ATV Industry Profile: Gorilla Axle

By Jason Giacchino - August 27, 2015

If you’ve ever come within a hundred yards of a mud pit on your ATV, you’ve surely had some experience with Gorilla Axle. These guys have come to dominate the mud crossing market but who are they? Where did they come from?

Believe it or not, they started out as a collision shop. Gorilla Axle, Inc. began as a small automotive shop that specialized in front-end repair. Known in the early days as CV Joints Plus, the company also repaired ATV CV axles for local customers and friends. As the Utility ATV market exploded, so did the need for heavy-duty CV axles. Being avid outdoorsmen and ATV enthusiasts themselves, the guys of CV Joints Plus were determined to find a fix for the problematic stock CV axles that were simply too weak to hold up to the constant abuse caused by running oversize tires and suspension lift kits; essentials if mud was to be taken seriously.

Having a large supply of automotive-grade CV parts on hand, CV Joints Plus began to research components to build axles for ATVs that wouldn’t just hold up better but also keep customers out of the shop and on the trails. After a few successful runs, Gorilla Axle was born. Knowing that focusing only on the immediate area would be shortsighted, Gorilla Axle set out to gain widespread market share and further develop the Gorilla Axle line. Soon, Gorilla Axle and their ATV efforts eclipsed the sales of their automotive-based CV Joints Plus! With all Gorilla Axles including a full one-year warranty, theirs has been a mission to stand up to the largest ATVs running super-aggressive tires and ridden in the worst conditions imaginable.

Along with building axles to fit stock ATVs, Gorilla Axle is often called upon to build custom axles for customers who have radically modified their machine or those just seeking a unique application for their ATV/ UTV (such as rock crawling vehicles or Baja Racers). Although usually costly and time consuming, Gorilla Axle has often proven to be the only solution for individuals seeking a unique ATV or a custom build.

These days Team Gorilla Axle boasts one of if not THE largest fleet of oversize ATVs and RUVs anywhere in the nation. These giant machines provide incredible exposure for Gorilla Axle and are conversation pieces wherever they appear. Included in the Gorilla Axle Racing Fleet are the machines ridden by Team Gorilla Axle Powered by Can-Am…the most decorated ATV mud racing team in the nation!

Axles were only the beginning and in fact Gorilla Axle has since expanded to include suspension lift kits in their line. Realizing that Gorilla Axle customers tend to be true ATV enthusiasts, and due to the popularity of smaller lift kits on the market, Gorilla Axle now offers lift kits ranging from the StageONE Lift Kit, which allows the customer to maintain the stock-feel of their machine and offers 1.5-3″ of lift to the ORIGINAL Gorilla Axle Suspension Lift s, which offer between 4-10″, depending on model and customer desire.

These new lifts, which are completely bolt-on and require no fabricating from the customer, raise the ATV to offer incredible ground clearance and off-road capabilities compared with stock ATV numbers. They’ve got their own tires these days, radiator relocation kits and their Gorilla Axle Suspension Lifts are available for a wide variety of makes and models with new applications in R&D taking place on a constant basis.

Gorilla Axle has shipped products from their headquarters in Monroe, LA to enthusiasts all over the globe; from the frozen lands of Northern Alaska to the Deserts of Iraq. As the ATV market continues to grow at a rapid pace, Gorilla Axle will continue to fill the special needs of ATV enthusiasts everywhere with products that are proudly made right here in the USA.