Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hey guys,
just wanna ask any consideration and afterthoughts about my intention to go Volvo axles on a Rocky?
Idealy i would like to get a 'low ratio' axle and slap them under my Rocky retaining the current drivetrain and 4Y 2.2 litre engine, and current leafsprings.

According to those who have done the conversion from where i am (Malaysia) it seems the combination wont work claiming the car is way, way underpowered when running these axles.
But i dont understand why should that be the case especially when u have lower compound ratio though it's obvious highway crusing is sacrificed.
Other than that are there any hidden issues that are likely to crop up? Coz i'm clueless currently so i've have to start somewhere like posting my silly question.

So what say u guys? Just do it?

I don't see why it won't work. It is not like the old land rovers that people are converting have huge amounts of power anyway. Worst case you can always add a transfer case doubler or swap in a more powerful engine.

If you want to be more scientific, look at the power and torque curves of your 4Y/gearbox/transfer combination and compare it with the more common Land Rover setup. Just multiply the engine torque by the total reduction ratio to et torque at the transfer case output shaft in high range and low range. You can probably get away with a little less torque since the vehicle will weigh less than a Landy.

E.g Engine torque 200Nm, gearbox ratio, 1st gear 4.5:1, transfer case 2.5:1, total ratio 11.25:1, output torque 2250Nm.

This is not taking into account any drag or friction but that applies to both LR and Rocky equally.

As a matter of interest, how easy is it to find Volvo portals over there, how much do they cost and where do they come from? Are they 303, 304 or later versions? What about entire vehicles?

Richard.

BabyGodzillaGTi-R wrote:So what say u guys? Just do it?

DO IT

mate if i had an option to start over again on my rangie it would have stayed stock everything, and just fit portal axles and cut the guards and fit 38-40" rubber.

The way i see it the protals eradicate having to do heaps of suspension work (but in turn you need to do custome linkages and shock mounts etc etc) and you get lift, lockers, gearing, strength, diff clearance all in one hit.

I would def do it that way if i had the option to start again... just means more $$$ spent up front in one hit but its less $$$ in the long run.

All IMHO ofcourse

i think the reason they might be sceptical of the rocky havin enough juice to spin them is because of the amount of weight in the axles... the resistance of spinning the huge diffs and reduction gears, all that drivetrain power loss

your car will probly bounce on its light suspension when you load the axles up cause the body will try to turn before the tyres do

since you have access to the axles, just do it

there was a swb vitara on volvos in malaysia

we have a Defender with Volvo Portal axles. Look it!
http://www.4x4xalmeria.com/Web4x4/4x4al ... erpito.htm
www.4x4xalmeria.com
Spain

I´ve seen the Volvo military trucks with portal axles in action, running something like 40" tires. They obviously are far too heavy, very underpowered and decidedly uncomfortable, but, due to ground clerance and lockers, they get there. Usually.
Just for the fun of it, I checked the biggest "for sale" site here in Sweden. Not a single portal axle privately for sale!
Probably available from surplus sellers though.

I guess why it's plentiful (for now) in Malaysia is that the Malaysian Arm forces and the police used to run them and many are now decomissioned.

As for availability as a complete car, not sure now. Still annoyed when i was young when i couldnt convince my dad to get hold of one when an immaculate C303 was for sale. Now they are selling like hot cakes(axles). I think they are going for 7k Ringgit Malaysia for the "lowratio spec" and 15k for the "highratio spec". US $1= RM3.81.
I believe it's pretty cheap compared to what u guys are paying for.

The Rocky's i've seen with portal axles to date are running 1JZ to 7MGTE and the smallest is the 22R.


So u dont think the leaf springs might take the weight of the axles even though they are aftermarket Ultimate Suspension leaf springs? Seems to carry load reasonably well.
So u guys suspect the drive train loss with them must be tremendous that makes running with a 4Y silly?
Coz my budget is limited up to the axles alone for now( i'm still studying).
I believe i might need to upgrade my M8000 winch too as i heard recovering portal axles trucks in mud pools can be a disaster in the making.
Oh well...
I need more support....

