Ministry

Well for the past couple of weeks I have noticed an annoying *thump-thump-thump* noise somewhere in my drivetrain that seems to come and go randomly when I'm being light on the throttle. Having gone through this crap before, my first instinct was 'oh no, that sounds like my axles.' Sure enough, I look under my car today and both inner CV boots were split and axle grease was flung all over my tranny and engine bay. ****.

The same exact thing happened about a year ago, after I had run the DSS hybrid stage one axles for about a year. Last time, I didn't notice the problem until all four CV boots had puked all over my engine. I sent the halfshafts back to DSS to get the CV joints replaced. I asked them, "why did this happen?" They said "Its because the CV boot was too old. We've switched to a better CV boot so this won't happen anymore." Well, it happened again, at the exact same time interval. At least this time I caught the problem a little earlier.

My setup: H22A4 in a 95 cx hatch mounted with HAsport EGH1 mounts. Running a Prelude midshaft. I have tokico shocks and GC sleeves but the car is not lowered. DSS stage 1 hybrid axles, and I told them I had the prelude midshaft. Last dyno run showed 160 whp on a Mustang dyno.

I figure there's no way I should be going through axles this fast, especially when I'm paying a premium to get them from DSS. I am guessing the shaft lengths are wrong. I am, at this point, extremely hesitant to send them back to DSS, even though I bought my shafts 2 years ago and they may have the correct shaft lengths by now.

what do you guys think about gator axles? should I just get an accord midshaft and use OEM axles? anybody here to stick up for DSS? I'm so frustrated.

C M S

Wow, that sucks bro. Hopefully they take care of you considering the amount of momey u have spent. I would hate to say it, but try Autozone axles. I have been runnin the same set for about 1.5 yrs. I have launched at 7k on slicks dozens of times with no probs. Plus lifetime warranty, good luck...

Ministry

what mount kit and midshaft are you using? how much are autozone axles?

I feel like I got ripped off. Has anyone else run DSS hybrid axles for more than a year? if so, when did you buy them?

patastinky

aren't the DSS's lifetime warranty!?

AudioFuct

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1SICJDM &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Wow, that sucks bro. Hopefully they take care of you considering the amount of momey u have spent. I would hate to say it, but try Autozone axles. I have been runnin the same set for about 1.5 yrs. I have launched at 7k on slicks dozens of times with no probs. Plus lifetime warranty, good luck...</TD></TR></TABLE>

lol, i had to replace an OEM teg axle with an autozone axle on my drivers side. Ive been really worrying about launching with it on slicks, but after reading this im hoping i have the same luck. Thanks for posting!

C M S

I am runnin the HCP kit w/ teg intermediate shaft and Autozone teg axles. 89 teg drivers side, 90 teg pass side. Like I said, its been over a year w/ no probs and 1.7 60'

C M S

In case u want to know, slick size is 22x8x13...

Ministry

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by patastinky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">aren't the DSS's lifetime warranty!?</TD></TR></TABLE>

no. I got hybrid stage 1, which only have a six month warrantee.

I just got off the phone with DSS. They said to send them the axles and they will rebuild the CV joints for $75 per axle. I spoke to them about shaft length and they basically said "well each different mount kit uses different shaft length." I said I use the HAsport EGH1 kit and the guy on the phone said "I don't think we've changed the measurements on them." They said they would measure the shafts for me to make sure they are correct, if I sent them the axles. If they were 'correct' last time, then I don't know wtf is wrong.

I'm afraid that I'm gonna spend like $30 to ship them to NY, $150 to rebuild the CV joints, and in the end, they're still gonna vibrate and die early. WTF, to think I got DSS axles to save myself the headaches.

is anyone else running these axles? any advice is appreciated.

Jason kiDD

Do a search under my name. I have had problems with Frank and DSS before. Givign out axles for a particular mountkit knowing that others are being used and the shaft lengths would have to be modified. I had hoped that they would have improved by now but I guess its still the same ole ish..

Ministry

I think I remember reading about your axle woes. but aren't you using HCP mounts? that kinda changes the situation. what did you finally end up doing?

Jason kiDD

But that is my point if you are using the supposed kit that the axles are made for why are you still having problems..

And i had to send the them back and have a whole inch taken of the passenger side shaft..

Ministry

so you did finally get satisfaction from these guys. at this point I am debating whether or not to do any more business with them.

I am really tempted to get a pair of Gators of HAsports. from what you're saying, there is a chance DSS will make it right. what did you have to do to get them to trim the shaft? they told me the measurements haven't changed for my mount kit.


Modified by dreamer at 10:55 AM 4/5/2005

Jason kiDD

I had to explain that the axle was binding.. Then Frank started going into well if you do shaft play measurements by seeing how much the axle moves and all dat crap.. Very unproffessional if you ask me..

Ministry

that's exactly what he told me 5 minutes ago. "take off the axle nut with the wheels on and the car sitting on flat ground. push the axle into the hub with your finger. it should go in .5 to 1 inch. any more or any less is bad."

he says its due to every car being different, claiming that variations as big as an inch or so are not uncommon. considering the money that I've already sent their way, I think I'm gonna go ahead and try to get them to make it right.

what pisses me off is it seems like I am responsible for telling them whether the shafts are too long or too short. seems to me that it should be their job to do this. I guess I'm gonna be sending them back to DSS...

