DRE rockers, the untold story
10-20-2003, 07:32 PM
#1
DRE rockers, the untold story Well, after a few weeks of biting my tongue I am fed up with the customer service and going to tell my story to avoid this happening to someone else.
I initally saw these rockers on Ebay and they looked promising. A call to DRE was fielded by Rex, the sales guy. He was very helpful, passed me off to another engineer about pushrod questions and head modifications. I was initially told that I needed 6.900 pushrods but that was not the case. The heads also needed to be milled to enable them to allow adequate clearance for the pushrods. Once the sale was complete everything was fine, we corresponded via a few emails and everything felt great. The email's did highlight a few things about installation and DRE RACING GUARANTEED that the rockers would fit without any modification of the valve covers.
Forward 2 weeks:
I recieved the rockers and was very excited about adding them to my high spinning combo. The rocker's appeared to be very straight forward, grind the heads on an end mill and bolt them puppies on. I bolted the passenger side bar on and started measuring pushrod lengths. I ended up with a 7.150" Pushrod so I had to custom order some from Comp Cams.
4 Days later:
I finally have the pushrods, back to the install. The pushrods and the rockers assemblies go together very easy. Adjusting the preload was a piece of cake.
*Problem struck*
While trying to install the valve covers I noticed that neither side would fit. Shoot they weren't even close. So the next day I called Rex and low and behold Rex finally realizes that they wont work with the stock valve covers. Rex was very upfront about their mistake and stated that they would do whatever it took to ensure I was still running the rockers. DRE Racing had 2 options...
1) New valve covers
2) Valve cover spacers
Once I found out I couldn't install them due to valve cover issues I started pulling the rockers off. As I pulled the rockers off I started looking at the shafts and they had hairline cracks in them around the bolt holes. DRE did make good with this and has sent me 2 of the 5 shafts I needed.
Rex emailed me the next day and said they had a pair of spacers on order and I would have them shortly. Several Days pass and guess what, no F**KING spacers.
almost 2 weeks later:
John calls me saying that they are not going to order the new spacers but valve covers instead. Days go by and no news on the valve covers so I decide to call Rex @ DRE. Now Rex has a different tone, apparently DRE is not going to do anything until they have a test fitment done IN HOUSE.
Fast forward to today:
I still have not recieved my spacers OR my valve covers. I have this set of rockers in my garage that I can't use. I have told them that they have 24 hours to resolve my problems or REFUND my money. Now I am stuck with custom pushrods that I can't use.
Phillip
I initally saw these rockers on Ebay and they looked promising. A call to DRE was fielded by Rex, the sales guy. He was very helpful, passed me off to another engineer about pushrod questions and head modifications. I was initially told that I needed 6.900 pushrods but that was not the case. The heads also needed to be milled to enable them to allow adequate clearance for the pushrods. Once the sale was complete everything was fine, we corresponded via a few emails and everything felt great. The email's did highlight a few things about installation and DRE RACING GUARANTEED that the rockers would fit without any modification of the valve covers.
Forward 2 weeks:
I recieved the rockers and was very excited about adding them to my high spinning combo. The rocker's appeared to be very straight forward, grind the heads on an end mill and bolt them puppies on. I bolted the passenger side bar on and started measuring pushrod lengths. I ended up with a 7.150" Pushrod so I had to custom order some from Comp Cams.
4 Days later:
I finally have the pushrods, back to the install. The pushrods and the rockers assemblies go together very easy. Adjusting the preload was a piece of cake.
*Problem struck*
While trying to install the valve covers I noticed that neither side would fit. Shoot they weren't even close. So the next day I called Rex and low and behold Rex finally realizes that they wont work with the stock valve covers. Rex was very upfront about their mistake and stated that they would do whatever it took to ensure I was still running the rockers. DRE Racing had 2 options...
1) New valve covers
2) Valve cover spacers
Once I found out I couldn't install them due to valve cover issues I started pulling the rockers off. As I pulled the rockers off I started looking at the shafts and they had hairline cracks in them around the bolt holes. DRE did make good with this and has sent me 2 of the 5 shafts I needed.
Rex emailed me the next day and said they had a pair of spacers on order and I would have them shortly. Several Days pass and guess what, no F**KING spacers.
almost 2 weeks later:
John calls me saying that they are not going to order the new spacers but valve covers instead. Days go by and no news on the valve covers so I decide to call Rex @ DRE. Now Rex has a different tone, apparently DRE is not going to do anything until they have a test fitment done IN HOUSE.
Fast forward to today:
I still have not recieved my spacers OR my valve covers. I have this set of rockers in my garage that I can't use. I have told them that they have 24 hours to resolve my problems or REFUND my money. Now I am stuck with custom pushrods that I can't use.
Phillip
10-20-2003, 07:49 PM
#3
Re: DRE rockers, the untold story What rockers did you use before? I have Comp 977s, Comp "R"s, and YTs, (I think the same setup that you were running) Why did you look into another rocker, were the DREs adjustable? Did you have any problems with the YT, Comp "R", and 977s that made you try something else? I know its gonna be hell to set them up, being non-adjustable and all.
Good luck, and hopefully you get it worked out, sounds like a nightmare. I agree w/ Cannibal, even if they replace them, I'd be leary of using them. I can only imagine what would happen if a rocker broke in two or more pieces.
Good luck, and hopefully you get it worked out, sounds like a nightmare. I agree w/ Cannibal, even if they replace them, I'd be leary of using them. I can only imagine what would happen if a rocker broke in two or more pieces.
10-21-2003, 01:13 AM
#4
Re: DRE rockers, the untold story Fantastic!! I hope this doesn't happen to me! I should have mine the end of this week. I am using spacers though. Hopefully they are correct.
10-21-2003, 09:48 AM
#5
LS1Tech Co-Founder
iTrader: (34)
Re: DRE rockers, the untold story Why don't you forward them a link to this thread.
I think that you should be back on the road by now, sounds like some of those folks over there need to go back in for customer service REtraining.
I think that you should be back on the road by now, sounds like some of those folks over there need to go back in for customer service REtraining.
10-21-2003, 03:02 PM
#7
Re: DRE rockers, the untold story Well, soon after I posted this, I got an email from whom I was told to be the owner. He said they are sending out new valve covers and all of the other parts I need. So I guess we will see. The DRE rockers are adjustable.
Phillip
Phillip
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10-22-2003, 04:11 AM
#9
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Re: DRE rockers, the untold story Phil,I thought you would have the darn new valve covers by now.I have a set of these rockers and Phil has been doing the R&D work[thanks again Phil]because I have not had time to try anything.
