CARBON might be a new brand, but it has old roots! We are family owned and operated, and are using decades of experience to bring the Highest Quality products to you at a fair price! Here's a brief summary:
- 1985 - After college, Ron Stobaugh co-founded West Coast Differentials in Northern California, not far from the Rubicon Trail.
- 1987 - Ron and his future wife Tracy start Gear Performance, again in Northern California.
- 1990-96 - Racing off road almost full-time, winning races and Championships, Ron specializes in Baja races, learning the value of tough products in the middle of nowhere. Ron and Tracy have a son, Austin, who is kind of born into the whole off-road racing and business.
- 1995 - Ron contracts to the Timken Company, developing a business case for Timken to enter the aftermarket axle and gear business.
- 1997 - Ron Stobaugh co-founds Superior Axle and Gear and DriveTrain Direct. Austin works in the warehouse during summers packaging axle kits.
- 2004 - Ron starts ALLOY USA, and eventually he and his team buy Precision Gear. Austin works more and more learning about axle and gear manufacturing, assembly, marketing and customer service.
- 2009 - Ron starts TEN Factory and manages the Motive Gear off-road program, developing sponsorships with Rob MacCachren, Cameron and Heidi Steele, Jeremy McGrath, Bryce Menzies, Shannon Campbell, Brad and Roger Lovell and more!
- 2010 - Austin opens Baja Tested for business.
- 2011 - Austin opens Rubicon Tested..
- 2014 - Austin launches Baja Sunlight, specializing in High Quality LED Lighting.
- 2014 - Ron works with Hammerking Productions and King Of the Hammers, working on sponsorships and business relationships.
- 2015 - We're now ready to start CARBON Off Road. We specialize in Jeep products! Chromoly Axle Kits, complete axle housings and more. Let us know if you see a problem that needs to be solved - if we haven't already looked into it, we will. And we will sell Direct and through Authorized Distributors.
- 2016 - We remain a family business, no out of touch executives to explain off road to or big investment companies involved. We may stumble, run out of product occasionally as we grow, but our prices will be fair, our products will be the highest quality, and we will treat you like our family.
Thank you for stopping by and for your business, whether you've purchased CARBON or one of our family's previous brands. We look forward to working with you and seeing you all on the trails.