Portal Axles on Dana 60? CTIS too?
- Thread starter psychohawk
- Start date
KEENO
Adventurer
FAQ & word problem
From AIM's FAQ's: (some interesting stuff mentioned...)
Q: "You use straight gears. What about the noise?
A: Helical gears are indeed quieter but bring another set of design challenges for dealing with thrust loads. Our design rationale (to be proven with test data) is that the gears are running in a bath of GL5 90 weight gear oil, enclosed by a solid nodular iron case and enclosed in a large wheel / tire assembly. Any gearing noise that does radiate from the wheel end is going to be competing with engine noise, exhaust noise, and tire noise. Stay tuned for test results, though."
Pretty sweet set up for the Kingpin D60.... Other axles look to be in the works. Nothing for a Dana 70 or 80 rear, which helps keeps the wallet & lust in check.
AIM also mentions that the Portal Gears & Bearing are rated for 10,000 hours of service. How long is that at 70mph?
From 5th Grade-ish: If Expedition Camper "A" with AIM Portal Axles leaves St. Louis heading West on I-70.... While on parallel I-40 Interstate, a similar Expedition Camper "B" with traditional Dana Axles leaves Nashville heading in the same direction.... Who will run out of Gear & Bearing Life FIRST?
KEENO
From AIM's FAQ's: (some interesting stuff mentioned...)
Q: "You use straight gears. What about the noise?
A: Helical gears are indeed quieter but bring another set of design challenges for dealing with thrust loads. Our design rationale (to be proven with test data) is that the gears are running in a bath of GL5 90 weight gear oil, enclosed by a solid nodular iron case and enclosed in a large wheel / tire assembly. Any gearing noise that does radiate from the wheel end is going to be competing with engine noise, exhaust noise, and tire noise. Stay tuned for test results, though."
Pretty sweet set up for the Kingpin D60.... Other axles look to be in the works. Nothing for a Dana 70 or 80 rear, which helps keeps the wallet & lust in check.
AIM also mentions that the Portal Gears & Bearing are rated for 10,000 hours of service. How long is that at 70mph?
From 5th Grade-ish: If Expedition Camper "A" with AIM Portal Axles leaves St. Louis heading West on I-70.... While on parallel I-40 Interstate, a similar Expedition Camper "B" with traditional Dana Axles leaves Nashville heading in the same direction.... Who will run out of Gear & Bearing Life FIRST?
KEENO
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Ron B
Explorer
these may not be ideal for daily driving (?). As far as servicing/rebuilding, I bet it's probably fairly straight forward (my hummer portals are pretty simple and bullet proof -- these look very similar in design). As far as the noise...I can't hear them over the clattering diesel or the swampers when driving, I only hear them when braking (sounds like a giant nuclear powered pepper grinder -- as Jeremy Clarkson put it).
rb
rb
BigJimCruising
Adventurer
Just subscribing in case someone gets a price for these bad boys! I wonder if you could specify a different bolt pattern? Something so I could mount up some stock 22.5's and those 40's I'be been lusting after? Sure opens up some ideas. Just more stuff I can't afford! But it's fun to dream!!
cruiseroutfit
Well-known member
Don't be so sure
This isn't a Toyota axle, but its a similar CV driven design that could easily be adapted to a Toyota application.
EDIT: Won't let me attach. Marks4WD in Aussie did some prototype bolt on portal boxes for closed knuckle axles.
GeoTracker90
Adventurer
Take a look at this thread from over on Planet 4X4. This Patrol was just outfitted with the portal boxes and he is now on his first wheeling trip with it in Arizona.
Ultimate Patrol Thread
Mike
Ultimate Patrol Thread
Mike
Ron B
Explorer
Take a look at this thread from over on Planet 4X4. This Patrol was just outfitted with the portal boxes and he is now on his first wheeling trip with it in Arizona.
Ultimate Patrol Thread
Mike
wow that's a cool truck!!
I honestly thought they'd be much more $$ (they are only a few bills more than hummer portals new from AMGeneral). I wonder how they perform compared to the Portal-tek's?
Outback
Explorer
These are very well thought out and engineered. If you go to the link at the beggining of this thread you can see the pictures of the units. VERY stout! You can now run 35 to 38" tires without a lift kit. If you have 3.73 gears then you wont have to change your ring and pinions out. If I'm doing my math correctly then that would give you 5.59 gearing. So maybe you should go with 40" tires. :sombrero:
The single greatest advantage would be true ground clearance. You gain 5" of clearance with the same size tires. In other words your diff will be 5" further off the ground. All of your suspension geometry is the same! No new drive shafts. No more BUMP steer from going with huge tires to gain axle clearance.
The single greatest advantage would be true ground clearance. You gain 5" of clearance with the same size tires. In other words your diff will be 5" further off the ground. All of your suspension geometry is the same! No new drive shafts. No more BUMP steer from going with huge tires to gain axle clearance.
More Information
Thought you might be interested in the attached - from an install last week on Dynatrac Pro Rock 60s. These units are prototype level hardware. We have made several changes to the production parts that will be assembled and start shipping next week. The wheels in the photo are going to be replaced with portal-specific 17"x10" wheels with 9" backspacing that serve to both protect the portal and bring the scrub radius back to acceptable levels. This vehicle will be at Moab.
The Unimog 404 comparison is for visual reference.
AIM
Thought you might be interested in the attached - from an install last week on Dynatrac Pro Rock 60s. These units are prototype level hardware. We have made several changes to the production parts that will be assembled and start shipping next week. The wheels in the photo are going to be replaced with portal-specific 17"x10" wheels with 9" backspacing that serve to both protect the portal and bring the scrub radius back to acceptable levels. This vehicle will be at Moab.
The Unimog 404 comparison is for visual reference.
AIM
Attachments
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charlieaarons
Explorer
I think it's a great idea. These portals decrease the strain on the diff and axle shaft and steering U-joint by 1/3. My only reservation is heat buildup if someone thinks it's OK to drive at 75 all day (not a great idea with a lifted truck, big tires, etc.). What is the lube capacity of the portal boxes? I assume something like Delvac synthetic gear oil is desirable; that's what Mercedes recommends in newer Unimogs.
Is the little silver thing on the upper left of the box in the 1st picture a breather?
Also: The axles on the Nissan Patrol ARE Portal-Teks, read the thread carefully and look at the pictures, the diffs are Ford 9".
Charlie
Is the little silver thing on the upper left of the box in the 1st picture a breather?
Also: The axles on the Nissan Patrol ARE Portal-Teks, read the thread carefully and look at the pictures, the diffs are Ford 9".
Charlie
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