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Unimog steering axles?

1tonyj

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2011
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1,452
Location
Panama City
Just how strong are these axles? I don't ride with anyone that has these so I'm curious as to what you guys think would be max horsepower and tire size they can handle?
 
38's and 200hp. I knew of a handful of guys running them 10yrs ago. The big drawback is once you've broke a portal box you're pretty much done, and it happens. Last I heard parts were hard to get ahold of and there wasn't much aftermarket support?
 
The BTF Evil Bastard buggy had them originally, and when Mike bought it he broke several very quickly with a Ramjet 350 and 42s. Like stated above, when they break in the box there is very little room for the pieces to go, and so the portal box blows up too


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I was looking at a set of these a while back. Looks like a fun project. A set of fully rebuilt 404 axles... 1 ton chevy disc brake conversion... flange conversion... and hi-steer. They have a gear ratio of 7.86:1 Both have the stock, selectable lockers which can be set up to be operated by cable, linkage or air.
IMG_0740.jpg
 
Buddy runs the 419's and 49" tires on his last buggy... NEVER lifted and was virtually bombproof. Had a slightly heated up L33 5.3. He is building another buggy now with the same axles.

https://youtu.be/2rn1-wBRfWA

https://youtu.be/Dt-PmuO0AoA
 
I had them in a buggy 10 years ago.

404's, the ones that look like a giant 9". Seems to be the luck of the draw. Guy I got mine from never broke anything on them, he got another set and broke all 4 portal boxes. I broke 2 cv joints and a locker. Some guys have ran them with big power and never broke them, others have broke them left and right. I would not run them again if you gave me a set. Not worth the risk. It was very rare I could make something guys with normal axles couldn't.

406's and others are ALOT stronger and you probably won't break them.
 
404,s are are small like a dana 44 406 or 416,s are supossed to be 2 ton or so i was told if you run rear steer you need to swap the portal boxes had 404,s never finished the project and sold them
 
I broke ton's of 404 parts before I went rockwells. They are hard and expensive to get parts for. 406 or 416's are super-tough but super-expensive as well.
 
I have wheeled a handful of times with a portal rig, little FJ. Runs 37" stickies. Little 4 cylinder. Never seen him broken.

Then again he doesn't make any hard lines or tough climbs on those junky treps :)
 
Which unimogs are you talking about? the smaller 404's like the first pic or the larger 406, 416, 419, like the second pic?

IMG_0740.jpg


345897d1199812615-unimog-portals-404-406-409-416-419-u1300-dana-60-rockwell-2-5-dsc00264.jpg
 
If anyone really cares there is a significant difference between a 404 and 406/416 in most every way. AND then the 419 has even stronger portal boxes than the 406/416. If you're wondering the 406/416/419 are rated at 4 1/4 ton un like the 404 which is closer to 2 ton. There really is no comparison between the 404 and 406/416/419. If anyone needs to off load a set of 406/416/419's PM me as I will buy them for the right money or trade for the light duty dana axles.... LOL
 
i ran 404 portals with a ls1 and 42 and 43inch tires for 11 years. they are much stronger than a dana 60 axle. there are 2 main reasons why most people break the portal boxes.1 is they do not check the bolts which keeps the 2 halves of the boxes together. 2) they have the boxes on the wrong side. there are rights and left and when running rear steer they are opposite. just my .002
 
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