Straight Axle vs Portal Axle

Did this comparison, in the end its your preference, I like portals for most trucks
Banggood portal TRX axles
www.banggood.com/custlink/mmD...
Redcat Gen 8 PACK
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53...
Redcat Gen7 Sport
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53...
Redcat Gen7 Pro
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53...
Traxxas TRX4 Sport
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53...

[@jesusibarra3608]

Wow. Anyone noticed how he didn't ask for a "like or subscribe".. or "share". Props dude

[@PhoenixRCCrawler]

One of the best explanations of scrub I’ve heard. It’s really had to get people to grasp that concept.

[@whitsrcleftovers2707]

I always watch the whole video, but the fact you always tell people action start time, I think is mighty nice of you. Thanks for the videos!

[@jesusibarra3608]

Agreed.

[@joshualewis8572]

Vid aside... that shirt rocks... and love the educational layout of said vid.

[@Smile-N-Bear]

Love your tech aspect on the channel! Always a pleasure to watch. Never afraid to learn new things in this hobbie! Knowledge is Power!

[@RedRoxRc]

Great video. Always so good at explaining and showing the differences. I always learn something. Thank you.

[@tomlucasrccrawlers9108]

That was a great refinement of the this video...I honestly don't think you missed anything. Great job Joe. I'm posting/sharing this video on Tehachapi RC Rock Crawlers.

[@kasperhansen4310]

Thank you for another great tech/info video👍 I just love this stuff!! Thanks again 👍💪🏻🤘🏻

[@logansportpilotrp8174]

Whether you have straight or portal,it"s all about choosing a good line.

[@713Ace529]

Is the look you going for.

[@synapsesuicide4372]

I love the details of this. Especially the small Jack stands for the trucks. You just need small scale size floor Jack or scale car lift

[@Ginga_Ninja_RC]

You should consider revisiting this point using the axial AR45 and AR45P axles. This is good information for people but it's a bit dated now.

[@edwardperez9833]

Thank you. You cleared up a lot of questions for me.

[@FLRCQUAD]

Great Video, I have both straight and portal, with the straight you have to be careful and hit the obstacles with a right or left tire not to bottom out on the the center of the rear end housing also less parts and like you say very scale, outside of that go to town !

[@andyjones357]

I got the scx10 3 with portals axles and bought the straight axles kit this is good info so now I'm set for anything

[@TJsRC]

I like them both as well as your assessment of them. I think a bit more could be said about the CG implications. We have a TRX4 and a Gen 7 and it's interesting out on the trails and crawling. There are many obstacles that one or the other will cake walk through and the other struggle. It's never the case that one is better at everything. You are right that it's very subjective. I'd like my next rig to be more to the scale side with straight axles. I love my TRX4 Bronco but the portal benefits aren't enough to want it on everything. 👍👍

[@ExocagedRC]

Very well said.

[@stpbasss3773]

I have a gen8 and a scx10ii and I can't agree with you more, I love them both and like you said they both can do certain lines that the other can't. I also agree with the straight axle comment I don't plan on getting another portal rig, my next rig will be the element sendero or the umg 10 or a vaterra ascender, I love the look of the straight axles.

[@bobzilla9p0]

@@stpbasss3773 I am thinking of getting the Axial UMG and body swapping it with my Scout 2 Gen 8. That each truck has the correct looking axles. I think the Gen 8 with the UMG body will be an excellent performer due to the low over hangs front and back.

[@andypastore3299]

@@stpbasss3773 You will NOT be disappointed with the Vaterra Ascender. Losi (parent company) did their homework when they released it. It performs awesome. I absolutely love mine. If you look up Exclusive rc and look at the 3d printed interior on the red Ascender. That is my truck. I would comp it in C1 with the interior in.

[@speeddemon123555555]

Great video very informative

[@rcdabbler]

Good video and worth watching! I haven’t been able to go trailing like I used to, but, when I do, my trails are mountain trails with loads of obstacles, including roots that seem to reach up and grab axles. I bought a TRX-4 Defender, last year, but have yet to get it out on any legit trails to put the portals to the test, but I think I’m going to find that portals will gain my favor, due to that clearance, right down the centerline. When I go hiking, I don’t like having to constantly stop because my truck has hit a snag. Now, for just hanging around a crawl spot, a straight axle will likely be my preference, because I’ll be able to focus on what lines to pick, versus getting up the trail.

