Thread: Maxi Drive Portal Axle Drop Boxes

Originally Posted by blitz

Ok John spill the beans what do you mean by "make a disc brake conversion which suits both the rover 5 on 6.5" and 5 on 5.5" stud patterns (Volvos are 8 on 8.75")."

to explain it to a dummy like me does that mean it will fit a disco stud pattern ?

but in the end I guess it doesn't really matter that much does it the yanks would make it to suit common bolt patterns

The disc brake conversion is for volvo portals.

The wheel mounting on the new stub axle is drilled for 2 stud patterns. One pattern is 5 studs on 6.5" bolt circle diameter, to suit landrover wheels. The other pattern is 5 studs on 5.5" bolt circle diameter (I guess that would suit landcruiser, patrol etc. wheels).

The original volvo wheels are unusual. 8 studs on 8.75" bolt circle dia. And they have 100% backspace.

Here are pics of the disc brake conversion, the volvo diff lock and lever that the vacuum actuator (or cable) attaches to.

Ahh now that you have explained it - it's rather obvious, except I just didn't get it before

This is more for the Australian readers rather than Mr Oily ( And Mr O, feel free to jump in anytime..)

I wondered at Mr O's sudden interest in Maxidrive portals, when,there wasn't much talk about them in Australia. There was somthing niggling at the back of my mind, and, of course I've only remembered it now:

In the Jan 07 issue of LRW ( Land Rover World), a UK mob called Cheviot 4x4 have an advertisement on page 53 for various things. In the bottom corner they have ads for maxidrive diffs and apparantly under the banner of *Outback Import* a portal axle conversion set for roughly 16K AUD. Now the website for cheviot is reasonably new, so that product isn't featured - but for the curious, I found them in the outback import website.

What is interesting is that they are advertised under the Maxi Drive banner, although it seems they may not ( Well it seems that way from the talk here) be made by MD - and the prices will interest you, especially when the euro is trading above the US dollar. And the company is apparantly Spanish.

http://www.outback-import.es/www/det...dmarca=0&pag=4

I can imagine getting real excited if I was working O/S and ordering a set thru the mail - paying for them is another matter.

And why isn't it for me???

I have been looking for bolt-on portals for quite a while already, but have probably always asked he wrong people.

But what is the story with Outback-Import anyway. I thought they had gone out of business completly? The french guy that drove the Bowler in the Paris-Dakar, had to sell it because they, his main sponsor, had ceased to exist, or at least that was what I heared when talking to him about his Wildcat.

As I said, I will wait until late summer to see what the earlier mentioned companies under development. Maybe I can get one set of portals as a test for my tour.

For now I just stumbled over 2 used axles with ARB Difflocks and a twin-shock system for just over US$3500. (including installation).

Oh, and what about this portal on the Outback-Import website. 116.000 Euro may just be a little too expensive???

Cheers, Oily

Strange huh - but the Cheviot4x4 (www.cheviot4x4.com) people obviously got them recently from somewhere - although I imagine they (and others) would be making some profit out of the sale @ 6.4k pounds. Just a note, the French website is using a hyphen in the title, whilst the Spanish one is just two words. Sounds like the French one was somthing like a franchise. Given that Spain has Santana, it makes sense that there would be a decent market for LR aftermarket stuff there. Any Spanish speaking co-workers nearby?

I have my emergency spanish phrase ready:

Rum and coke per favor.

Mark

Good morning and just, after beeing away for a long time roaming the world, a brief update.

I have found what I was looking for and it´s installed since last week....

my 130CC on bolt-on portals and Cooper STT 315/75R16 on Hutchinson double beadlook rims....







..and some underbody shots...








...but far from being finished....

(Portals developed and build by: Wolfgang Tibus / Home)

neat setup.......

Thanx!

Some more images from the fitting process at Tibus´ workshop...













As you can see on bolt pattern on the drop box, they are fully interchangeable (either side and either axle).









So long,

Robert