)...
Lol if I bought $15k worth of axles and got FJ cruiser brakes they would be returned.Call me guinea pig...
I have a set of DStrac 76's on my 392 with Auburn E-lockers. I've got 1500 or so miles on them and two good wheeling trips. Their one sales guy is fairly responsive via email but with all the skepticism about the company they could most definitely do better for their customers.
The decent...
The annoying
- Delivery of the axles was about correct for the timing estimated
- Steering doesn't come until after you get the axles, but was quick once they got here.
- Fit and finish so far has been good.
- The welds look good but the factory control arm mounts in the front were a bit out of whack. I have my passenger side control arms a bit longer than I want to have the axle centered.
The bad
- Front brake calipers are from a FJ cruiser....rears are from a 2004 F350 Front.
- From my research I'm the only one complaining, but no matter what I do my brake bias is proportioning wrong. Rears grab first and are stronger and that makes A LOT of heat To be fair, it wasn't bad in 4-lo at all on the trail, my biggest fear. And if you cram on them it'll lock all four tires up against the ABS.
- Haven't had much luck making their attachments for e-brake work well. It grabs, but it's not keeping you from rolling off a cliff if brakes fail
Now a little bit of good...Auburn lockers worked flawless tied into the LasFit switch. Super fast to engage/disengage which was nice compared to the factory lockers. Jeep was doing so good I got carried away on some alternate lines and twisted off an Adams .120 wall driveshaft. Axles are fine(and transfer case
- I'm going to get a temp gun and check, but the axles run HOT. Not sure if I have a bearing issue or just lack of fluid volume with this ring/pinion to housing size or what. But between the axle and the brakes the jeep smells hot everytime I put it in the garage. Not comforting
- Last week in Moab the rear axle starting leaking out of both side axle tubes. We trailered the Jeep there and never got over 50 mph while in Moab so not like the axle got hot on the trip. Fluid level looked to be fine and it's tied into the factory JL vent line. DSTrac lined me out with where to get more seals (70*90*10 dual lip) but just told me I had too much fluid and that's why it pushed out the seals.
- Not sure if the brakes are getting so hot it's transferring heat to the seals? Axle getting itself getting too hot? Or if something was out of whack with assembly in the first place. Going to tear into it sometime this next week.
I'll keep you guys posted on if saving the coin was worth it....I'm still a skeptic even though I gave them all that money
Totally agree. I found some badass brake calipers at Tractor Supply for my Lambo. I had to get some spacers at Home Depot but I made it work. Stops like nobody's business. Needs some tweaking but nothing's perfect.
Sounds like more negatives than anyone would like to hear about after spending 15k… a hub bearing seems like it would be a simple fix compared to all of the issues that you’re having.Call me guinea pig...
I have a set of DStrac 76's on my 392 with Auburn E-lockers. I've got 1500 or so miles on them and two good wheeling trips. Their one sales guy is fairly responsive via email but with all the skepticism about the company they could most definitely do better for their customers.
The decent...
The annoying
- Delivery of the axles was about correct for the timing estimated
- Steering doesn't come until after you get the axles, but was quick once they got here.
- Fit and finish so far has been good.
- The welds look good but the factory control arm mounts in the front were a bit out of whack. I have my passenger side control arms a bit longer than I want to have the axle centered.
The bad
- Front brake calipers are from a FJ cruiser....rears are from a 2004 F350 Front.
- From my research I'm the only one complaining, but no matter what I do my brake bias is proportioning wrong. Rears grab first and are stronger and that makes A LOT of heat To be fair, it wasn't bad in 4-lo at all on the trail, my biggest fear. And if you cram on them it'll lock all four tires up against the ABS.
- Haven't had much luck making their attachments for e-brake work well. It grabs, but it's not keeping you from rolling off a cliff if brakes fail
Now a little bit of good...Auburn lockers worked flawless tied into the LasFit switch. Super fast to engage/disengage which was nice compared to the factory lockers. Jeep was doing so good I got carried away on some alternate lines and twisted off an Adams .120 wall driveshaft. Axles are fine(and transfer case
- I'm going to get a temp gun and check, but the axles run HOT. Not sure if I have a bearing issue or just lack of fluid volume with this ring/pinion to housing size or what. But between the axle and the brakes the jeep smells hot everytime I put it in the garage. Not comforting
- Last week in Moab the rear axle starting leaking out of both side axle tubes. We trailered the Jeep there and never got over 50 mph while in Moab so not like the axle got hot on the trip. Fluid level looked to be fine and it's tied into the factory JL vent line. DSTrac lined me out with where to get more seals (70*90*10 dual lip) but just told me I had too much fluid and that's why it pushed out the seals.