[@mrboat580]

Use them when the course calls for it. It's like setting up any other suspension or gear change due to track or trail conditions. I run both kinds and have purpose vehicles. Multi link and locked diffs levels the playing field some between the two. Then, it's a matter of choosing the right tire. If LCG and scale isn't a concern, a wider straight axle can gain diff clearance pretty quick with taller tires.

[@rymemuhammad2954]

For climbing i choose my portal axle truck... For rocky road i choose straight axle...

[@BlackUnitAdventureSport]

Watched the whole video.. Thanks for Info's... Like and Subscribed...

[@RevolutionX]

Both. Variety is good. Depends on the truck. What may be great for one, might not be great for another.

[@Warwick3511]

It all comes down to what you want to spend and the end function of your rig. What you gain in one area you may lose in another. Some times a small gain is not worth a greater loss in another area when it comes to crawling.

[@lonewolfrcs1331]

love my gen 8 pack kit with the portal axles i also have a gen7 pro with straight axles

[@ka4172]

You dont need portals you want them! Ha ha we run over 20 years with straight axel trail trucks with no issues.But these Traxxas Broncos and Sports climb incredibel out of the Box!I run small rocky rivers where you dont see any rock ,my friend run my SCX 10 ll out with his bone stock Bronco!

[@markamd1]

Where do you purchase those little yellow jacks from?

[@slopppy75]

Great comparison! I love my traxxas portals. There is one thing I want to add to your conclusion tho. The issue I’ve had with them is higher CG. I compete with a lot of good builders/drivers and they tend to stick to straight axles for that reason. The portals which force everything sit little higher raise the CG and adding more weight is needed to compensate that. It’s little harder to keep the low weight and make it as capable as the other option IMO. Maybe It could be my lack of tuning skill lol. Thanks for the video.

[@slopppy75]

Just want to add that difference is minor and portals surely excel at all driving conditions but on certain extreme terrain. I still love them

[@hindsightrc4518]

I personally prefer portal axles the reduction of torque twist far out weighs any drawback they may have in my opinion. I've got a trx4 defender chassis and a scx10.2. I recently put a set of trx4 sport portals under the 10.2. Combined with a 80mm set of gmade transition shocks at full droop and some brass up front it's a monster. Great video 2 thumbs up from me.

[@ExocagedRC]

Really TRX4 axles in an Axial, that’s interesting. I’m considering a superlite build for the future with a 10.2.

[@hindsightrc4518]

@@ExocagedRC Mine isn't super light it's around 8.5 lbs. Gets a lot of trail head scratching from the folks I meet but they can't argue with the performance. I had to shorten the tie rod drag link and panhard bar to use all the rtr axial links. Other than that flawless swap.

[@Gdub-ok7ur]

I think the lower amount of torque twist is a huge win for portals. Often when climbing, torque twist can limit you to 3 wheels on the ground and in some cases cause roll overs.

[@slopppy75]

Agreed. The biggest benefit in my opinion. I don’t like when my truck twist sideway.

[@kinslersrccustoms6945]

Good video

[@jameswillis5431]

Great video - thank you. Personally, I enjoy the challenge of having to actually negotiate an obstacle with straight axles rather than being able to simply drive over them with portals (although the hole you showed is a good example of how this can work in reverse). Also, in my experience the lower CoG you get with straight axles is overall more advantageous than the higher clearance you get with portals.

[@toddeaves3015]

Could u give a link to the parts u have on that gen7 front straight axle. I didn't see a video on it

[@cultofroman]

“Berzerker” by AFTER THE BURIAL for the intro, sick m8;)

[@johndoe-sf6hk]

for rock crawling low center of gravity is by far more important

[@krashkingrc9715]

Great video excellent comparison both have their high points and I guess low points

[@gudmundursveinsson9060]

I personaly like both. And there for have portal rigs and non portal. Its really situational wich is better. Btw, vanquish vs4-10 axles are much more scale than ar44. Good vid as always 👍

[@ExocagedRC]

My issue with the VP portals is the lack of reduction in the portals. Other than that I like them.

[@MikeMac90]

I’ve used both my trx4 has portal and my sons carisma has straight axles. I noticed my trx4 is a lot smoother going over rock piles at our local course. My son seems to catch a lot more of the edges or little fingers sticking out from rocks. Also from factory the carisma had horrible driveline angles in the rear driveshaft with a 11.4” wheelbase. I had to extend his wheelbase to 12.3” just so it would roll smoother. So for me it’s a win for portals. I’m not much into scale looks so for what we do straight axles aren’t cutting it. Needless to say I’m looking for portals for my sons rig 😂😂😂 or he might be getting a trx4 as well

[@ExocagedRC]

Oh man I agree on everything you said. Just get him a bulletproof sport. I recently did a video with the Hobbywing 1080 esc and man my sport runs great with it.

