This is a very long post so I'll say sorry up front. These events occurred about or began about four years ago and took almost an entire year to resolve the aftermath. I have rendered this to the best of my memory. As with all stories there is going to be another side but for most of it simple incompetence or lack of product knowledge, including DEO's own products, on DEO's part was the cause.
IN2JEEPN you are correct every person will have different experiences in any situation. I decided that with your glowing review of DEO's skill and customer care I would detail my final dealings with Robert and DEO.
It all started when I asked Robert his opinion on what longarm lift kit to go with based on my intended use. I added that I was planning on using his d300 flip kit and high steer kit. He recommended a RockKrawler (RK)kit. So, after some reasonable research on the RK kit I ordered up the 7" LA kit from RK and bought the DEO high steer kit, and a DEO d300 and flip kit. So before I go into what went wrong let me start by saying I had done business with DEO before and Robert had seen and worked on my Jeep. Once the RK lift was installed, which some friends and I did, I installed the flip kit into the D300 and proceeded to install the flipped D300 in my Jeep. Upon attempting this I found there was no way I could place the d300 so that the front output would not interfere with the automatic transmission oil pan. Robert never mentioned that a flipped D300 would not work with an automatic nor did his website mention it. As a matter of fact this is what his website says as of today:
Down East Off Road is the exclusive world-wide dealer for the Dana 300 flip kit, featuring the special Dana 300 twin stick shifter.
The Dana 300 Flip Kit has everything you need to take a stock Dana 300 and flip it upside down for use in a Jeep with a driver side output front axle.
# Standard Features: Includes Twin Stick Shifter & Stock Boot
# No Modicfication Needed to the Stock Skid Plate
# 8" Shorter than a Stock N.P. 231
# 4" Shorter than a 231 with a Slip Yoke Eliminator
# Two Different Shifters Available
# Will Work Behind any Transmission with a 23 Spline Output Shaft and 6 Bolt Circular Pattern.
# Will Work with a Clocking Ring but is not needed for Standard Installation
# Will still accept a 4:1 Kit and the Heavy Duty Output Shaft Kit
# Stock Speedo Adapter will be Reused from Your Stock 231
# Vacumn Disconnect Switch (Optional $75)
Order your Dana 300 Flip Kit Today
Notice there is no mention of any possible problems but on the contrary it states it will work behind "ANY" tranny w/a 23 spline output. It will work if you don't mind the case being almost vertical, which is GREAT for ground clearance BTW. Well back to what happened. I contacted Robert and told him it didn't seem to work and I was bringing it to him to figure it out. When I put my Jeep on the trailer to take it down to him I happened to notice that his High Steer Kit conflicted with the RK lift's relocated trackbar mount while under compression. Upon getting the Jeep back down to DEO, Robert informed me after looking over the Jeep that he had never seen a lift designed like RK's, remember he suggested/recommended it. After that unsettling information, Robert thought he could use a clocking ring to achieve the correct T-case position. He later informed me that I had to go back to the original NP(V)231 t-case because the flipped D300 would not work. I will give Robert credit for taking the flipped d300 back and refunding the money I spent on it. Unfortunately, my NP231 had already been sold and I could not source another one at the time and Robert's best solution was a Atlas II. Now, I like the Atlas but DEO could not even install it correctly. They set the shift tower threaded rods wrong and cut them off making it very hard to shift the Atlas, there's no leverage. Robert also informed me they had to use the t-case lowering kit from my previous lift in order to make the Atlas work with my Nth Degree "Tummy Tucker" t-case skid. B.S. I found that with a 1" motor mount lift and adjusting the floor sheet metal slightly, the atlas fits just fine, no thanks to DEO's custom build talents.
DEO's solution to the high steer track bar mount conflict was to fab a custom track bar using the RK track bar and some DOM (I think/hope it was DOM anyway) and do away with the relocation bracket. They were quite impressed with themselves for their fabed up track bar, as expressed by Robert.
Overall in regards to his product recommendations and in house products not working together I'll summarize what Robert said, "All these manufactures and myself don't sit down over a beer at the end of the day to discuss what they and I are building to ensure they will work together". If I called and asked these questions and had not had a prior "in person" relationship with DEO then I might go for his explanation but it still doesn't cover the D300 flip kit not working with a stock Jeep transmission, w/23 spline output BTW.
Anyway at some point during all of this, I really don't remember when, I asked Robert if he could mount the hydraulic ram for my "AGR RockRam" kit to the steering linkage. In their opinion, how they had mounted it when I picked it up, the best place to install the ram was under the tie rod. Now being that this Jeep was going to be heavily used offroad it makes absolutely no sense to install a high steer kit, to help avoid steering failure due to rock/trail damage, and then put a ram assist under it. Call me crazy but this was just stupid for a "professional offroad shop".
I will abridge this part to only concern DEO's contribution to the following problem. After I installed the AGR power steering box I noticed it had a leak at one of the fittings. AGR repaired the crack around the fitting and when I put the PS box back on It would not bleed properly or operate correctly. Again, I enlisted DEO's supposed expertise. DEO installed the repaired box I believe it was four different times, I'd have to check my receipts to remember if it was more, after AGR serviced it to repair a leak from the input seal. DEO's employees "bled the power steering system" and returned my Jeep "ready to go. Unfortunately, they could not bleed the system correctly and if they knew what they were doing they would have caught this. When AGR repaired the original crack they plugged one of the ports on the PS box. The hydraulic ram assist steering could never be bled or work properly and DEO's staff never caught it. For those who don't know here is a link on how to bleed a hydraulic PS kit:
http://www.pscmotorsports.com/page.html?chapter=5&id=24
After being monetarily bled to death by DEO on this problem, I called PSC , AGR was of no use by now, and they helped me trouble shoot it. I ultimately found the problem and resolved it, again no thanks to DEO.
Finally, during all of this I had DEO install a ARB in my front axle. I installed a Poisen Spyder rock ring over the diff cover after they did their work. I never broke the seal on the diff cover, all I did was remove the diff bolts and install the ring over and torque accordingly. At this time I was at a point of trail testing my Jeep to find any bugs, which I did. I trailered it to URE, drove from the outpost to Daniel then did Rocky Mtn Loop and back to the outpost. The locker was slow to react on or off. I later found out the copper line was pinched, I wonder how I might have caused that w/out opening the cover(sarcasm). On our way back to the out post the font axle locked up throwing us into the on coming lane. Fortunately no cars were right there. I was able to get it off the road and back on the trailer. I took it back to DEO since IMO whatever the failure was it was theirs. Robert immediately claimed it was my fault since I added the rock ring. Turns out there was no or very little fluid in front diff causing the pinion bearing to fail ruining a new set of gears and bearings. Of course DEO was more than happy to fix it...on my dime since they claim all the fluid leaked out because or the rock ring being installed after the ARB install.
All in all, maybe I should thank Robert and DEO, I certainly learned a lot fixing the problems resulting from their helpful information and professional customer service and I defiantly could not have found a better place to spend my money (again sarcasm).
