Thread: 130 on portals

Originally Posted by grover7488

Robert your rig is Freakin unbelieveable!!

With our government laws (not allowing much lift or tyre size increase from factory specs) portals would be excellent - [the 'fun' police have probably already canned them tho ]

re Wolfgangs website - does he have an english version my german is way worse than my english........

Thanx.

But please explaint to me why, in the home of MaxiDrive and Marks4x4 Portas, it shouldn´t be possible to drive bolt-on portals?
German laws are tough and a pain but it passed without any problems.
They knew what we´re up to and sanctioned it.
With the tyre size and overall gearing change (drop box and transfer case) my revs and speedo match again and that´s most important to them.

I have spoken with other countries MOT in Europe and they don´t sound opposed.


Regarding the handling improvement:
Well, steering has become much easier and the turning radius is recognizably reduzed.
It´s a few factors coming together, I think. The Proflex shocks are pretty good and with the remapped/reprogrammed ECU from Allisport, the increased with of the axle (wheel centre - wheel centre) it´s just fun to drive.

I am planning to shot a film about the truck later this month, then you´ll understand. Sofar almost everyone I allowed a ride enjoyed it so much that I had to sweet talk them out of the drivers seat again


Wolfgang Tibus´ website is seemingly under construction, at last.
I am putting together an overview for my website and will have it online early this week, it´ll then have all the information from his website, too.

Originally Posted by TwoUp

G'day,
Have you measured or experienced any overheating at the portal gears?

Lateral stress loading,
Have you whitnessed any stress (weld fractures or anything) from using the portals in hard driving.

Now the Portals allow for a solid axel so what is on offer have you contemplated this?

Any info welcomed

Regards,
PeterW

G´day Peter,

sofar there has been no overheating in any kind of driving. I will install a few sensors next week to fully document the temperatures, but even after straight 600km on the highway at speeds ranging from 110km/h to 137km/h, I could still touch the drop box housing without burning myself.

For the rear I would always recommend a Salisbury axle, I have used mine from the 110 that I raced with. The front is still standard.
All interior components are standard, except for the two ARB lockers.

I am thinking about, after have a long chat with Dave Ashcroft at his workshop, to use his shafts in the front axle and on the next axle service will install his 3.5 ring/pinion set.

If you need to reinforce your axles is fully dependable on your driving and purposes. It´s no problem to use Dana 44 or Dana 60 axles with these drop boxes, which is what Wolfgang Tibus as chosen to do with his Rallye 110...





He can also build Dana60 axles for LR Defender or build just about any other axle you need and spec. The Dana60 conversion would give you a much wider selection of diff-ratios, too.
Other than that you can also use the conversion of www.RoverTracks.com

So long,

Robert

there have been a few vehicles around Australia engineered and rego'd with MD and Marks portals.

re handling: put aside the shocks and engine mods, I agree that the track width CAN be a positive improvent, but it will amplify axle roll axis angle and bump steer. Adding portals increases the unsprung mass which may help COG but wont help axle/shock loading over bumps etc. Link geometry wasnt designed for portals. Yes it works....but as an example, changing nothing but to portals 5 inch drop you need a front radius arm about 1400mm long to retain stock geometry...

sometime emotion gets in the way of clear thinking....but you cant change the laws of phsyics.

Not knocking these in anyway. I believe them to be a great product and idea.

but bolting them on like anything can have its negative effects as well as positive

cheers,
Serg

Sure the geometry is changed, but in case of the Defender on 35" tyres its still within the margins that allow for safe driving.
Using rims with a different (lesser) offset will definitly worsen the handling, which is why I choose these rims.

The unsprung weight is increased by about 20kg per side, compared to the original setup.

G´day,

just a quick update on legalizing the portal conversion in the UK:

I was talking to a VOSA inspector the other day about getting your motor legal in the UK. His take on it was that because LR had already gone down the type approval route with their own portal conversion back in the late '80s, there would be no issue with fitting as long as the kit had CE approval. TUV approval is CE approval so shouldn't be a problem.

The portal drop boxes are CE approved.

Among others, I am currently working on the tyre inflation system (CTIS) and just found a great system and the manufacturer of my battery management system, too.....



This is just a preview, fitting the block to the wheel and taking the dimensions for the connectors & cover-/protection-plate.
The system will be fitted to the wheel and available for the Silverline Blindo wheels later, too.

The controll unit can be pre-programmed to 12 different pressure settings (e.g. highway - offroad - sand and different load settings) and constantly displays all 4 tyre pressures. Pressure control at predefined intervalls or, as in my setup, whenever I start the car.
All tyres can be inflated seperately and pressure drop, we tested on a truck setup, was from 4.0 bar to 1.0 bar in 20 seconds, refill time depends on your compressor´s flow rate.

So long, I´ll keep you updated

It´s not over yet and there´s been a lot of things going on in the past months...


LRO Show Billing at Silverline Stand (Thanx for the invitation to Andy and for the hospitality to Chris!)


LRO Show Peterborough (Thanx Andy for the hospitality!)


In Paris for the Autosalon 2010

Taking a few measurements...


A blown seal and the discovery of hight...


The installation of a custom made set of progressive heavy duty coil springs which are 1.5" longer and fully replace the rear twin coil setup on the 130...




and of course the current status: 26,000km (16,155miles) on bolt-on portals and 2,000km on the progressive HD coils (without sway-bars!)

And of course a lot of work, too...


..not to forget the occasional meeting with friends to discuss Tibus´s products after a nice little test drive...

...so if you need a nice set of portals or a winch, just ask Chris.

As I am waiting vor my full external roofrack to arrive I am playing a little with photoshop to find out which expedition cabin would fit best for the rear....



...or...



I want all sides to be opened and a few extras as well, will have to find out with Malte if he can build it that way.

For the time being I will build a open utility rack for the tray, which will be slightly lower than the external roll cage on the cab.
I am working on the wooden template at the moment and as soon as I like it I will start bending tubes.

Advice is welcome, as is criticism.

G'day Oilworker,
Finaly received a reply from QLD Transport re-portals. Only took just over two months for the reply. I have to detail more info, but am used to this as I had to deal with them extensively for the Chev upgrade. Have sent an email back to Wolfgang for info and I am dealing with a local authority.

Good to hear the longer term outcomes for your portals/ car. This is encouraging.

Have a 4L80E gearbox being built at the moment with manual lockup and a 500X300 oil cooler to keep all things going for the longer term. It also has lower 1st and 2nd gears.

It all takes time, but I am able to wait.

Regards,
PeterW