[@304renegade]

Love the video, that is some great info. I would love to see an in depth running comparison on a small diffed straight axle like an ar44 vs traxxas's portals. If I am not mistaken there is 12mm difference in the clearance between the two axles when on same the same tires. I struggle with trying to determine if I want my COG to be 12mm higher ALL the time, just so that I can make it over a rock on the occasion that I can't use tire placement to make it over. I watch local comps and it usually the small diffed straight axle rigs that come out on top, but these are usually very experienced drivers that I think would win no matter what they ran, so I can't really say that it's the axle that gave them an edge.

[@ExocagedRC]

I recently got an Axial 10.2 so yeah I’ll add this to my list. Personally with a little conservative brass, I like the portal axles way better than straight.

[@eaxnitro]

At the portals a small planetary gear set?

[@jon98tj]

Great video. What do you think of the GRC G2 Aluminum Ackerman Mechanism Steering Hub Carrier? The “chub” hang down is almost nonexistent.

[@jesscneal]

These www.ebay.com/itm/Alloy-Steering-Pull-Rod-Aluminum-Hub-Carrier-Upgrade-Set-For-Traxxas-TRX-4-RC/223438376237?var=522194200955

[@ExocagedRC]

Those are really neat and I see they can be used with normal brass covers. These may be in my future

[@SwampersRC]

I'm a scale nut , so I'm all about the straight axles. I might try some portals if I were to build a Unimog or some other exotic vehicle.

[@ExocagedRC]

Yes and think about this, the only new truck that would be scale with portals... axial unimog... doesn’t have them

[@pfarraldcash6095]

@@ExocagedRC 😁😂

[@RC_Rooster]

I think some people are going a little overboard with these portal builds tbh lol my 1st 10th scale was a portal rtr, my 2nd is a class 2 sorrca straight axle rig and I'm never going back to portals, I got into this for the scale aspect and just don't see how people can run portals on literally everything.

[@andyjones357]

I'm goin to call it a tie on both trail rocks and paper and video

[@josh_rit8045]

I personally think that they are both good

[@ianmoughton8370]

Hi, excellent video. What are all your stands you have your trucks on please?

[@ExocagedRC]

Ian Moughton they are printed stands that I did.

[@daver18qc]

Great video again !! Regarding the Gen8 portals, i see they made the kingpin angle towards the center of the wheel contact patch, like the Axial AR60s, are the Trx4 portals the same or do they have straight up kingpins ? For my part, i've got a custom built portal truck based on old Gmade Portals (from the R1) i had laying around. The Gmade design is reversed from the Gen8/Trx4, the chubs and reduction gearing are part of the axle and only the knuckle arm moves in the front. It's also wider, more like AR60 width. Just like you said, there's pros and cons, i like the fact every bolt is backed by a nut, but the steering angle is not great, more like "scx10v1 with dogbones" type of angles. I've made myself some PETG printed 7 degrees C-hubs for it, even though the steering angle is the same, it turns better because of the added caster.

[@ExocagedRC]

They have an angle but the offset of the portal boxes still set the wheel and tire so far out that they have a lot of scrub. I could have been more clear on that one.

[@byknmikerc7153]

I have a few vehicles and the portals aren't as performance based as I thought getting into a rig with portals. I have a gen 8 on 109mm rc4wd iroks and an scx10 2 on 95mm killerbody mickey T's and the scx10 2 does almost everything the scout did stock. now my gen 8 is a beast but I'm making it into a mountain recovery rig. I love all solid axles! trucks are my thing! lol

[@byknmikerc7153]

also my 10 2 is on rear leaf springs but will out wheel a tf2 all day

[@zach5154]

I love portal they are a pita to maintenance but they are way better for crawling and more noob friendly and are really good in mud and snow

[@pfarraldcash6095]

very good comparison video. But I'm brave and say 95% can be avoided in such a scenario. (10:54 ) A comparison in soft ground would be interesting or in a lateral position, steep slope. But you do not need to mess up the trucks in mud or sand. On the whole, I agree with you in every point, there are advantages and disadvantages for both desings. 👍

[@ExocagedRC]

Yes. In sandy and dirt stuff where holes can be dug the local straight axle guys don’t like us portal guys. LoL.

