fixed it. apparently i miss read because it gives out the regular RS232 voltages. it has the FT232RL chip to go from USB->TTL levels and then a CMOS chip to convert those ttl levels to regualt RS232 voltages. so i just connected my MAX232 back to it and got ttl levels.
i may find the traces and solder some headers directly from the ttl tx/rx/dtr pins for later use as it would much easier to use.