2.5 lift and portals or 6 inch lift?

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I spent a good half hour last weekend watching a buggified Gen I 4skinner slam himself against the upper obstacle at slickrock. His diff the was reason he could not take the best line and ended up winching.

Portals, or another 4" in tires would have allowed him up n over it.


mabrodis said:
Very cool ideas, however when do you expect the portal design to 'save you'? I'm just playing devil's advocate here, but in my experience offroad, rarely is the diff the main problem, usually high-centered, approach/departure angles, etc. Ofcourse there are times the diff could be the problem, and this would help that, but most people I know just bash the rock harder until the housing slides over it.

The engineering and design on those axles is awesome, but in a practial sense, I don't know when it would be beneficial. Also if you're trying to keep the center-of-gravity lower, then that is exactly what you don't want to do. I the overall lift is say 5", then the best thing for COG is to keep the axle down there with the tires, not raise it up some.

Just my $0.00 worth...
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concretejungle said:
That is a work of art ken. Thanks for the pic. That is exactly what i'm talking about. Looks like a few steering linkage issues to deal with. Did you ever finish the build-up for the 80 you were planning on taking to moab with portals? Or is that it?


Russ, could you give us a ballpark range of $$ figures for the cost of a set of custom portal axles?

Alex
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That is the 80 I am building for Drexx. The pan hard had to be moved up higher and the stock steering box and pitman arm was used. A hydrulic assist steering system is in the works to make sure the steering box stays on the frame under abusive driving with the 37s.

Ken
 
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sleeoffroad said:
Ken, great work on Drexx's truck. I know that Drexx had to run 37's for the rain forest challenge. Do you think those axles would take 44's? I spoke to the guys that buidl those and they did not feel the the Hummer outers would stand up. Also, do you know if the Ford 9's sections are 35 spline or not?
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I think the Hum 9 axles would be at there limit with 44s. With the 37s Drexx is running the axles should be near bullet proof although Drexx is driving....

To run 44s or bigger....I would use Unimog 409 axles, like Peters Tippy R using 53 inch tires.

The front Hum 9 uses 26 spline chromoly axles shafts at the CV and 32 at the ARB diff, should hold up since the CV and there after only sees 1/2 the force from the wheels. Most Hummers break the CV when the CV boot is ripped and filled with dirt.

The rear Hum 9 uses 32 spline chromoly shafts at the ARB and at the portal ends, directly to the box no CV.

Ken
 
MTBMAN18 said:
what about the lower gearing that comes with portal axles or can you get those gears changed out for use on something only running 35s or 37s and still seeing alot of the road?
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The Humm 9s we are using have a 4:80 final drive ratio and 37 inch tire put the gearing near stock therefore highway driving is no problem.

One of the best uses of the portal box is not only the clearance but also the fact that after the 2:1 portal box gears the drivetrain only see 1/2 the force of the wheel. A 40 inch tire is like a 20 inch tire to the axle sharts, 3rd members, drive shafts.....and you can have cental tire inflation, change tire pressure on the run

Ken
 
Definatly newb questions here, but..

How much do Humm 9's cost? To run Humm 9's, would I be fabbing the end of the hummer axels to another axel, or just dropping in a hummer full axel? Would Unimog axels be "drop-in" or definate fabrication?

I know I probaby wont ever have portals, but hell..might as well ask about them for the knowledge. Kinda just wondering what the easiest way to have portals on my 80 would be.
 
I think what makes the U80 so incredible is not the portals, it's everything else AND on top of that it's got portals.
The Hanna/Drexx combo just took it to another level. Yet another dream to dream about :D
 
anyone heard of skunkworks in PA or Canyon Crawlers? I had heard they are producing portals.
 
alkaline747trio said:
Definatly newb questions here, but..

How much do Humm 9's cost? To run Humm 9's, would I be fabbing the end of the hummer axels to another axel, or just dropping in a hummer full axel? Would Unimog axels be "drop-in" or definate fabrication?
Click to expand...

HUMM 9's are called so because they are Hummer portals on the ends of Ford 9" axles.

There's really no such thing as a Hummer full axle (with the exception of the rear on H2's, which is probably just a standard Dana 44 I think), because H1's use fully independent suspension with portals on all 4 corners.
 
HZJ60 Guy said:
The BUMMER portals are now where NEAR as strong as the Unimogs. Either 404's or 406's.


TB
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so to further betray my ignorance here, why wouldn't you make shortened unimogs instead of humm 9s, or why not just buy them custom made from someone like exaxt? The price seems comparable and I thought unimog axles had built in vacuum lockers.
 
Unimogs have very long pinion's. Also they do not have flanges for regular drive shaft mounting. Fitting and driveshaft lengths are a lot better with the hybrids. However axles from exact is an option.

I am trying to see if I can do Toyota 100 series rear diff (32 spline) with Unimog outers.
 
semlin said:
The price seems comparable and I thought unimog axles had built in vacuum lockers.
Click to expand...


UNIMOGs, at least 404s, have cable-actuated (from the cabin) mechanical lockers. Very sturdy and reliable.
 
:crybaby: Dangit Ken! i wish you guys had called me to go up there with you! I was all primed and ready to see the Ultimate 80 on her maiden voyage! Still planning on jumping her anytime soon? Jason and I and some other Norcal guys are hitting Pismo tomorrow 5-21.......call us up!

:mad: SETHZILLA!
 
sleeoffroad said:
Unimogs have very long pinion's. Also they do not have flanges for regular drive shaft mounting. Fitting and driveshaft lengths are a lot better with the hybrids. However axles from exact is an option.

I am trying to see if I can do Toyota 100 series rear diff (32 spline) with Unimog outers.
Click to expand...

so do the flange/pinion converters sold by exaxt not work? It looks straightforward on the website.
 
Quote semlin "The price seems comparable and I thought Unimog axles had built in vacuum lockers."

I am not sure about earlier Unimogs but my 406 had air operated difflocks and they went in and out very quickly. The disc brakes were massive must have been getting on for an inch thick with two callipers per disc on the front; they were the most powerful brakes on any vehicle that I have ever driven
 
I wonder what type of steering box would be needed for the portals? If not a box i guess you would have to go with hydraulic steering, which would then make it non-street legal.
 
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