[@threedean8877]

Hmm interesting. I’ve still trying to decide whether to get the Gen8 or the new Element Sendero coming out in a few weeks.

[@SwampersRC]

Sendero!!

[@ExocagedRC]

Sendero has a really neat transmission setup. I like that. For the sole reason the gen8 still has a portal input gear issue in the front I’d say give the Sendero a try.

[@jediradekcrif9568]

Planning to get my first RC Crawler. Do you think it is better to get a TRX4 Sport RTR or an Axial SCX10 II and add aftermarket portals? Someone told me aftermarket portals are much better than the stock TRX4 portals. Price-wise I figure the cost would be fairly close. Also, what do you think of the Brazin LCG chassis on a TRX4?

[@ExocagedRC]

Jedi Radek Crif get the trx, they have the best portals out there, I’ve had or seen them all and Traxxas wins with the portals.

[@jediradekcrif9568]

@@ExocagedRC thnx for the quick reply! So...trx4 vs scx10 II is the torque twist ratio difference similar to these?

[@ExocagedRC]

@@jediradekcrif9568 torque twist is way lower on the trx due to its approximately 7-1 ratio and the 10.2 has a 3.75 ratio, these are axle ratios.

[@jediradekcrif9568]

@@ExocagedRC thank you man! Your videos are great...very helpful!!

[@jamesswift4641]

Thank you for the info,I have both,but I like the portals better👍👍

[@awesomemix2228]

Scale vs. crawling...actually no real world crawler can climb like RC car does. If we want a super crawler, should buy something like dlux fab's kit car, a real artificial spider worm :)

[@ExocagedRC]

True. Plus these things have about 5000 scale horsepower too.

[@stpbasss3773]

I've seen those rock bouncers get up shit an RC never would if it was shrunk down to scale, but those are the crazy space ship looking rock bouncers not a regular trail truck.

[@josh_rit8045]

I've figured out a way to remove all of the torque twist in a gen 7. Buy a gen 8

[@greggk1061]

How is performance and clearance a matter of opinion??? Geometry, clearance and performance is not preference. So don't be afraid to state fact and keep straddling to issue to please everybody.

[@ExocagedRC]

Not straddling anything, both axles have their place and both have pros and cons. If I went into this with a “portals are better than straight” mindset the entire video would be totally biased.

[@rcmctool2918]

As for clearance just slap on a set of 2.2 tires....... 8^))

[@ExocagedRC]

LoL well sorta

[@reddeerrebelrc6674]

Way better" natural" cog with a portal as it weights much more down low .

[@bdr1414TV]

I just figured that this is all about RCs 😔 ( that explains the background ) not sure if the information in this video still applies to real trucks or not my main goal looking for portals is overall extend life on the front suspension ( no off-roading no rock crawling ) since having less stress on driveshaft and bearing & a more straight motion but not sure if by doing this I'm just adding more parts to repair in the future ( so the wear that i save on the bearing will appear on a different part of the portals )

[@ExocagedRC]

if you're talking real trucks it's still close to the same, if the portal ratios are significantly lower the driveline will spin a lot faster, more heat and more wear. its neat at how the similarities are between these and the real thing. For a street truck, I'd stay simple with a straight axle, D60 is what I had.

[@RedChiefAI]

Whats your opinion on these bad boys? www.rccrawler.com/forum/traxxas-trx-4/606494-trx4-small-c-hubs-ackerman.html

[@zacharyheard]

Those RC cars probably cost more than my truck lol

[@rcmctool2918]

Portal axles is just a selling gimmick... A method to boost sales.... 8^)

[@bobzilla9p0]

To some yes. I bought the Gen 8 because of the motor placement and and mod 1 gears. The motor placement puts weight toward the front axle and moving the battery forward and turning (so it is placed like the Gen 7's) make room for a great interior build. I do notice on my hill climbs the portals are an advantage as the truck can clear rocks with out have to raise the front of the truck up over them. This reduces the chance of rolling over backwards. I do notice the C hubs hit quite a few rocks though as a down side and will eventually wear until failure.

[@thor_4017]

@@bobzilla9p0 I didn't buy the gen 8 because of the fragile portal axles. My dream kit would be chassis layout like gmade gs02f, element enduro axles with bta steering, and transfer case with overdrive and counter outputs. I would also like body mounts with magnets.

[@profblindserv]

First. Lol.

[@290DIRT]

Portal axle should be named gay axle because it's not straight.

[@Lets_RC]

Man you should have stayed with the AR44s. You went from a straight axle to a portal. What did you do for gearing?