DKS Cams
 

I was just wondering what any of you think of or have heard about DKS cams. They're pretty much the same as HKS but I question the quality. Let me know what you guys think.

http://www.ffwdconnection.com/cams.shtml

272s for $350!!!!!

Re: DKS Cams
 

Search anyone?
http://dsmstyle.com/forums/showthrea...highlight=cams

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When I typed DKS in the search nothing came up. I figured that's all I'd have to search for.

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I installed a set of these for a customer, im a little iffy on them as they send a bag of washers they say to use in case there is to much play in the lifters. I haven't heard anything back from the customer so i assume everything is still well, but it still seemed a little half ass to me. Looks like someone needs to do a head to head test!!

Re: DKS Cams
 

Yes I just heard about this. They send some "shims" to put under your lifters. HKS's don't come with this do they? Is this safe to have these loose washer things inside your head?

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No, HKS doesn't have those. They sound like regrinds so they are actually a little smaller. If they made larger ratio rocker arms they might be viable.

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They do sound like regrinds.
Nothing is wrong with regrinds as long as you maintain the same clearance between the cam follower and the cam. (I hoped you guys checked that SLS).
The valvetrain geometry changes, but is very negligible, especially on a HLA system.
As far as shimming your HLA's. People have been doing this for years. Its not bad if done correctly, and since they are in the head, below the HLA, I wouldn't worry about it.
The important part is to maintain proper clearances between the cam follower (rocker) and the cam. To tight, and you could collapse the HLA, to loose, and you could send it on a trip somewhere else in the head or through the valve cover.
Have fun!

Re: DKS Cams
 

You don't need all the valves working anyway to make power. Andys car made 440whp with only 15 valves.:) Its all in the tuning.;)

On topic though, they look decent for the price. But I would be skeptical of the quality.

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They saw right under the picture that they are regrinds. Whether theirs are good or bad needs to be determined. Dealing with shims is a downside. The original Crower cams were supposed to be copies of the HKS cams also, and they didn't quite live up to it.

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If you think about a regrind, it will never get more lift than the original. If they are using stock cams for the blank, they aren't going to work great without a larger ratio on the rocker arm to produce more effective lift.

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Not sure if that statement is true. Think about why they are called "re-grinds". The reason for the shims is because the base circle of the cam is ground to a smaller diameter, to increase the lift of the cam in relation to the follower. If you make the base circle smaller, it makes the lobe bigger. The shims take up the difference.

Re: DKS Cams
 

From what I've always understood is that a regrind is where they weld a cam up then grind it down to where it should be. Therefore the base circle and lobe wouldn't be all out of proportion.

Re: DKS Cams
 

You are correct.

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That makes sense and would explain the shims. Hopefully they are getting them re-heat treated properly.

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I would not spend the money on those cams! Pay a little more and go fp's or hks!

Re: DKS Cams
 

Agreed. :cool:

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That would be a "hardweld" cam.
It uses a "spray" welding technique. The regrinds are just like vicious mentioned, cutting down on the base circle. Therfore you need to shim your lifter, or in our case a HLA so the radio maintains similar to stock.
Case in point, my cams.
Going from .375" to .412" lift. I am being told to use a #10 washer (.030"). I'll be dialing out the factory overlap with aftermarket Cam gears.

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I say just buy a HKS and be done w/ it and not have to worry about any problems.

Im sick of seeing all these threads everywhere about people talking up knock off parts and people saying oh their just as good your vendors are just trying to rip us off and all this non sence. I've had numerous customers bring in knock of BS and i'll just say 50% of it doesn't work from the start and another 25% fails w/in a few months.

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Word to that. However, without continued research and development, who's to make new products?
Hell I bet buschur considers your FMIC kits knockoffs of his. (He did invent the FMIC right? ;) ).

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There are good ideas out there, the problem is that most people want to keep the cost of R&D low as well as materials. This to me is cutting corners and what suffers is the quality. You think the HKS cams are durable as well as perform good by accident? I am sure a lot research went into the cam line and I am sure corners were not cut to keep cost low and profits high. They took the quality route which in the end payed off huge for them with the cams for example. Yeah they are spendy but whats your time worth? If you have to pull out shitty cams every year and mess with them or replace them you aren't really saving anything by going cheaper.