- Not sure if the brakes are getting so hot it's transferring heat to the seals? Axle getting itself getting too hot? Or if something was out of whack with assembly in the first place. Going to tear into it sometime this next week.
I'll keep you guys posted on if saving the coin was worth it....I'm still a skeptic even though I gave them all that money
Yeah, everything breaks and I've seen it all but I'm not sure if I'd be so up for "trying new stuff" just for trying new stuff sake, especially on when it's not made in the USA. I'm more of a hedge my bets kind of guy but then, that's just me. Thanks for sharing your experience, I really do appreciate it and know more now than ever before, these axles would not be something I'd be interested in.
I've followed you for years and years, had to have watched every YouTube video. Thank you for all the info and entertainment BTW!!! Your reasoning or situation could very well be different than mine but I feel like you have always tried new stuff....showed what was good and not so good.
Happy to hear you've been enjoying our videos for as long as you have and while I have always been about trying new stuff, I'm quite certain that I've ALWAYS made it a point to buy Made in the USA or as much as possible, especially when it comes to big purchases.
If you're still having issues, get 95-70-10 axle seals and use gasket seal on the housing when installing them. My DSTracs were machined too large for the seals and gear oil would blow out the outside of the axle seals. Also, change your vent tube barb to a 1/8 to 5/16 MIP to increase the opening and decrease the back pressure.Call me guinea pig...
I have a set of DStrac 76's on my 392 with Auburn E-lockers. I've got 1500 or so miles on them and two good wheeling trips. Their one sales guy is fairly responsive via email but with all the skepticism about the company they could most definitely do better for their customers.
The decent...
The annoying
- Delivery of the axles was about correct for the timing estimated
- Steering doesn't come until after you get the axles, but was quick once they got here.
- Fit and finish so far has been good.
- The welds look good but the factory control arm mounts in the front were a bit out of whack. I have my passenger side control arms a bit longer than I want to have the axle centered.
The bad
- Front brake calipers are from a FJ cruiser....rears are from a 2004 F350 Front.
- From my research I'm the only one complaining, but no matter what I do my brake bias is proportioning wrong. Rears grab first and are stronger and that makes A LOT of heat To be fair, it wasn't bad in 4-lo at all on the trail, my biggest fear. And if you cram on them it'll lock all four tires up against the ABS.
- Haven't had much luck making their attachments for e-brake work well. It grabs, but it's not keeping you from rolling off a cliff if brakes fail
Now a little bit of good...Auburn lockers worked flawless tied into the LasFit switch. Super fast to engage/disengage which was nice compared to the factory lockers. Jeep was doing so good I got carried away on some alternate lines and twisted off an Adams .120 wall driveshaft. Axles are fine(and transfer case
- I'm going to get a temp gun and check, but the axles run HOT. Not sure if I have a bearing issue or just lack of fluid volume with this ring/pinion to housing size or what. But between the axle and the brakes the jeep smells hot everytime I put it in the garage. Not comforting
- Last week in Moab the rear axle starting leaking out of both side axle tubes. We trailered the Jeep there and never got over 50 mph while in Moab so not like the axle got hot on the trip. Fluid level looked to be fine and it's tied into the factory JL vent line. DSTrac lined me out with where to get more seals (70*90*10 dual lip) but just told me I had too much fluid and that's why it pushed out the seals.
- Not sure if the brakes are getting so hot it's transferring heat to the seals? Axle getting itself getting too hot? Or if something was out of whack with assembly in the first place. Going to tear into it sometime this next week.
I'll keep you guys posted on if saving the coin was worth it....I'm still a skeptic even though I gave them all that money
Very and I’m sure there’s way more to the story that maybe someone else knows.
