like the maxidrive stuff but those here in the states are breaking most all of it with 35's. How long will it last with 40's?
Now put it on a salisbury with some 35 spline shafts you might have the rear figured out. Just have to get maxidrive to make some new swivels for some seriously larger front CV's to run 35 spline salisbury in the front too. This would make all the antirover people sheat themselves. And that is not even considering the price!

[ 10-31-2001: Message edited by: teabag ]

 

[Rover Addiction]

Yup, they bolt-on where the spindle normally bolts on both front and rear. Rover axles are full-floaters, so this isn't very hard to do. However, the biggest question is the strength of the unit and the axle housing where it mounts on. I can see gussetting the rear, but I'm not sure what to do with the front. They're saying just use the stock front swivel ball. I've never heard of anyone breaking one, but I'm sure it can be done and this thing will probably do it. Also, the 24 spline axles are a weak point. I think the idea is that the reduction being after the axle will help to offset some of that weakness.

I'm only planning on running 37" tires with this set-up. My truck almost clears them now and I would be able to drop down to shorter springs and bumpstops to clear the tires. Actually, I'd get long, lighter springs that would allow good extension and compression.

I don't think axle-hop will be a problem as I have coils on all 4 corners and the links are quite stout. I think this is going to be a good test for all of it.

I see two possibilities here:
Either my set-up is strong enough and it works well, or I'll have a catastrophic failure of the axle housing at the spindle mount, a link connection, or both.

I'm hoping they'll work with me on any repair/redesign necessary.

-John

 

[Mieser]

I think the design has a lot of good points, besides that it is for the not so common in the states British stuff.

-It is not COUNTER rotating. You can use regular gearing in the axles. You don't have to worry about flipping the axle housing and having counter rotating axles and all that stuff.

-It bolts onto a stock application. In the end this is nice because if you already have the axles you are already over half way done with the install.

-The 1.3:1 reduction is perfect. In all other portals the reduction is like 2:1. This means that even with 3.07 gears you have like 6:1 gearing overall. I don't know about you, but I like being able to do more than 50mph.

-This is a much more compact design than avalanche. The only other standard rotation portal.

-You could solve all the steering problems by just running a wheel with greater backspacing.

Anyways, I hope someone in the states does something similar. I have heard rumors that someone is working on a bolt on portal very similar to this for D60 knuckles. I hope they hurry up and finish soon!

later <IMG SRC="smilies/jeep1.gif" border="0">

 

[Rover Addiction]

Originally posted by 66CJdean:
<STRONG>The more reduction you do places more of the load on the stub axle. I like the idea of a portal but this one looks weak. I think they have in mind chasing wart hogs in their Range Rovers and having a bloody good time not rock crawling.</STRONG>

<IMG SRC="smilies/laughing.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/laughing.gif" border="0">

You're absolutely right, they're not into rockcrawling. I agree it places more load on the stub axle, but people don't tend to break those, they break the inner axle. This will reduce the stress by moving the reduction further out.

 

[ryeguy]

Pretty neat, but I'm just not all that keen on anything that is that custom, especially at that cost. Like, when it breaks. And it will. *Everything* breaks! $2k in spare parts, man...

--Rob