portal axles

[bob10]

There was a thread on the forum about some members wanting to fit portal axles, and there was some talk about whether they are legal in Aus..In the latest 4wd action mag., they have an article on a Patrol fitted with portals, and they say it is street legal.Mind you, 4wd action also advertises H.I.D. "blue" lights, and lights fitted to roof bars, and it has been argued both are illegal on Aus. roads. So, are the portals legal, or not?cheers, Bob

[uninformed]

Hi Bob,

all depends on how deep your pockets are and who you know.....No im not joking. It will also depend on what state you are in, as currently the rules are different from state to state

cheers
Serg

[Johnno1969]

Are those HID "Blue" lights those horrible bleeding things I keep seeing in oncoming night traffic that burn out my retinas on sight and make my brain hurt? Crikey I hopethey are bloody illegal. Lights that bright don't help anybody at all; they're really dangerous. I'm not long back from years overseas, and I used to see those lights in developing countries and think "At least when I get home the powers that be will have had the sense to make sure that the damned things don't get sold in Queensland...."

Maybe I was a bit optimistic.

[CJT]

There was a thread on the forum about some members wanting to fit portal axles, and there was some talk about whether they are legal in Aus..In the latest 4wd action mag., they have an article on a Patrol fitted with portals, and they say it is street legal.Mind you, 4wd action also advertises H.I.D. "blue" lights, and lights fitted to roof bars, and it has been argued both are illegal on Aus. roads. So, are the portals legal, or not?cheers, Bob

You can legally fit Portals, check out Marks 4wd Adapters. They do the kits for Nissan and Toyota.

I spoke to them about leaglity in QLD and they have approval for them here but with only a maximum 50mm increase in wheel track and maximum 33" tyres on a Patrol. This meant having to have rims custom made with a huge backspace to keep them in far enough.

I believe that they have approval for them in other states with 35" tyres but possibly not with any kind of suspension lift etc. Not that you need that given the extra clearance from the portals.

[Bush65]

You can legally fit Portals, check out Marks 4wd Adapters. They do the kits for Nissan and Toyota.

I spoke to them about leaglity in QLD and they have approval for them here but with only a maximum 50mm increase in wheel track and maximum 33" tyres on a Patrol. This meant having to have rims custom made with a huge backspace to keep them in far enough.

I believe that they have approval for them in other states with 35" tyres but possibly not with any kind of suspension lift etc. Not that you need that given the extra clearance from the portals.

I hope you are right, if so I owe you!

[isuzurover]

I hope you are right, if so I owe you!

John - AFAIK Mal Story still has 1 or 2 (QLD) registered vehicles on portals. Serg/Uninformed knows the details and is in contact with Mal every so often.

[wagoo]

I hope you are right, if so I owe you!

Do you still have the Volvos John? The 50mm track increase allowance which is the same that Vic Roads allow on normal beam axles anyway would make a landRover track width the same as a Volvo at 60.5''. With Volvo axles you would be allowed to go to 62.5'', in which case you might just be able to squeeze in a disc brake conversion and remain within the regs.

Although I agree with the track increase restriction from a structural engineering perspective,it does present an issue of stability for anyone adding Maxidrive or Tibus portals onto their vehicles.Perhaps you could apply your engineering skills to clearing up any misconceptions to the following?
I had originally thought that if you raised a vehicle 1'' and widened the track by 1'' then original centre of gravity would be maintained.This works wth a cube of constant density material,Eg a cube will overbalance once the gradient exceeds 45 degrees. But, and I'm not sure how it was calculated, and can't recall where I read it (probably Pirate),and I think it would have to vary between different vehicles, but the commonly believed equation seems to be, if you raise a vehicle 1'', then the track width should be increased by 2'' in order to maintain the centre of gravity at original levels.If that is true then if Maxidrive/Tibus portals raise the vehicle roughly 5'',and 35''dia tyres an additional 1.5'', then a Defender for example would need to have its axle housings widened out by 13'' to give a track width of 71.5'' to restore the centre of gravity to original specs.
Wagoo.

[uninformed]

I agree Bill,

not sure of the exact whys??? but have also read you need a greater track width increase than height increase.....regardless I cant understand how the DOT would allow a 5 inch portal with only a 50mm or 2 inch track width increase??? after all arnt all the rules and regs primarily based on safety???

[Slunnie]

As I understand it (from a NSW perspective) the 50mm change in track relates to the axle used, not to the vehicle which the axle is in.

[wagoo]

I agree Bill,

not sure of the exact whys??? but have also read you need a greater track width increase than height increase.....regardless I cant understand how the DOT would allow a 5 inch portal with only a 50mm or 2 inch track width increase??? after all arnt all the rules and regs primarily based on safety???

I think the D0T 50mm limit relates to the stress placed on the axle housing due to the extra leverage from the portal gear cases height and width;equivelant to fitting 42'' dia tyres vs 32'' and about 3'' less backspacing on the rims.On those numbers i'm surprised they allow any track width increase at all.
The extra king pin at the bottom beefs up the swiveI housings but not the axle housings, which would require reinforcing to cope with a bigger track increase;If I were an engineer that had to sign off on a portal conversion I wouldn't permit a bigger track increase either, unless it was done by widening the axle housing before the swivel balls and appropriately reinforced.This would be much easier to do on a LandRover with their bolt on swivel housings and firms making aftermarket 24 spline front and rear halfshafts,and steering rods than it would be for a Nissan or Toyota.

Wagoo.