Portal Axles

[globalgregors]

Would that be more down to the fact that historically the portal axles used were from Unimogs, Volvos, etc where the whole axle set has been used and they are just "low speed" axles?

That’s a perceptive question. This was in the context of a bespoke system however it may well have been a function of engineering compromises analogous to those manufacturers.
In short I don’t know. I agree with your implication that a solution could presumably be engineered to perform at high revs/shed accumulated heat etc, as that problem has clearly been solved in other geared systems.

 

[flynnsk]

At your service


1.
Gerade bei #eBayKleinanzeigen gefunden. Wie findest du das?

Gebrauchte Autoteile günstig | kleinanzeigen.de

Kleinanzeigen: Gebrauchte Autoteile günstig kaufen - Jetzt in Viersen finden oder inserieren! - kleinanzeigen.de

www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de

2.
From Wikipedia:
“The rear axle with the wheel-sided countershafts corresponds to that of the VW Type 82 "Kübelwagen".”

3.
From the site https://dewiki.de/Lexikon/Portalachse:

“The first generation of the VW Transporter produced from 1950 to 1967 also had a portal axle with reduction gears, which was also used for other types. They provided a somewhat higher ground clearance and the reduction that was advantageous with the weak engine of the early Transporters, so that a Beetle gearbox - standard except for the differential basket with ring gear installed the other way around - could be used.[1]”

+1 to Necromancy

Just wanted to chime in and confirm as a previous VW Type 2 ('Bus'), 65 split window, the earlier gen did have the reduction box/gears.