WHOA! Portal Axles for Gladiator look awesome

[21RG]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/314342427536?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=245488&meid=51fae3a76d42443dbc6913938a7fee7c&pid=101195&rk=2&rkt=12&sd=284867979038&itm=314342427536&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=SimplAMLv11WebTrimmedV3MskuWithRevOptLambda85KnnRecallV1WithCassiniImageSim&brand=AM+General&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum:31434242753651fae3a76d42443dbc6913938a7fee7c|enc:AQAHAAABMBTnULwZvkwwvWb54Sp3TESux6kFTXxeByyFeTbBEJTAHELVvJ%2BnpiRCZsaEJO6SgqSsQIHvbg9YL2jxELBYJZWPAuIRQj6%2FC29lmsqlxuBAu6jz6tEjqECs1WUS3BcwMF9b3HgouyQc2JltSbCbgr4KJPAyre63Nduyi1a7aZ8bdMr5UDK2Mi6cJ0sbakoJwWhOlOtzI0OG0on09PvFPQeTe%2Ff5O9zFucTFzXs%2F0W4z1EZx0xt7kKyQ9oSGaXz0P%2BX5AnwtgGQ9SXSuTJz8gJWAxsfGosnwgHpxY1SOd09flZK17aIjCBJ%2BdXTo9AfjdgbNIr2zI3Rt6xnw0XMn%2BMfV7NBJsrBpRWtJApbcMhaJ4oVp4hwS4FB2Rr4tyI6nOeDscGUQbbODw0g1KOFQkjA%3D|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2047675

something like this....

Looks like lots of work

I would like to see what axle shaft and type of joingt is used to connect the differential to the portal hub. The pivot point looks like it may be a bit of challenge for any type of joint. Also like to see what is being used to mount the brake caliper.

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[hjdca]

How much wider is the jeep track on Portals ? Will it effect your ability to travel tight jeep trails ?

 

[dcmdon]

They are portal hubs set on an independent suspension. I broke several of them along with the sub-frame on deployments. The steering is extremely weak. The brakes are awesome, but set on the outer edges of the differential and not on the hubs where the tires mount.

What was the justification for the inboard brakes? They were outlawed in most motor racing because of how they stress the axles. The justification then was that it allowed larger brakes than could fit inside the wheel.

Was that the rationale for the Humvee??

How much wider is your wheel base on Portals ? Will it effect your ability to travel tight jeep trails ?

I'm not trying to be a prick, but the correct term is track. Wheelbase is the distance between the front and rear axles.

 

[21RG]

What was the justification for the inboard brakes? They were outlawed in most motor racing because of how they stress the axles. The justification then was that it allowed larger brakes than could fit inside the wheel.

Was that the rationale for the Humvee??

Clearance and out of harms way. If you look at the portal boxes, they can be used front or rear, parts are easily interchangeable. The HMMWV can be easily cannibalized on the battlefield. The HMMWV also had no "Park" on the transmission, the parking brake and wheel chock is always used.

If you take a look at the portal box, there is a reduction on gearing. I don't remember what the gear reduction is, but that reduction may also decrease the amount of stress on the axle.

 

[Otisday]

I haven't seen or heard a price yet but I can only imagine this is NOT cheap

$25K you can go to there web site 74weld

 

[GEETCH]

I have been thinking about portals for a while, however I would not do bolt ons like in the video. Just don’t trust it personally.

that’s why I’d go for full axle swap.

sure they are over 11k each big reason I don’t have em lol, but when you really think about it, it’s not much more than when someone swaps to a Dana 60, gears, and 40’s

With the portals no need to run 40s and that rubber is expensive.

all that just to say, I think portals are awsome, If I had the money, I’d do full axle swap.

 

[dcmdon]

Clearance and out of harms way. If you look at the portal boxes, they can be used front or rear, parts are easily interchangeable. The HMMWV can be easily cannibalized on the battlefield. The HMMWV also had no "Park" on the transmission, the parking brake and wheel chock is always used.

If you take a look at the portal box, there is a reduction on gearing. I don't remember what the gear reduction is, but that reduction may also decrease the amount of stress on the axle.

