Abstract: A direct drive, self-cooling, fail-safe axle brake system mounted to a drive axle associated with a differential and wheel end of a vehicle. The brake system has two back to back tandem operated combination brake components associated with the wheel end, which is surrounded by a hub cooling and collection reservoir into which fluids from a separate cooling reservoir are circulated over the brake components to dissipate heat generated from braking by dissipating it through the separate cooling reservoir.