Big Smoky

I'm seriously considering this as my next major purchase. I'm just wondering who is using them and how everyone likes them. I despise the always locked front end. Another thing I noticed is that the EMS is $800 cheaper than Dynatrac and they are both warn hubs. Thanks

Eric

Mountaineer

Yea I'm in the same boat. Ive been looking at them but am now questioning them now because I was in a couple different situations this winter where I needed 4wheel real quick and was glad I could just reach down and bam it was in. Its one of those deals where I wasnt planning on needing fourwheel and ended up needed it. Plus the price of the unit bearings have come way down. On the other note I know they couldnt hurt the milage any

Eric

estrada5.9

I installed the EMS kit but I did the inner and outer axle shafts for 1800 total plus shipping. I am very pleased with the kit, just the piece of mind that I got rid of the CAD and unit bearings. I now have a servicable front end. I installed the kit my self in a day in a half (ran into a couple hang ups) Getting off the stock unit bearing rotor assembly was the hardest part.

caper

Without the CAD (ie. 2002.5) would you need to do the axle shafts to use this kit, I'm gona pull the trigger on it I think.

caper

Opps , forgot to ask what ya did with your front center caps ?? Put a hole in them or just leave them off for the man. hubs , any pics ??? Man ,do I ask for alot of stuff or what eh.

Tate

Does it still use Dodge brake stuff, or did it go to Ford or Chev parts?

OOPS

If you think you are going to be in a place where you may need 4-WD lock the hubs in before. Then you can just pull it in as before. That is what I do with my rock-crawler, I like to run trails in 2-WD just to see how far I can make it.


Does anyone have a web link for the EMS setup?

NMCTD

here ya go http://www.emsoffroad.com/

Big Smoky

So, no matter what it's gonna be about $1800 for either kit? Why does EMS advertise for $800 or so then?

Big Smoky

I was wondering that too? You still use your stock claiper and all that good stuff right?

patdaly

I guess I am lost, where did you get 1800 bucks from? For us non-ABS guys the standard kit is 975 and the extreme duty kit is 1075.

If I were to use this kit, can I also upgrade to the 2002 non CAD axleshaft to replace my 2 piece unit, or is it not the same hybrid 60?

Also, since I am relatively new to these things, just how problematical are the balljoints? I would hate to spend 1075 then find I needed to do the Furd 60 swap anyway.

Thanks

patdaly

DOH, Never mind, geeze, I slid right past the original post about 1800.........

TheBigNasty

I think if the standard kit for the CAD truck uses the stock axle shafts and the upgrade to get rid of the CAD is $1800 the you should still be able to use the factory shafts on the 2002.5 trucks with just the standard kits.

NMCTD

If I remember corectly (been awhile since I talked to EMS) the standard and the extreme duty kit don't get rid of the CAD. With the standard kit you get standard duty new stub axles plus all the stuff to convert to locking hub ect.. With the extreme duty you get the same stuff but upgraded (35 spline I think) stub axles. With either you have to do the cad mods on your own if you want (I think you can take the shift fork off and reverse it and then the axles stay locked together all the time)

Then for another $465 or so you can upgrade the inner axles to the cromoly 35 spline also and it is a one piece on the passenger side but you have to upgrade your spider gears also and thats like another $200-$300 (I can't remember)

Basically the way I understand it is the standard kit is for those guys that just want to get rid of the unitized bearings and get locking hubs. The extreme in just a mild upgrade from there, and the extreme with the other upgrades is for those that want the absolute strongest stuff they can buy, and is equivilent to the dyna-trak kit.

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong Its been awhile since I talked to EMS about there kits, but they seemed like good guys and were more than willing to chat on the phone for quite awhile when I called.

Hope that explains there stuff a little better.....Josh

BOILERMAKER

Man, I shoulda done this instead of buying new bearings and replacing the u-joints next week. O well, I guess this way i won't have to change them out anytime soon again.