what is a portal axle?
Whether you're building a Jeep Wrangler, a Toyota Tacoma, or anything in between you’ve probably come across the term portal axle. But what is a portal axle, how does it work, and why are more builders turning to bolt-on portal axle kits for their off-road rigs?
What Is a Portal Axle?
A portal axle is a specialized drivetrain component that uses a gear reduction box at each wheel to raise the axle housing above the centerline of the wheel hub. This design provides increased ground clearance and torque multiplication without needing larger tires or extreme lift kits.
Instead of the axle shaft going directly to the wheel, it runs into a compact portal gearbox, which redirects power down to the hub. In the case of our portal axle, this design delivers:
4 inches of ground clearance under the axle housing
A 1.25:1 gear reduction so you can run big tires on stock gears
How Do Portal Axles Work Off-Road?
By relocating the axle centerline above the hub, portal axles give you more clearance where it matters most, under the differential. This helps avoid hang-ups on rocks, roots, and ruts without changing your tire size. For example, if you have 35in tires and portal axles, you have the same ground clearance as running 43in tires with no portals.
The built-in gear reduction increases torque at the wheels, allowing you to run larger tires without re-gearing your differential gears. And because it reduces load on the rest of your drivetrain, it can help extend the life of your differential, driveshafts, and axles.
43in tire vs. 35in tire + portals
Our portals lift your axles 4in - equivalent to increasing tire diameter by 8in.