Portal Axle build
 

For a while now, my friend Tedd and myself, have been inspired by different Swedish military vehicles. One in particular, the TGB11 or C303, has portal axles. We have been frustrated with the lack of effective options on the market in the way of portals. We also haven't been satisfied with the current offerings in terms of scale realism and actual axle clearance.

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl..._q-800x600.jpg

The lack of available options led us to see if we could do something ourselves. What would it take to create it, how long will it take to make it, and how much will it shrink our wallets?

Ok so we know we want the portal axles. We have a place to start. We can figure out the chassis and body after we get going. We decided that 3D printing for the prototype work would be a great place to start. We needed off-the-shelf axle innards to make things go so we chose the SDI4x4 parts as they are small and strong. For the portal housings we chose the Robinson Racing 5mm shaft gears. The 11 tooth 32 pitch and 23 tooth 32 pitch flavor of gears seem to be a good fit.

With those choices out of the way I started designing the axles in Sketchup. Here is how it went.

I had to model up the gears to create an axle housing around them so I could make sure the clearances were all there. Then wrap the housing around it.

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...01-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...02-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...03-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...05-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...06-800x600.jpg

With the portal gears mocked up and in place I modelled the portal housings around them and created a basic input housing for looks.

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...07-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...08-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...09-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...11-800x600.jpg

A kind of x-ray vision version of the model:

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...10-800x600.jpg

And an exploded version:

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...12-800x600.jpg

It is coming along nicely. With this as a good start I think we are on our way to getting something done! "thumbsup"

- Chris

Re: Portal Axle build
 

This axle looks a-ma-zing! "thumbsup""thumbsup" great work!

Re: Portal Axle build
 

Very cool, any plans to start producing them for the masses?

I'm surprised that Chino63 hasn't posted in here yet!

Re: Portal Axle build
 

Thanks Travis C. Yes we are very close to bringing these axles to the masses. I was actually at the Recon G6 PitBull event in PA a week ago showing them off and really putting them to the test.

I have been running our first generation prototypes under my Axial Recon G6 "MädMoose1" and it HANDLES LIKE A BEAST! With well over 100 hrs running these axles with both brushless and brushed motors trying to break them. I haven't had any luck breaking them yet. "thumbs" Not only that but of the 500 gates at the event I only rolled twice and bumped two of the markers. The ground clearance was a MAJOR advantage and anyone who says not to use portals because of a higher COG.... well we haven't noticed this at all. :ror:

Follow us on Instagram #madmooserc , Facebook Mad Moose RC and the web Home - Mad Moose RC.

When we hit 2000 followers on Instagram one lucky person who FOLLOWS, SHARES one of our portal axles posts AND TAGS us will be in the running for winning a complete set of the portals!

/Tedd

Re: Portal Axle build
 

Stupid work always getting in the way of my RCC browsing. :mrgreen:

And yes, I must have a pair. Or a pair of pairs. Or a pair of pairs of pairs. "thumbsup"

Any hints on the rough dimensions?

Re: Portal Axle build
 

The first and second generation axles both have the Axial AX10 width of 183mm pin to pin. Just recently, however, we decided that changing the width means just changing the 3D model so I am going to make different width versions which cover a range for different people's pleasures. Mostly for the scale crowd. The AR60 wraith width might be pushing the current axle shaft sizes too much.

The internal parts have been adjusted so that if the axle shafts are too long, you can just cut off what you need to, to adjust for a shorter width. This means we only have to order one set of parts for a max axle width. It saves money on the manufacturing of the parts. As for the axle housings themselves it costs nothing for the change as they are printed at Shapeways.

- Chris

Re: Portal Axle build
 

Now that we kind of have the rear axle sorted I just had to get the input housing correct and then match the axle width to the 183mm pin-to-pin Axial width.

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...15-800x600.jpg

And get an idea of what kind of clearance gains we were getting compared to the AX10 axle.

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...14-800x600.jpg

Pretty promising actually. Now onto the front axle. After some growing pains I finally got it where I wanted it to be. From this:

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...16-800x600.jpg

To this:

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...-2-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...19-800x600.jpg


Now we can take a look at where the output shafts sit vs. the AX10:

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...20-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...21-800x600.jpg


http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...22-800x600.jpg

- Chris

Re: Portal Axle build
 

An SCX10 chassis mockup with our axles.

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...25-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...24-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...26-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...27-800x600.jpg

http://madmooserc.com/wp-content/upl...28-800x600.jpg

-Chris

Re: Portal Axle build
 

I need a couple pairs of these desperately. They look great "thumbsup"

Re: Portal Axle build
 

wow, these are awesome. any options on over and underdrive?

Re: Portal Axle build
 

This is a scale axle, keep the production cost down, I vote no.

Re: Portal Axle build
 

Thanks! The plan is to get them in your hands this year. If everything works out correctly.

Thanks!

Actually, No. We don't have any plans for over and or under drive gear combos. Firstly, Vaterra only makes one set for the main housing so that makes it not possible. In the portal housings if we were to change the sizing of the gears the housing itself would need to also change. All of that is outside of the scope of this particular scale axle. Possibly something else will come along that will have that option but for now we are not working without it.

Sustained! The original goal for the axles was scale scale scale. We are holding fast to that design criteria on the axles. The only thing we will be making variable, in some fashion, will be the width.

Thanks for the feedback all and I have more to post shortly! "thumbsup"

-Chris

Re: Portal Axle build
 

"Scale, scale, scale"

How refreshing it is to hear this. There are so many "Comp" trickle downs into the scale aspect of this hobby, I'm losing interest. These axles definately have me excited and will go perfectly with my DSPRO Unimog body. I have to admit I'm no scale purist but I still appreciate the scaler side of things. At what point do we step back and say enough is enough?

Re: Portal Axle build
 

It is never enough! Ok, maybe when we are dead? :twisted:

- Chris

Re: Portal Axle build
 

Out of curiosity will these be link suspension only axles or leaf spring friendly as well?

Re: Portal Axle build
 

Great question! The answer is both! For the testing phases and proof-of-concepts we are doing links as it is just easier. I will be either making housings that are leaf-friendly or some kind of add-on that will attach to the axle. As they are 3D printed, I will probably just make a leaf sprung axle model that use the same internals.

-Chris

Re: Portal Axle build
 

I've been following these on scalebuildersguild and love them. Also I've been following the ascender output housings because I'd like to build a 6x6 someday and using the ascender axles would be great. Keep us up to date on those as well please. Keep up the great work!
Ben

Re: Portal Axle build
 

Hello Ben! Thanks for the feedback and support! The secondary input housing for the normal ascender axles came today and works like butta. For some reason there are two of the four screw holes that don't line up so I am going to fix that and order another print. Other than that it is ready to go! Looks pretty snazy as well.

-Chris

Re: Portal Axle build
 

That's great to hear as I will definitely need at least one set for leafs, can't wait to see and hear more "thumbsup"

Re: Portal Axle build
 

That's what we love to hear! We will definitely keep you informed!

We do have a mailing list where you can sign up for more info. I also write posts on our website.

Portal Axle Mailing List