74Weld Portal Review

[5GENIDN]

Should probably measure with wheels removed hub to hub sometime. I am planning to change wheel studs next maintenance interval (did you ever find longer ones for yours? I ordered some ARP ones that are probably too long and I will cut them). I'm thinking sticking to our setup might be the way to go considering the problems these guys are having!

Absolutely, if we were looking for exact measurements.... Would be interesting to know. I think the last exercise was just general curiosity of approximates.... I just found it interesting that my rear was actually about 3 inches wider than my front and I attributed that to the coil over lift, although, and it really does not matter, maybe with no lift the front and rear would be exactly the same width or maybe they would not.... The information never seemed important to me, just a curiosity.

Problem with measuring hub to hub on the front with no weight is that the droop will pull the hubs inward and effect the width.

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[ScLeCo]

I would think 6 psi would make a noticeable difference in steering effort for the rack, especially in high traction. What’s the lowest you’ve ran @ScLeCo ?

9psi is my typical pressure on rocks. I've seen as low as 5 psi in the morning but I'm usually up to 7 or 8 by mid morning and 9-10 by afternoon.

 

[5GENIDN]

I'm not on portals, but I am beadlocked with 37x13.5r17 Cooper Discoverer STT Pro’s. I didn’t like running at 7psi because my sidewalls got super noisy and it felt like I was rocking sideways, so my new minimum has been 10psi. Maybe you are putting a little more stress onto the portals at such low pressure?

I don't think the portals would effect anything there. They are a ridged non-flexing part.... They do not change any of the steering geometry other than the scrub radius. Stresses will not be multiplied by the portal beyond the scrub radius change.

 

[5GENIDN]

Should probably measure with wheels removed hub to hub sometime. I am planning to change wheel studs next maintenance interval (did you ever find longer ones for yours? I ordered some ARP ones that are probably too long and I will cut them). I'm thinking sticking to our setup might be the way to go considering the problems these guys are having!

I am running the studs 74 provided... they seem to work just fine and well I do not want to run any deeper of lug nut because I have the hub caps for the limited on there.... I have already had to trim them up slightly just to get them to fit. If the nuts extended out any further the caps would not fit.

 

[SierraBronco]

I'm not on portals, but I am beadlocked with 37x13.5r17 Cooper Discoverer STT Pro’s. I didn’t like running at 7psi because my sidewalls got super noisy and it felt like I was rocking sideways, so my new minimum has been 10psi. Maybe you are putting a little more stress onto the portals at such low pressure?

If by that you mean amplifying the already additional strain the portals make on the steering rack from all the extra weight and scrub radius then absolutely I’d agree.

 

[Bikeric]

I don't think the portals would effect anything there. They are a ridged non-flexing part.... They do not change any of the steering geometry other than the scrub radius. Stresses will not be multiplied by the portal beyond the scrub radius change.

I was just considering the side-to-side shifting when I was at 7psi. I thought that alone would cause issues on my basic Bronco. My imagination thinks it would be even worse with Portals having bolted covers, but I don’t have that experience.

 

[SierraBronco]

I was just considering the side-to-side shifting when I was at 7psi. I thought that alone would cause issues on my basic Bronco. My imagination thinks it would be even worse with Portals having bolted covers, but I don’t have that experience.

It definitely folds the tires under being aired down that low, but it did that on 35’s with no portals too. Seems to make sense to suggest more sidewall makes it drastically worse, and it does. Folding under actually put did put us into the rocks a couple times in Sand Hollow. Oops. I can’t spot for shit and didn’t account for that.

In happier news we are getting about 16 mpg (corrected for 8% diameter difference, not against lie-o-meter) with the AC off. So I guess that’s cool.

 

[5GENIDN]

I was just considering the side-to-side shifting when I was at 7psi. I thought that alone would cause issues on my basic Bronco. My imagination thinks it would be even worse with Portals having bolted covers, but I don’t have that experience.

That is a function of tire sidewall flex and roll.... Portals nor any steering parts will effect that positively or negatively... What will dramatically effect that is the difference between the wheel diameter and the tire diameter.... Sidewall height.... If you go to larger tires you can minimize some of that by going to larger wheels, but then that also slightly decreases the contact patch you are trying to create by airing down. everyone has to find the balance that works best for them.

 

[Razorback]

Welp! .... Would teflon paste stop the leak on the drain plug? 2 of 4 leaking.

 

[SierraBronco]

Welp! .... Would teflon paste stop the leak on the drain plug? 2 of 4 leaking.

funny all this teflon talk-I’ve never used it on differential plugs, transfer cases, oil pans, etcetera and didn’t have issues.

 

[mpeugeot]

Machining drain plugs and npt threads is hard.

 

[ScLeCo]

Welp! .... Would teflon paste stop the leak on the drain plug? 2 of 4 leaking.

GOD FUCKING DAMN IT
Yup, driver side front passenger side rear for me.

 

[popo_patty]

I vote y’all just weld it shut. Can’t leak if there isn’t a hole.

 

[SierraBronco]

I vote y’all just weld it shut. Can’t leak if there isn’t a hole.

Nor can it leak if it is empty!

 

[ScLeCo]

Nor can it leak if it is empty!

At least the underside and the wheel wells are well oiled.

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