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With all the options for DSM cams I would not look into regrinds unless you are on a tight budget or somthing. But where the market for cams is smaller they seem like a good option. The FP and Crower cams are a good price for what you get. I will end up running some cams from Crane cams that cost ~$750 or so.

~John

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I never said that the HKS cams aren't good, were done by accident, or were defending the DKS cams. I've never even seen a "DKS" cam. I was defending the idea's and misconceptions about regrinds and small companies doing QUALITY research and development.
HKS cams are cheap compared to what new grinds for my car would cost (small market, $1800 for blank cams, no profiles!). Regrinds are a great choice for small/undeveloped market, because the research and development can go along ways before you start making lobe changes, etc (aka FP's cams).
I'd just go with a proven cam company if it were me. There are enough offerings out there to not even have to think about regrinds.
Heck, you can buy hks cams used for $300-400 if you dig around enough.

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Haha, yeah so he thinks. I consider a "knock off" a poor quality replica make w/ cheaper sources/materials, which is in no way what we're doing. We're still using Garrett cores. Some days it just doesn't seem worth even offering a quality product anymore. Nobody cares anymore about whats good, better, best, or even worse anymore, all they care about is how "cheap" the price is.

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Not to be off topic, but it sounds like there should be testing done, High quality product Vs. Ebay knock off. Ither flow bench numbers, dyno numbers, IAT differences, etc. Back on topic regrid cams have a time and a place as said befor, I do not think DSM's need them.

~John

Re: DKS Cams
 

Now that I've been educated...

I'm never buying regrinds. Like mom always said, if it looks like shit, smells like shit and feels like shit, it must be...

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Are you saying you will be changing your rocker ratio by shimming it?

I think you're actually talking about shimming the HLA because you have a small base circle cam and you want to maintain the stock lifter preload.

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Great cause I wasn't really talking in reference to your post. Just stating my opinion on the topic at hand. Now remove under garment from bottom and proceed.:p

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I think he is saying the cam will change the lift, not the shimming of the HLA.

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Alright :).

No I will not be changing my rocker ratio by shimming it. I was saying that I need to shim them HLA so I maintain the same amount of contact with the cam follower, or as you said, keep the stock HLA preload.
I was just stating that cam regrinds don't change the rocker ratio. I've seen that brought up before (it'll throw off my rocker ratio, change the angle), which if the HLA is shimmed properly, it will not. Just trying to squash a theory.
I agree, sometimes the R&D is difficult to justify when some knock-off company can offer some piece of shit product for 1/4 the price. Thats why you need testing and concrete numbers for everything in this day and age.

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there is no way in hell that I would trust shims for my cams!!

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Your not actually shimming the cam. Hell, How in the FUCK would you actually shim a cam?
I can draw you a picture if you want.
http://www.lse-performance.com/galle..._for_newbs.jpg
Sorry not nearly as fast in paint as I use to be.

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Better be careful Swanny, he works at a "a huge speed shop in Johnson City, TN." :eek:

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Oh thats right :eek: :cool:

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sorry...lol....was wondering how u would shim it! I still would prefer not to do it that way!


wow...just made an ass of myself....but I still work at a huge shop..lol...




oh yea...luv the paint skills!

Re: DKS Cams
 

Naw, Im just being an ass and messing around.

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its all good man...

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Do all your cam lobes look like an egg or is that the EGGcentric lobe?

Ha! I'm fucking hilarious.

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LMAO!
Naw mad flatness for VTEC, its actually 1" of lift ;).

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My 2cents the cam’s are a O.K. cheaper alternative. They are regrinds not hard welded and have a one year warranty. FFWD have been serving the DSM community for a long time and do good work IMOP.

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I got a regrind cam for my 240, it was cheap and works great, no problems with it at all. Have been looking into them for my Galant but havent decided yet.