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New Product Review - EMP CV Guards

We Install EMP Body Armor on our RZR
Written By: 
Staff

vendor.2013.extreme-metal-products.cv-boot-guards.on-polaris-rzr.with-logo.JPGYour front and rear drive shafts are some of the most vital and most vulnerable parts on your machine.  Whether you drive a Can-Am, Arctic Cat, Yamaha, or any brand though, once you tear the boot covering the articulating CV joint and a little water or grit enters the joint, it’s sayonara for the joint; it’s truly amazing how fast it happens.  Unfortunately, thanks to the location of the drive shafts– right down in the dirt where rocks, sticks, mud, and a thousand other missiles all do their best to attack them, they’re easy targets and a torn CV boot becomes the main cause of all drive shaft failures.  EXTREME METAL PRODUCTS has a couple excellent choices to protect them.  

Our trusty Polaris RZR 800 spends most of its time prowling around the woods of trail systems like Hatfield-McCoy, Brimstone, Burning Rock, etc., and like most Eastern trail systems, they are heavily forested with plenty of rocks, sticks, etc. along the trail.  It’s usually not a question of if you will tear your CV boots but when.  To prevent the damage and expensive drive shaft replacement, we recently installed a set of aluminum A-Arm and CV boot guards.  Here’s how they work.       vendor.2013.extreme-metal-products.cv-boot-guards.on-polaris-rzr.installing.JPG

EMP Guards

EMP has an enormous amount of products they build at their plant just outside of Cleveland, Ohio.  They’re masters of metal forming, and EMP owner Rick Ott is an off-road lover himself so he knows what works and what doesn’t.  There are several choices of CV boot guards available from EMP, but the title of each part doesn’t really tell the whole story.  Each part is much more than a simple CV boot guard; they’re excellent A-arm and drive shaft protection as well.  That’s the protection Rick wanted for his machine, and that’s also the level of protection he builds for every customer.  

For our Polaris RZR 800, we opted for a set of aluminum guards on both the front and rear although EMP offers guards in both steel and aluminum.  Regardless of the material though, the EMP guards are built to last.  All of the EMP guards are laser cut and formed on CNC equipment for consistent quality control and to insure a perfect fit, and mounting hardware is included with each kit.  Both the aluminum and steel guards are 1/8” thick for durability and formed from either 5052 aircraft grade brushed aluminum or American made steel.  They’re tough!  We like how EMP included plenty of drain holes for water and mud to escape and the shape of the guards fits nicely around the brakes, rotors, shock adjusters, etc.  vendor.2013.extreme-metal-products.cv-boot-guards.on-polaris-rzr.without-wheel.JPG

Installation Time

Installing the guards was easy.  We jacked up our Polaris, took the wheels off for better access, and removed the flimsy stock plastic CV guard which is held in by a TORX bit screw.  In our experience, the plastic guard is often a source of problems, and when the plastic guard deflects back into the CV boot it will quickly wear a hole in the boot as we recently did on our RZR 900 allowing dirt and grit to enter the joint.  You already know the next part; the joint quickly wore out and we had to replace the entire shaft.  EMP’s guard is designed to prevent that from happening.

The EMP guards are held in place by metal brackets which clamp to the A-arm, with no drilling or special tools required for installation.  As usual for installing any new parts, we only hand tighten bolts at first until everything is aligned correctly.  Check to make sure you’re not pinching a brake line, and then fully tighten when you’re sure everything is in the right position.  All that’s left is to put the wheel back on, lower the jack, and get ready for riding!  Total installation time was a little over and hour, and when done you can consider your machine to be well protected.vendor.2013.extreme-metal-products.cv-boot-guards.on-polaris-rzr.jacked-up.JPG 

Polaris RZR 570 & 800 Aluminum CV Guards

Sold as a set of two – available for front and rear.

MSRP: $99.99

Polaris Ranger XP900 Steel CV Guards

P/N: EMP-12008-ST

Fits: 2013 Ranger XP900 (not RZR XP900)

Sold as a set of four for the front and rear.

MSRP: $179.99

UPS 36 lbs. 

EMP Aluminum A-Arm & CV Boot Guards  – The Bottom Line

  • Did it arrive in good shape? EXCELLENT with FAST SHIPPING
  • Good instructions on how to install or use? VERY GOOD – EASILY UNDERSTOOD
  • Any special tools required for installation? SOCKETS,TORX BIT TO REMOVESTOCK SCREWS
  • How long did it take to install? 1-1/2 Hours for 4
  • Any tips or tricks you have for install? REMOVE WHEELS FOR BETTERACCESS
  • How well does it work? EXCELLENT
  • Durability? EXCELLENT
  • Does it seem like a quality product? YES
  • Does it offer good value for the money? YES - DEFINITELY
  • Other? AMERICAN MADE

EXTREME METAL PRODUCTS     www.extrememetalproducts.com

Ph:  800.262.2768  or   216.267.3900

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