Portal Axles

Solve Offroad are the NSW dealer for Marks 4WD Adaptors Portal Axles.

We consider Portal Axles to be the ultimate lift kit for your Landcruiser, for a number of reasons:

  • It provides a 6" (150mm) lift under the axle
  • Engineered to suit 35" tyres on 17" & 18" wheels
  • GVM increased to 3950kg for 79 series, 3780kg for 76 & 78 series
  • Track increased by 80mm
  • Air operated free wheeling hubs
  • Rear axle track corrected to match the front axle
  • Transmission drum hand brake on transfer case
  • Heavy duty one piece swivel housings
  • Slotted brake rotors & ceramic brake pads
  • Stainless braided brake lines
  • 2nd stage manufacture compliant
  • Legal in all states of Australia

Marks Portal Axles are designed to suit the following vehicles;

  • VDJ76, VDJ78, VDJ79
  • GRJ71, GRJ76, GRJ78, GRJ79

 

Portal Axles - standard kit

 

  • Portal axles built onto your diffs
  • Front and rear portal axle assemblies - 16% reduction
  • Second stage of manufacturing compliance
  • Forged chrome molly heavy duty spindles
  • High performance Delios slotted brake rotors front and rear
  • High temperature brake pads
  • ADR approved stainless steel braided brake lines
  • Air operated free wheeling hubs
  • GVM upgrade
  • Breathers for Portals and diff housings
  • ARB High Output Air Compressor and mounting bracketry
  • Rubber wheel arch flare & wire retainer for front wheels

 

Optional extras:

  • Alloy or steel wheel options
  • 17" & 18"
  • Tyres options 
  • 315 / 70 R17
  • 35 x 12.5 R17
  • 305 / 70 R18
  • 35 x 12.5 R18
  • Supply and fitment of new springs and shock absorbers

Breakdown of Portal Axle build on a brand new vehicle

  • Brand new front and rear axle assemblies
  • Axle housings are checked for straightness and straightened if required
  • Additional bracing welded to housing and re-checked for straightness
  • Axle housings, swivel housings, struts and portal housings painted prior to assembly
  • Diff centre fitted with
  • Ring and Pinion ratio changed if requested
  • Factory diff lock or of fitment TJM, ARB or EATON if required
  • Swivel housings fitted using new king pin bearings and knuckle seals
  • Additional king pin bearing in the form of a ball joint fitted below the lower king pin
  • Front axle assembled using all new CV joints, axles, gears, shafts, bearings and seals
  • Slotted high performance brake rotors front and rear
  • LandCruiser 4 pot front and single pot rear brake calipers
  • High temperature brake pads
  • New ADR approved braided brake lines replacing all rubber hoses

 

Key Features of the Portal Axles

  • Comfort, comfort & comfort - now you can lift your vehicle and not sacrifice the on road ride quality.
  • With the addition of 35" tyres the total increase in ground clearance is approximately 150mm (6") over standard
  • When 35" tyres are fitted, the differential to ground clearance is equivalent to having a standard live axle fitted with 43" tyres
  • Improved articulation is also experienced due to the increase in the vehicle track
  • Less body sway is also experienced due to the standard height springs and retention of the sway bars.
  • The 16% gear reduction offers this same percentage increase in strength to all of the transmission components from the CV joints back to the engine
  • Each transmission holds approximately 450ml of oil
  • The oil supplied with the portal assemblies is high quality full synthetic
  • The portal axle assemblies are supplied with breather hoses, manifold, and filters
  • Portal vehicles have undergone brake and lane change testing and have easily passed all the required tests.

Ground Clearance and Track

The portal transmissions have a vertical offset of 101mm (4"), this 101mm lift raises not only the body and chassis it also lifts the differentials by the same amount.

The portal transmissions increase the axle width by 100mm per side. Running positive 60mm offset 100/200 series LandCruiser rims moves the wheels back under the guards. The overall track of the vehicle is increased by 140mm. 

The Portals are designed to run 35" tyres which gives correct steering geometry.

Reduced Bump Steer compared to Suspension Lifts

A suspension lift is not required, which keeps the control arms, and pan hard rods flat.

Many customers change to heavier springs when fitting the usual long list of off road accessories such as long range fuel tanks, water tank, drawer system, dual batteries, winch and the usual front and rear bar work etc. Good quality shock absorbers are a must due to the extra unsprung weight of the Portals and larger tyres, we have had good experience with both Ironman 4x4 and King shocks but can supply whatever shocks are specified.

One of the advantages of minimal suspension modifications is better handling due to no increase in bump steer. A softer ride can also be experienced with virtually flat control arms and better tracking due to, unchanged caster angle.

Driveline Vibration

Driveline vibrations are a common experience when large suspension lifts are fitted. With minimal or no suspension lift along with reduced driveline angles, no drive shaft vibrations are experienced. This is due to the universal joints operating within their designed operating range.

Increased Driveline Strength

The torque load which is normally exerted on the differential, axles and constant velocity joints is transferred into the portal transmissions. The amount of load transferred is proportional to the gear ratio used in the transmission. The gear reduction of 1.16:1 offers a load reduction of 16%.