Great point. If the axles have some kind of gear reduction at the hub, then it decreases the forces on the axles.

 

[Chunky White]

There were two in TN, one was orange and sold to someone out west a year or two ago. The other was solid white, it went through a couple of hands and ended up in PA with me. The LC was beat and trashed when I picked it up. I wheel it occasionallly.

I changed out the old drum brakes to disk brakes, I did a ton of machining to convert them. The axles may be going under my 2006 LJ.

The white one is the one I seen local too me but I haven't seen it since probably 2008 or so. The guy who built it was the head guy in a local off road club called 4x4Grace.

 

[Chunky White]

I have been thinking about portals for a while, however I would not do bolt ons like in the video. Just don’t trust it personally.

that’s why I’d go for full axle swap.

sure they are over 11k each big reason I don’t have em lol, but when you really think about it, it’s not much more than when someone swaps to a Dana 60, gears, and 40’s

With the portals no need to run 40s and that rubber is expensive.

all that just to say, I think portals are awsome, If I had the money, I’d do full axle swap.

These are cheaper than the bolt on portals mentioned at the start of this thread

 

[21RG]

The white one is the one I seen local too me but I haven't seen it since probably 2008 or so. The guy who built it was the head guy in a local off road club called 4x4Grace.

Yep, that is the one I have. Has the 4x4Grace sticker on the back. It was nice back then, not so nice when I picked it up.

I machined for disk brakes and redid the steering.

 

[rharr]

Yep, that is the one I have. Has the 4x4Grace sticker on the back. It was nice back then, not so nice when I picked it up.

I machined for disk brakes and redid the steering.

@21RG Having owned a portal setup rig, would you consider that rig a daily driver or a trailer rig?

 

[azmojave]

Yeap... Price and then they also forget portals aren't so hot as a daily driver set up. They are cool for dirt work but they aren't something i would want to be crusin down the high way at 75 on.

Way to much additional wear and tear for that kinda of work, their is a reason they are only used on military rigs.

Look up G500 4x4 Squared. It has a twin turbo V8 so I don’t think speed is an issue. Here’s a nice one.

Check out a 2022 Mercedes-Benz G-Class G AMG 63 Squared AWD - $464,995 on CarGurus at https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/share/348810517

 

[21RG]

Having owned a portal setup rig, would you consider that rig a daily driver or a trailer rig?

Gearing will be the biggest issue, the portals I have have a final reduction of 6.0:1 so top speed is around 45mph. For me it is a trailer rig, but I did not buy or build it to be a DD. At the same time my 2006 LJ with Dana 44's and 5.13:1's is also a trailer rig. Both are registered and road worthy.

As for ride and reliability there are no issues. The portals came off a Volvo C303 military vehicle so it had huge drum brakes and a very large 8-lug bolt pattern. If I did not have a machine shop it would have been a lot of work and money.

Portals on the market now are bolt in applications. Obvious there is a cost associated with them. As with any build, planning is key.

 

[fourfa]

Just for comparison, 74Weld says theirs are 1:1.22 reduction

DSTrac axles say "Portal Gear reduction 1:1.20"

I'm seeing GWagen kits that are 1.16:1

Really curious if anyone finds those to be streetable

 

[rharr]

Gearing will be the biggest issue, the portals I have have a final reduction of 6.0:1 so top speed is around 45mph. For me it is a trailer rig, but I did not buy or build it to be a DD. At the same time my 2006 LJ with Dana 44's and 5.13:1's is also a trailer rig. Both are registered and road worthy.

As for ride and reliability there are no issues. The portals came off a Volvo C303 military vehicle so it had huge drum brakes and a very large 8-lug bolt pattern. If I did not have a machine shop it would have been a lot of work and money.

Portals on the market now are bolt in applications. Obvious there is a cost associated with them. As with any build, planning is key.

Thanks that is good insight for anyone thinking about doing something like this.

People seem to think you can do major upgrades like portals and still have a street rig to go get groceries and take your kids to soccer practice and not have a care in the world.

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