Del West Shocks and Struts

Del West Engineering: The World Standard in Titanium Valvetrain Technology

Del West Engineering has a origin story unlike almost any other performance parts brand. Founded in 1973 as an aerospace structural materials R&D laboratory, the company spent its early years deep in research contracts for aerospace giants — studying titanium and aluminum alloys for some of the most demanding environments imaginable. By 1978, that deep materials science expertise found a natural home in motorsport: Del West began producing lightweight titanium valves for racing engines, and the performance world took notice immediately.

Today, Del West is widely recognized as the world's largest and most respected titanium valve and lightweight valvetrain component manufacturer, with over 50 years of continuous innovation. Their products have set the standard for performance and reliability across every major professional racing series on the planet — from the ultra-high-revving engines of Formula 1 and the endurance demands of NASCAR, to the brutal heat cycles of NHRA drag racing, World Superbike, WRC rally, and professional motocross with teams like Pro Circuit. Few brands can claim championship associations across so many disciplines simultaneously.

From the Race Track to the Street

What separates Del West from competitors is a commitment to doing nearly every step of design, testing, and manufacturing in-house — from materials science and simulation modeling to precision CNC machining and proprietary wear coatings. This vertical integration gives Del West unmatched dimensional control and surface finish quality in their titanium intake valves and titanium exhaust valves. Their signature CrN (chromium nitride) coating on valve stems dramatically reduces friction and extends service life, even under the extreme heat and RPM loads of competition engines.

That race-proven technology has also made its way into high-performance production vehicles. Del West supplies titanium valves and valve lifter and follower assemblies to OEM programs including the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, KTM dirt bikes, Ducati motorcycles, BMW, and MV Agusta — a testament to the real-world durability and engineering precision behind every component they produce.

A Complete Valvetrain Solution

Del West's product catalog goes well beyond individual valves. Their complete valvetrain component lineup includes finger followers, rocker assemblies, lash caps, keepers, and more — all engineered to work as a cohesive system. Critically, their titanium valve spring retainers are available for virtually all racing engine configurations and undergo 100% quality control inspection on every critical dimension. Precise taper angle control and bore tolerances ensure that the valve stem, keeper, and retainer interface works as a zero-relative-motion assembly, reducing wear and extending the life of the entire valve package.

Whether you are building a dedicated race engine or pushing a high-performance street machine to its limits, Del West components bring aerospace-grade materials science to every combustion cycle.