Lubrication

Oil is used for lubrication and is easily checked using the filler/level plug fitted on the differential side of each portal transmission. A drain plug is also fitted on the same side for ease of servicing. We use a high quality fully synthetic oil. You require about 3L of oil to service a Portal vehicle.

Breather System

The portal transmissions are equipped with external breather ports, the extended breathers are connected and run up to the firewall. We also run your diff breathers up to the firewall as well.

Tyre Size and Offset Rims

With the Portal Axles fitted the rims required are a high positive offset rim with the LandCruiser 5 x 150 stud pattern. We have used wheels from ROH, CSA, Dynamic and genuine Toyota. Your options are as follows:

  • 17 x 8 +60 offset
  • 17 x 8 +50 offset
  • 17 x 8 +47 offset
  • 17 x 9 +47 offset
  • 17 x 9 +40 offset
  • 18 x 9 +47 offset
  • 18 x 9 +40 offset

Tyres to suit the 17 x 8 inch rims are limited to 315/70/17, on the 17 x 9 rims you can run 315/70/17 or 35 x 12.5 R17 and on 18 x 9 rims you can run 305/70/18 or 35 x 12.5 R18.

Front Tyre Clearance

When fitting 35" tyres to Toyota LandCruiser it is necessary to trim the rear of the front flare to give clearance to turning tyres.

Wheel hubs and bearings

The front and rear wheel hubs and bearings are standard items as found in the 70 Series Toyota LandCruisers.

Flares

As there is an increase in the vehicles track of 70mm per side the tyres will protrude past the mud guards, to overcome this problem the portal axles are supplied with the necessary rubber flare and fixing screw kit on the front. On the rear we can supply fabricated guards for the cab chassis models.

GVM, GCM & towing information:

The towing capacity is 3500kg & the GCM is 6800kg
The GVM has increased from 3300kg to 3780kg or 3950kg (model dependent)
Please note: when the vehicle is loaded to GVM of 3780kg or 3950kg, the towing capacity is reduced to 2850kg or 3020kg respectfully

Recommended Oil:

Penrite Pro Gear 80W-140 Full Synthetic Gear Oil
Service interval - every 10,000 km's

 

READY TO PLACE YOUR ORDER?

Contact us on (02) 9677 0434 or via email at sales@solveoffroad.com.au to speak to our team and place your order!

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Portal Axle Kits cost?

Portal Axle kits cost approximately $55,000. This includes a whole host of upgrades, including track correction, suspension, brake upgrades, wheels and tyres, and more.

We also recommend a hydraulic brake booster, and a 300mm chassis extension is very popular for those customers planning on carrying a lot of gear.

Are Portal Axles legal in all states in Australia?

Portal axles are legal in all states of Australia.

Pre-registration (new builds) are completed on SSM (second stage of manufacture).Post-registered vehicles with valid NSW registration can have portal axles installed with engineer certification in NSW. The engineer will follow the SSM approval for specifications.

Can I fit the Portal Axles myself?

You’re unable to purchase a portal axle kit and fit it yourself. All portal axle kits (both second stage and post registered) must be installed in-house here at Solve Offroad and certified prior to departure.

How much weight does the Portal kit add to my vehicle?

The Portal kit itself will add approximately 120kg to the vehicle, and wheels and tyres will add another 120kg.

What are the maintenance requirements for Portal Axles?

Portal Axles require servicing every 10,000km or 6 months.

What is SSM?

SSM stands for second stage of manufacture.

SSM only applies to new vehicles that have not been registered.

Manufacturers apply, test and meet all conditions put to them by the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities. All ADRs (Australian Design Rules) must be adhered to. SSM approvals do not affect state and territory jurisdictional requirements. 

For example, Toyota Australia imports the Landcruiser in as the first stage manufacturer. It meets all Australian design rule criteria.

A Marks 4WD Portal Axle System is then installed to the Landcruiser Pre-Registration. We then apply to the Department for the new VIN plate under our SSM approval. The department then issues the VIN plate after all quality control obligations have been met. The vehicle is then recognised federally as having the equipment installed under the approval, and this is recorded on the Federal government data base. The vehicle can then be registered in any state.

 If you wanted to sell your vehicle then this process is very straight forward as it can be registered in any state due to the SSM fit out.

Where are Mark's Portal kits made?

Mark's Portals are made right here in Victoria, Australia.

What is the lead time for a Portal kit?

It usually takes 3-4 months from the point of order to completed install. This can vary based on stock availability, certification and engineering requirements and capacity.

How long do you need the vehicle for?

To install and certify a Portal kit, we will usually require the vehicle for about 2-3 weeks. This can vary depending on the scope of the build and parts availability.

Can I add accessories to my portal build?

Yes! Here at Solve, we specialise in building custom 4X4 tourers. We can help fit our your vehicle with everything you need. It is best to speak with us about your needs at the time you are ready to order your Portal Axles so that we can make sure that certifications and approvals are completed with consideration to the final fitout of the vehicle.

What sort of Warranty do I get with a Portal Axle kit?

You get a 3 year, 100,000 km warranty with the Portal Axle kit.