With the portal design of the axles, the axle tube and the differential are both above the centre axis of the wheel.The result is an extremely high ground clearance yet a low centre of gravity. Obstacles up to half a metre high can be overcome by the Unimog without difficulty. In addition, the drive-train components are subjected to less strain because the full driving torque is reached only at the wheel itself, not before. Both axles are of identical design and strength.