H22EKHATCH

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jason kiDD &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I had to explain that the axle was binding.. Then Frank started going into well if you do shaft play measurements by seeing how much the axle moves and all dat crap.. Very unproffessional if you ask me.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I have nothing good to say bout that company.....garbage cust. service.
I've broken two axles already......and had many binding issues.
Pay xxx for custom axles and I'm in my driveway in the snow measuring axle play......WOAAAAA......how bout a little more R&D....... Well I'm not even goin in to details bout my probs. with them....and DEF. NO EXTENDED WARRANTY ON STAGE 1 AXLES!!
the only Frank gets is the one lodged in his A$$............

Ministry

so what did you end up doing?

1.8EG-T

Wow, I will be in the market for stronger axles soon, I guess I can scratch them off the list. I hope everything goes well, but most company's like that, are jsut after the $$$, once they have that, nothing else matters.

Ministry

I'm not trying to start a DSS flamefest. I really just want a solution. I had no idea DSS had so many dissatisfied customers. that's really discouraging.

H22EKHATCH

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dreamer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so what did you end up doing?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't even wan't to think bout this again ( I had bad dreams for weeks)
I found myself in my driveway measureing axle play whenever an new axle would come....just to find out the axle was the wrong length and send it back....finnally I got an axle that was still binding like a mothafu....I needed my car back on road so I drove for 6 months taking load off drivetrain on every left turn..

So I took the $ loss on those......then ordered axles from hasport figuring hey I got a hasport kit...etc.

Well guess who makes axles for Hasport....YUP!
axle came back with same length Binding and whatnot.........Long story short..........Hasport has great cust service they took care of it with no effort or shipping costs from me.......Axles are now fine

Sorry didn't wanna get in to it you asked tho.......Not to flame but if you wanna get DSS axles pay a little extra and buy them thru Hasport cuz you don't wan't to deal with DSS cust service.

Ministry

too late. I got DSS axles. I wonder if I could send them to Hasport to be rebuilt

EDIT: that sounds so crazy it just might work...I'm calling HAsport as soon as they open. hope they don't laugh at me

H22EKHATCH

[QUOTE=dreamer]too late. I got DSS axles. I wonder if I could send them to Hasport to be rebuilt

Right sorry I had falshbacks bout my situation and lost my train of thought on original thread.....

Well as far as that goes if you didn't purchase from them (Hasport) I don't think they can really do anything......
**** I've tried crazier things...
PS If you do call hasport ask for Todd or Brian........Both awesome guys and I can't say enough about their cust. serv.

The only reason I was involved w/ Hasport was because I thought I was tryin an alternative to DSS Axles.....
Somehow It worked out for me ....after much $$$ lost in situ.

Dude I wish you the best of luck

Ministry

well I just got off the phone with someone at HAsport, and they told me the EXACT same thing Frank at DSS said. I guess my frame isn't exactly straight. sounds like its not really DSS's fault. I guess I'm just gonna have to measure the shaft play and go from there. The guy at HAsport said Frank makes all their axles anyway so I might as well get him to fix the problem.

by the way, I asked about purchasing the EGH2 tranny mount by itself. no dice. turns out all the mounts are slightly different, and the engine has been shifted ~1/4" to the passenger side to allow greater clearance for PS, AC, etc. so the EGH2 tranny mount won't work with the EGH1 driver's side and rear mounts. too bad, cuz I'm not shelling out $600 for the new mounts.

this all makes me wonder: what the hell possessed me to stick an H22 in a civic?
oh well, I've learned a lot, at least now I won't be one of those suckers who gets all their auto work/maintainence done at a shop.

matto23

i just purchased DSS level 1's to replace my OEM combo's which were GONE. so gone that my axle shop said they were NOT rebuildable, lol. anyways, the car was shaking pretty bad under acceleration between 2000-3500 in 2nd and 3rd gear. after putting in the DSS's the car just shakes a little less. other than that, its the same. the probelm could be my motor placement due to my "Spark Racing Motor Mounts" and motor sits fairly close to the firewall, but it is a little crooked (the driver side is pulled closer to rad support). we are talking about .25''
i was going to try HCP mounts because the passenger side axle is not at a very extreme angle, however, the driver side is very extreme, and BINDS when the car is lower than 1.5''

next i will try an engine tune up: plugs, cap, rotor, oil, fuel filter

but i am guessing nothing will work. this is what we get for having H22-eg's

IHateJDM

Wow, I never knew this many people had DSS probs. I have DSS stage 1's in my H22 sol for about a year now, with no problems. I'm using HCP's mount kit, and the car is lowered about 2 inches. From my experience, I have nothing bad to say about them, knock on wood. I hope they take care of you man, that sucks.

Ministry

well, I measured the shaft play as Frank instructed. sure enough, the passenger side axle has only has about 1/4 inch of shaft play. I think this could definitely cause binding - the shaft is too long.

axles are coming out today, hopefully getting shipped this afternoon. I will post an update when I get them back and try them out.