By all means go for the portals if tou can get hold of them. Like the Rangie owner said: you get so many advantages, they outweigh any disadvantages you may encounter. And as for the springs not being able to support the axles.....? I actually thought they were supposed to support the vehicle, not supporting, but carried by the axles. Unless of course your vehicle is upside down most of the time. Unsprung weight will of course be increased with some loss in comfort and handling, but if you plan to do the kind of four wheeling where the portals do you any good, you won´t really notice that loss.
Drivetrain power loss might be noticeable if your increase in tyre size goes far to balance the lower gearing in the portals.
As usual it´s a question of how you plan to use the truck.

Hmmm,

7000 Ringit = ~A$2400
15000 Ringit = ~A$5,180

Not bad considering that you get tough as guts axles with lockers built in that are strong enough to run 40" tyres easily and yet weigh vastly less than the UniMog equivalent. They are also ready to run without pinion modifications having the same flange pattern as a Land Rover AFAIK.

Now if only I can get to a point where I can afford a pair before they run out!

Richard.

for reference i imported 3 pairs 6:1 ratio pairs a few years ago for about $14k landed

Hmm i'm kinda of a car technical stuff retard, why do u guys keep mentioning about Landies and Volvos that they are perfect for each other?
Or maybe i should screw my Daihatsu Rocky and build up my Rangie Classic instead?
hehehe


Wow NAM.... wow... that cost a bomb
And just imagine that a set of Volvo axles back in 2000 were like 3k RM

wanna ship me a set for the right price ofcourse

BabyGodzillaGTi-R wrote:Hmm i'm kinda of a car technical stuff retard, why do u guys keep mentioning about Landies and Volvos that they are perfect for each other?
Or maybe i should screw my Daihatsu Rocky and build up my Rangie Classic instead?
hehehe


Wow NAM.... wow... that cost a bomb
And just imagine that a set of Volvo axles back in 2000 were like 3k RM

Half of the volvo stuff is interchangeable with landy stuff.

They *almost* bolt into a Series (leaf sprung) rover.

If you search the Rover forum about Volvos, Daddylonglegs (Bill) has converted a County and set up NAMs rangie diffs. This thread should give you some idea on how to go about it.

Dave.

portal axles are obviously hard to come by. don't hear much of them in oz. pricey or just hard to modify ??

how much are the unimog portals

I just heard from sources in Iceland they the yanks have "discovered" the Unimog and are buying them at any price to build trucks that can crush the "Bummers"!
Incidentally: in about a week or two I´ll be able to let you guys know what the Volvo portals are going for here in Sweden. I´ll keep you posted.

DaveS3 wrote: snip

Half of the volvo stuff is interchangeable with landy stuff.

snip
Dave.

As far as I can tell, only some brake parts are interchangeable with landy stuff.

The vacuum actuator from the LT95 can be made to operate the diff lock on the volvos.

Bill would know if there are any other parts, but I cant see anything remotely like half.

Bush65 wrote:

DaveS3 wrote: snip

Half of the volvo stuff is interchangeable with landy stuff.

snip
Dave.

As far as I can tell, only some brake parts are interchangeable with landy stuff.

The vacuum actuator from the LT95 can be made to operate the diff lock on the volvos.

Bill would know if there are any other parts, but I cant see anything remotely like half.

Sorry your right. These seem to be the parts that are needed on a more current basis though and in Aus the LR stuff is far easier to get.

frp88 wrote:how much are the unimog portals

does anybody know

$4k upwards

does glenn dobbins sell the portals he made or are they a one off

Sorry it´s taken me so long to get this info:
A pair of Volvo portals sells for 20.000.- swedish kronas here, (you might be able to get the vat subtracted for export), that´s close to 3.400.- aussie dollars, or 2.720.- without the vat. Allow for freight cost for nearly half a ton on top of that.
They are a hefty weight for two men to carry.
The actual differentials/ring & pinion are reported to be basically the same as were used in most volvo series 200, 700 and 900 passenger cars so a variety of ratios are available for them.
For specifications go to:
www.xtremevehicles.com/html/vehicle_specs.html
A big surplus dealer that carries at least complete vehicles is:
www.renajs.se/
there´s a link for english on their front page.
Hope this does you guys any good.

Ingthorsson.